Building Executive Presence

How to show up well to those higher up

Photo by Nastuh Abootalebi on Unsplash

Executive presence is one of the most requested topics I hear about. I’ve touched on it here and there, but I’ve never pulled it all together in one place. Having been on all sides of these relationships, I’ve made plenty of mistakes and seen many more around me.

The concept of executive presence is hard to explain at first. It’s a bit like taste or intuition; some people naturally sense it, and others develop it over time. It’s not a personal failing if someone struggles with it; often, it’s simply a lack of experience or coaching that leaves people early in their careers unsure how to show it.

One of the most valuable skills you can build is the ability to communicate effectively with people far removed from your day-to-day work, especially those much more senior than you. This matters even more in larger organizations, where the people you need to influence may have little visibility into your individual impact.

1. Focus on landing your message, not proving what you know

Have you ever watched a show where someone overexplains everything, and all you want is for them to get to the point? Many people, early in their careers and deep in their expertise, fall into this trap.

Someone with strong executive presence can explain complex ideas with clarity. They focus on the message they want to deliver, not on proving they’ve mastered all the details. They care more about how the other person receives the message than about the exact words they’re saying.

Next time you need to convey something, try this exercise: write down what you would say to a close peer, your manager, and someone much more senior. If your message is the same for all three, you’re missing the mark.

2. Uplevel the conversation

Executives see the big picture but often don’t focus on ground-level details. When you want to influence them, show how your work ties into the company’s goals.

I once worked with someone deep in the details. She was incredible at her work, but she struggled to uplevel her communication so that people outside our team could follow her jargon and insights. This made it hard to position her as an ambassador for our work, even though she was a strong leader. With coaching, she learned to move beyond the minutia and explain things in a way that anyone, even those unfamiliar with our space, could understand. It increased her influence tenfold.

3. Understand the subtext

In every meeting and conversation, there’s what is said, what is heard, and the history between everyone in the room. Often, subtle conversations are happening, not about the topic at hand, but about past conflicts or trades. Understanding that subtext is critical to how you communicate. For example, if you reach out to a senior leader at another organization, but that person is upset with your manager, what kind of reception do you think you’re going to get? I’ve seen many people fall into the trap of missing the organizational dynamics and the history behind relationships and decisions. This can be especially challenging for people who are new and don’t know the backstory.

One day, I was talking to someone new in the organization. He was well-respected, but he kept running into walls. I pointed out that he was misinterpreting things that were happening. It was as if he were from England and had come to America and could not understand how small differences in terminology and culture were throwing him off. This diminished his influence and ability to get things done. Having a guide or champion can help you navigate this.

4. Provide context

I was leading a fairly large organization, and someone brought up an issue I didn’t understand and had never heard of. The best I could do was tell them I’d look into it. I’m sure this employee walked away thinking I didn’t care about their issue, but the truth was, I had no idea what they were talking about. I wasn’t sure what to make of the conversation, so I asked them to send me an email.

Looking back, I should have stopped them right there and asked for more context so I could be more helpful. I’ve been on the other side of this, too. I spoke to someone senior in the organization and completely missed that they had no idea what I was talking about. Just because something consumes 110% of my time at work doesn’t mean someone more senior would know. After all, that’s what they paid me to worry about.

5. Focus on solutions, not just problems

Early in my career, I would go to my manager with problems. He was patient, listening carefully and then suggesting possible paths forward. But as I became a manager myself, I realized the position I had been putting him in—I was making him my problem solver.

Once I stepped into a manager role, I came to appreciate the team members who didn’t just bring problems, but also solutions and ideas. They were action-oriented, looking for insight on their approach, not asking me to fix things for them. This experience changed the way I approached problems, too. Make it possible for leaders to see that you’re there to make an impact, not just to pass along issues.

6. Know what they care about

What’s keeping you awake at night? Every conversation you have during the day is filtered through the lens of that issue. Now imagine stepping into the shoes of someone much more senior. They, too, have things keeping them up at night. It could be a major strategic pivot, the latest financial results, the macroeconomic environment, or the pressure to hit quarterly numbers.

Knowing what they’re solving for and addressing it helps close the distance between you. When appropriate, make sure they see how the work you and your team are doing can help with their challenges. Show the strategic alignment between your projects and their goals. This helps you move in the same direction together.

7. Build connection

A founder once reached out to me out of the blue and asked to connect. I was happy to do so because he was a fellow Duke alum. Instantly, we were talking about our days in Durham and the last time we visited campus. We had something in common, even though we didn’t know each other before that first conversation.

Seek out points of connection, whether it’s people you know in common or a shared network. Executives are people too. When you find something in common, you create an invisible thread that makes the conversation feel a little easier and more free-flowing. Affinity bias is a real thing. People extend more courtesy and kindness to those who share traits with them.

8. Drive to clarity and decision

Before going into a conversation, be clear about the outcome you hope to achieve. Focus your discussion and presentations on driving straight toward clarity. Too often, discussions go in circles, and the person leading the conversation struggles to herd the proverbial executive cats toward a decision.

I recently went to watch proceedings at the Supreme Court. I had the chance to speak to someone in the judicial system who had spent years in the process. He shared that by the time arguments begin, most justices already have a sense of where they’re leaning because the cases have been thoroughly briefed and argued in advance. The oral arguments are about refining or challenging those positions. Do your homework before you go in, and understand where people’s heads are.

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Final thoughts

Executive presence isn’t about having all the answers or commanding every room. It’s about how you connect, communicate, and carry yourself to inspire confidence and trust. It’s built in the simple moments: how you listen, shape your message, align with what matters to others, and move conversations toward action.

The good news: executive presence isn’t an innate gift. It’s a skill you can build and strengthen over time, with a little practice every day.