What executive presence really means

Leaders told they lack executive presence often do not know what to fix. Executive presence has become an umbrella term for effective communication, but the problem usually starts before they open their mouths.

Michael's presentation problem

A leader called Michael had been told he needed stronger executive presence. He communicated effectively with his team but was less effective with senior executives in presentations.

The real issue was not delivery

As Michael and his coach did dry runs for upcoming meetings, it became clear the problem was not how he delivered his presentation.

The coach's background

The author has worked in executive coaching and taught leadership communication for more than a decade at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, working with professionals across industries and levels.

Three key areas to strengthen

Based on this experience, the author has identified three key areas leaders should work on to strengthen their executive presence and how they communicate with senior audiences.

Skill one: assess audience needs

The first place where leaders often fall down is understanding what information their audience needs. This is where executive presence problems begin, not in how the message is delivered.

A VP's strategic plan mistake

A VP preparing a strategic plan for the C-suite had drafted essentially a list of initiatives.

“why those priorities, what enterprise problems they addressed, what impact or tradeoffs they involved”

Information selection matters

Leaders must select information that addresses what senior executives actually need to know. Presenting a list of initiatives without strategic context fails to demonstrate executive presence to the C-suite.

Content sequencing and organization

Beyond selecting the right information, how leaders sequence and organize their content shapes how senior executives receive and understand their message. This is the second key skill behind executive presence.

Responding to questions matters

How leaders respond to questions and pushback from senior executives is the third key skill. This interaction reveals whether they truly understand their material and can think strategically under pressure.

Preparation before the room

Executive presence is built through careful preparation before stepping into the room. Leaders must assess their audience, select relevant information, organize it strategically, and prepare for questions.