15 Best Tips for How to Develop Leadership Presence

What is leadership presence?

Leadership presence is one of the most essential traits of great leaders with top leadership skills.  In simple terms, leadership presence is the concept that your demeanor and actions lead others to have a positive, trustworthy impression of your guidance, judgement, and management.

The most quintessential elements of leadership are centered around self-awareness and are also the foundation for building a strong executive presence. 1. Authenticity 2. Confidence 3. Connection 4. Emotional Intelligence 5. Communication

Key elements of leadership presence

The importance of leadership presence

Having a strong leadership presence stretches far beyond just being intelligent.  A good leader can have solid technical skills and copious amounts of knowledge, but if they can’t command respect or create a culture of trust, their team may struggle to achieve success.

The importance of leadership presence

Building a strong leadership presence brings order to disruptive environments, engages team members, and creates a culture of ownership – laying a path to reach the organization’s goals. Sharpening your executive presence skills also: Increases team productivity Builds trust Cultivates a culture of ownership and pride Inspires others Grows your career

The best ways to develop leadership strong presence

Even the best leaders and senior executives can benefit from evaluating their own executive presence skills.  

Our list not only provides some of the best ways to develop leadership presence, but also takes into consideration those senior leaders who may want to take their leadership qualities to a deeper level.

1. Build your self-awareness

Understanding how your own personality traits, habits and abilities show up in your leadership role or in the workplace is important.  When you know who you are and what you want to accomplish, it becomes easier to seek out and recognize the value of other’s opinions and input.

2. Know your core values

Core values resonate with who you are and are based on things like your past experiences, your habits and even the make up of your brain.  Your values guide and inform your decisions as well as your behaviors.  And when you are in a leadership role, your values also permeate through to your team members and the overall organization.

3. Watch your body language

Most people’s perception is noted within the first seven seconds of meeting.

Things like good posture and maintaining appropriate eye contact help to build trust.  Pay close attention to your facial expressions and focus on projecting positive energy. Good body language exudes confidence and sends a message that you are comfortable in your own skin.