Executive Presence and Authenticity – a Somatic Approach
Executive presence is elusive. You know when you see it, but it’s hard to define. Some people define it as confidence, some as excellent verbal communication, integrity, or clout. Sometimes it will even be different in different organizational cultures.
However it is defined, executive presence starts with you, with personal mastery, and is all about how you are in alignment with your body and your mind and how that is projected and perceived.
1. Fake it until you become it
Not only does projecting confidence- standing up straight, shoulders back, speaking more slowly, taking up space – exude confidence and presence, it also tricks your brain into believing you are confident. To employ a terms used by Amy Cuddy, Harvard psychologist, in her book Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self into Your Biggest Challenges, don’t just ‘fake it ‘till you make it’, but ‘fake it until you become it’. She describes the science behind Power Poses and why they really do make you feel confident.
In addition, deep physiological breathing can help you in feeling more confident and more relaxed. It can take you from a state of ‘inner critic’ and negative emotion, to a state of ‘inner leader’ and Jedi, and positive emotion.
2. Be Present
When you are mind-ful and fully present in your situation and surroundings, you are not allowing negative thoughts to sabotage you. It is impossible for those negative emotions that undermine your confidence to hijack you. Being present gives rise to a quiet internal state that allows you to focus on the here and now, not the past (which you can’t change) or the future (which has not happened yet). Finally, being present allows for better connection with others.
3. Read the room
Being aware of your emotions and those of others in the room will help you adjust your messaging accordingly. Being aware of and able to read body language and micro expressions will help you identify situations where words, thoughts, and moods might be incongruent. Not only that, your own micro expressions can be read by others. Being in alignment with how you are feeling, and therefore the micro expressions you are projecting, will go a long way for building trust and therefore presence.
Dr Paul Ekman who has studied micro expressions for over 50 years, says that there are seven basic emotions with universal signals:
· Anger
· Fear
· Sadness
· Disgust
· Contempt
· Surprise
· Happiness
4. Authenticity and self-belief
Being authentic affects your confidence and it is freeing. When you are not in alignment with your values, it is very difficult to be confident. Knowing your values and your boundaries, your emotions, taking a higher-level perspective, basically personal mastery, and projecting yourself authentically goes a long way to rising executive presence.
Shifting to a positive mindset, believing in yourself, trusting yourself, letting go of any external expectations and not taking things personally will also support you in becoming your best self and exuding leadership presence.
I partner with leaders to transform their mindsets and behaviors so that they lead and live wholeheartedly and powerfully. Contact me if you would like to hear more.
#executivepresence #leadership #leadershipcoaching #confidence #authenticity