It’s been a long day, a busy season, a crazy year. I have heard a hundred excuses that can get in the way of how we are present for our clients and our team.
I had the opportunity to show up with attendees at the first-ever Build & Balance: A BOSSY Inclusive retreat.
Gerry Valentine says, “Executive presence is about your ability to inspire confidence — inspiring confidence in your subordinates that you’re the leader they want to follow, inspiring confidence among peers that you’re capable and reliable and, most importantly, inspiring confidence among senior leaders that you have the potential for great achievements.”
I believe executive presence is also about how you’re showing up for your clients, your team and your customers, and that the most important thing is really how you are showing up for yourself.
Sharing my twist on the concept of executive presence.
BOSSY ROC is a networking group uniting women business owners from the greater Rochester, New York region They provide in-person & virtual networking events, educational workshops, and a private forum offering support, advice & resources.
My session at the Build & Balance retreat was an opportunity to reflect with Rochester business owners about how we “show up.” I shared resources and thoughts about the idea of executive presence and introduced my twist on the concept: showing up for ourselves.
Being intentional about your presence is the first step to understanding how your impact can resonate with others.
In the rush of the daily needs of others, to-do lists, and the sometimes constant state of urgency at which we find ourselves, it’s important to pause.
Take a few minutes to ask yourself:
- How do I want to show up for this experience?
- What do I want those around me to feel like by my presence?
Pausing allows us to look forward and begin with our desired end result in mind. You can have a greater impact on those around you when you’re intentional about how you show up to the interaction.
One of the main themes of executive presence is, as Maya Angelou famously said, that people will always remember how you made them feel.
“They may not remember what you said. They may not remember what you did. But they will never forget how you made them feel.”
– Maya Angelou
In discussion with the women of BOSSY ROC, we acknowledged the truth of Angelou’s statement. We discussed the actions that would lead to an effective executive presence, one that helps the people around us feel safe and seen.
My twist on the concept of executive presence, showing up for ourselves and the importance of self-awareness resonated with the group.
It’s a question I pose to you – how do you want to show up? For your team? Your clients? Yourself? Explore that twist to the concept and let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear your insights and experiences.