3 Simple Ways To Build A Strong Executive Presence Every Day
Beyond CEO status, what do Elon Musk, Ginni Rometty and Jack Ma all have in common? Their confidence and awe inspiring presence. ‘But they were born like this! ’ you might think as your vision of a large corner office and P.A. slip further away.
Fear not. Although sometimes it may look that way, all hope is far from lost. If you’re someone who strives to do better daily with a focus on career development, this ones for you.
Let’s get started on 3 easy ways to build your executive presence through everyday practices.
1. Be Present
Imagine a CEO. Do you see someone rushed and stressed or, are they calm and collected? Chances are, you just pictured the latter. That's because these folks know the value of being present. Being present or ‘mindful’, as it’s widely known, seems to be a trend we see everywhere. But what does it actually mean? Well, in short, it’s putting down your phone, unplugging from the world, putting your distractions aside and just being in the moment. Studies have found that making an effort to stay mindful can help increase stress resilience, lessen levels of anxiety, improve your mood and much more. No wonder the CEOs have such a strong impact! When you are completely present in what you are doing it shows and people really respond to that.
Here are some exercises to get you started!
2. Be Focused
There’s nothing quite like fully immersing yourself in a task. But sometimes, it feels like no matter what we do, it’s just not going to happen. Sound familiar? That’s because our brains are firing away a million miles a minute and it gets seriously distracting. So how do we get ourselves back on track? The answer is flow state. According to positive psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, flow state is defined as "being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies... Your whole being is involved, and you're using your skills to the utmost." When giving a task your full attention, you become much more insightful which leads to a deeper trust of your decisions. It just takes a few small steps you can implement everyday to help train your brain to be completely focused.
Want to learn how to achieve flow? Click here.
3. Be Intentional
Once you are present and focused, our next daily practice will easily fall into place. Be Intentional. Where are your minutes going? Why are they going there? Who/what are you giving that time to? When you can account for questions like these, all of a sudden, your schedule becomes much more efficient and productive. Intentionally cutting out unnecessary extras will free up time to focus on what really counts. This will help you move ahead and be perceived as someone who doesn’t get lost in the frills but rather, as an individual who thinks and works with purpose.
Here are 3 Simple Actions to get started!
