The Missing Key to Executive Presence

Executive presence comes up OFTEN in my conversations, whether that's with leaders talking about their team members, coaching clients, or audience members at speaking engagements.

Mostly with this question: How do I get more of it?

There are a few problematic things about executive presence. It's pretty ambiguous and often brings up pictures of what made a white man successful in 1987, a la Wolf of Wall Street kind of executive presence.

Having said that, I do believe that presence is real.

We've all been around someone with presence. We listen to them. We want to follow them. There's just something about them.

While you can argue about the exact attributes that lead to presence, there's one that hardly ever gets mentioned and I believe may have the biggest impact of them all:

>>> Your nervous system.

Specifically, being grounded in your nervous system.

When your body and nervous system are grounded, you show up with calm confidence. You speak more slowly, with purpose, and know you have nothing to prove.

You lead with an energy deeper in your body - not the twittering head energy that can come off as chaotic and UNgrounded, but the low belly energy that comes across as capable and authentic.

You can increase your presence immediately by practicing grounding. Take a deep breath into your low belly before speaking. Feel your feet on the ground. Slow down and walk with purpose into your next meeting.

You'll feel it - and others will, too.

Because when you're grounded, you're powerful.

P.S. I talk about grounding your nervous system in many of my keynotes and workshops because it is so critical to effective leadership and communication. Learn more about my keynote topics and hiring me as a speaker for your organization here.