Often, what not to do is more important than what to do. In the second edition of the Executive Presence series, I focus on what gets in the way of projecting authority and leadership.
Below are the most common patterns we observe during our elucution lessons that undermine confidence and are unconsciously perceived as signs of weakness:
Over-explaining.
Seeking approval
Avoiding discomfort
Rushing, multitasking, reacting to everything
Projecting low energy
What can you substitute it with?
Instead of over-explaining, focus on the key message, key goal, unless you want to lose the plot in the sea of unnecessary words
Instead of seeking approval, be open to the fact that what you say will not be liked
Instead of avoiding discomfort, thrive on it and use it as a growth tool
Instead of rushing, multitasking, and reacting to everything, develop calm and structure. Identify key priorities for the day, week, etc. and focus on priorities. Do not react to noise. This is particularly difficult in our era of information overload and constant notifications. They are true time and focus thieves.
Make energy management your strategy. Often, people say that our most important resource is time; I disagree. I believe energy matters more than time. Without energy, even unlimited time won’t take us far in achieving goals or leading others.
In the next edition, I focus on the speech and voice to assert a strong presence.
Warmly
Olga Smith