“Executive presence is just about what you look like.”
Yeah, I’m going to say no, but be careful. We know that executive presence, it’s a myth to think that it’s just about your appearance. We know that executive presence is about a variety of different skills and behaviors and abilities that can all be learned or as I say “unlocked,” unlocking your X factor.
But, let’s talk for a moment about appearance and what its role is when it comes to executive presence. In fact, I was recently having a conversation with one of my clients about how people show up to different meetings, and whether or not how they’re showing up from an appearance standpoint is showcasing where they want to go in the organization, or where they want to go with their future career.
So appearance does play a factor, because your appearance, how you are seen by people, it’s the first impression. Before you ever say a word, it’s what people see of you. It is the lens through which they are making their very first evaluation. It is the lens through which they’re deciding whether or not they’re going to listen to you. Now, I know we have been in this remote world, and some of you are back in the office or you may be doing hybrid – and I love comfort. Don’t get me wrong, I love to have on my gym clothes.
But when I need to show up to showcase my ability, to exude that executive presence, I am mindful of my appearance – because I know if I show up in a way that is distracting or if I show up in a way that doesn’t show my audience, whether that’s one person or many, if it doesn’t show that I care about myself or that I’ve taken time out of respect for other people to actually be prepared in my appearance, then where have I earned that, “Yes Colleen, I am willing to listen to you, or yes, Colleen, I’m willing to trust what you’re going to say.”
So while I will tell you that the myth of executive presence is just about appearance, it is one of the variables. It is like that first thing, if you can’t get past that. The best thing to do is just play on your strengths. It’s not about being a certain height or a certain hair color or certain eye color, it’s about leaning into the strengths that you have and working with what you’ve got, and making the best of it. So that lens, that appearance, think about that – how you are showing up, whether that’s virtually or in person. Especially at your next meeting, based upon where you want to go professionally.