At least once a week, I hear questions like the following from sensitive streakers (high-achieving leaders who feel deeply):
This is a very common question because most sensitive stripers believe they have no presence. But the fact that you’re sensitive doesn’t mean you can’t command the room. What if it could create a stronger executive presence?In fact, use your qualities as a sensitive striker to improve your assertiveness, influence, and persuasion skills to accelerate your career. You can.
What is executive presence?
Executive presence may be known by other names: leadership presence or executive attitude. All of these terms are used interchangeably to refer to showing quiet confidence without being arrogant. Executive presence is often talked about, but because it is a combination of many traits and skills, it can feel very elusive and difficult to achieve. You can tell the quality when you see it.
Do some simple exercises now. Think of someone you know who has an executive presence. How does the person handle high-pressure situations? How do they get into the room? What does it look and sound like when they communicate? Even in this short exercise, you can gain a lot of insight into how you can emulate their behavior and thinking yourself. can.
Three areas of executive presence
The first is your own actions. This means acting with weight, that is, acting in a way that commands greater respect. It requires not only strong self-esteem, but also determination and belief in being able to meet challenges in a mature manner. The second thing is what you say, your communication skills. You can get your point across, articulate your ideas, get buy-in, and influence people. This includes getting people to listen and take you seriously when you speak. And the third thing is how to say it. It’s about the way you look and carry yourself, and the way you dress, the way you body language and speak, and the way you organize information creates certain positive perceptions and brands.
Sensitive Struber and Executive Presence
You might think that being a sensitive strategist diminishes your influence, but in reality, you’re born with all the ingredients to be a true executive.
Empathy is at the core of executive presence, and sensitive Strivers have it in spades. Science shows that highly sensitive people have more active mirror neurons (neurons responsible for empathy), which means they’re more sensitive to other people’s emotions. That’s why you can read between the lines and know when someone is upset or needs extra support. This is why we can predict when conflict will erupt and mitigate it.
Executive presence also largely depends on how you make others feel, and thus how the people around you feel. Making the other person feel good about themselves contributes to your presence more than anything else.
As a sensitive striker, your ability to think and feel deeply also translates into helping others feel hope, inspiration, excitement, and optimism. You are a calming influence, bringing order and discipline in times of crisis or chaos. Your encouragement and willingness to recognize and praise others means higher morale and psychological safety. These are all your strengths and superpowers.
4 tips for increasing executive presence
Now that you understand how your qualities as a sensitive striver contribute positively to your executive presence, let’s talk about how you can put them into action. Specifically, how can you speak up, be louder, and stand out in meetings without letting imposter syndrome or fear get in the way?
1. Talk early
Early speakers are considered more confident than later speakers. Challenge yourself to be the second or third speaker at your next meeting. The longer you wait to speak up, the more reluctant you will be to share because you’ll see that all your good ideas are on the table or people have already checked them out. Keep in mind that what you share doesn’t have to be groundbreaking. Simply adding to someone else’s points or asking thoughtful questions is enough.
2. Don’t bury the lead
Sensitive strivers tend to use too much context, leading by explaining how they got to the point, the subsequent process, and other considerations. This is false considering it takes on average 8 seconds to get someone’s attention. Instead, think about the key messages you want to convey and lead the charge accordingly. Do not embed leads.
3. Focus on impact
Make sure your content is impact-driven, with important messages. Translate the actions you’re taking into what it means to your audience. What are the achievements and results? What does your work mean to the company’s future and bottom line? You’ll be more persuasive if people can understand why what you’re sharing is important overall.
4. Be concise
Shorter is usually better. The fewer words you use, the stronger your message will be. Adding more words will make you feel better. Eliminate qualifiers, interim language, or hedges. It’s better to say less and invite questions and curiosity, rather than trying to say too much at the risk of overcompensating for your insecurities or risking boring or harming people.