Building Leadership Presence

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧, ��𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲? Of all the topics people ask me about, executive presence is near the top of the list. The challenge with executive presence is that it’s hard to define. It’s not a checklist you can tick off. It’s more like taste or intuition. Some people develop it early. Others build it over time. More often, it’s a lack of context, coaching, or exposure to what “good” looks like. Here’s what I’ve learned over the years, both from getting it wrong and from watching others get it right. 1. 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 People early in their careers often feel the need to prove they know the details. But executive presence isn’t about detail. It’s about clarity. If your message would sound the same to a peer, your manager, and your CEO, you’re not tailoring it enough. Meet your audience where they are. 2. 𝐔𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Executives care about outcomes, strategy, and alignment. One of my teammates once struggled with this. Brilliant at the work, but too deep in the weeds to communicate its impact. With coaching, she learned to reframe her updates, and her influence grew exponentially. 3. 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 Every meeting has an undercurrent: past dynamics, relationships, history. Navigating this well often requires a trusted guide who can explain what’s going on behind the scenes. 4. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 Just because something is your entire world doesn’t mean others know about it. I’ve had conversations where I assumed someone knew what I was talking about, but they didn't. Context is a gift. Give it freely. 5. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Early in my career, I brought problems to my manager. Now, I appreciate the people who bring potential paths forward. It’s not about having the perfect solution. It’s about showing you’re engaged in solving the problem. 6. 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 Every leader is solving a different set of problems. Step into their shoes. Show how your work connects to what’s top of mind for them. This is how you build alignment and earn trust. 7. 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Years ago, a founder cold emailed me. We didn’t know each other, but we were both Duke alums. That one point of connection turned a cold outreach into a real conversation. 8. 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 Before you walk into a meeting, ask yourself what outcome you’re trying to drive. Wandering conversations erode credibility. Precision matters. So does preparation. 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 Executive presence isn’t about dominating a room or having all the answers. It’s about clarity, connection, and conviction. And like any muscle, it gets stronger with intentional practice.

26% of your promotion depends on executive presence. But no one explains what those words really mean. "She lacks executive presence" might be the most frustrating feedback ever. Because it's rarely followed by what to actually do about it. I've coached hundreds of leaders through this exact challenge. Here are 7 ways to build executive presence: 1. Practise Strategic Silence ↳ Leaders who listen first command more respect ↳ Ask: "What are your thoughts?" - then pause 2. Simplify Complex Ideas ↳ Complex language often masks insecurity ↳ Replace jargon with everyday language 3. Calibrate Your Reactions ↳ Overreacting undermines your credibility ↳ Ask yourself: "Will this matter in 6 months?" 4. Bring Solutions, Not Just Problems ↳ Leaders are remembered for solving problems ↳ Never raise an issue without at least one solution 5. Own Your Authority ↳ Undermining phrases erase years of hard work ↳ Remove words that weaken your message: "just," "kind of," "I think maybe" 6. Own the Room ↳ Your physical presence speaks before you do ↳ Sit tall and take up your full space at the table 7. Expand Your Influence Beyond Your Role ↳ Broader influence gets you bigger opportunities ↳ Volunteer for cross-functional projects Executive presence isn't about changing who you are. It’s about showing up as your real, confident self. ♻️ Repost to help your network ➕ Follow Dora Vanourek for more

I just did the math on my daily LinkedIn commitment over the last 3 months - 10M+ impressions generated. But most importantly, 37% of our monthly leads are influenced by my social presence. This is explained by: → My executive presence was mentioned more times in Q1 25 than in all of 2024 (Gong data).  → Deals where our buyers mention exec presence closed faster. → Enterprise opportunities influenced by our social presence have a higher ACV. 🤯 This fundamentally changes how we should think about executive visibility. Unlike paid campaigns that disappear the moment you pause them, authentic executive presence creates compound effects: → Buyers pre-qualify themselves through your content → Trust gets established before the first sales conversation → Competitors can't replicate relationships built over months Your buyers are researching you whether you show up or not… so are you shaping that narrative, or letting competitors fill the void? Our customers see this shift happening - from "executive visibility as nice-to-have" to "leadership presence as competitive edge." 👇🏻 CEOs, what if 15 minutes of your daily time could drive +10% of your pipeline and give air cover to your sales org?

Is your leadership's management philosophy stuck in the 1960s? Let's redefine it: Leadership by Being Engaged. The concept of "management by walking around" came from Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard (HP founders) in the 1960s, popularized by Tom Peters in 1982, and gets used today to describe what's missing in #remote work. "The expected benefit: by random sampling of events or employee discussions, managers are more likely to facilitate improvements to the morale, sense of purpose, productivity and and quality... compared to remaining in a specific office area, or the delivery of status reports." The literal concept doesn't work if your managers have people who are working in multiple locations, now the majority case. 60 to 80% of all "enterprise" company managers now have #distributed teams. 100% of Fortune 500 Execs have teams that are #distributed today, according to Atlassian (kudos Molly Sands, PhD). #RTO mandates rooted in this philosophy are trying to return to a world that no longer exists. Leaders need a both/and approach. Get employees together to jump-start #belonging, and build better #culture and #performance by being involved in the digital #collaboration tools that your teams use every day. Let's redefine a philosophy rooted in co-location into one for the #digital age. Four starting points for leaders looking to get digitally engaged: 🔸 Increase transparency. Internal transparency around clear goals and realistic progress against them drives focus on outcomes, and builds trust. 🔸 Get engaged in the work. Execs need to stop saying "Teams/Slack etc are for the kids; you'll find me in email" and get into the tools people use every day to work through account issues, project updates, and problem solving. 🔸 Participate in digital communities. Social forums at work build belonging. That cuts across everything from an Abilities ERG to Sneakerheads. Finding community at work boosts retention; even leaders need to find that. 🔸 Get a reverse mentor. Being available and engaged digitally can feel foreign as a leader, and initially scary to a team. Find a digital native in your organization who can coach you! What's your take? Retire the phrase, or revive an important concept?

A digital presence used to be optional. Now it’s the first filter buyers, partners, and even AI systems use to decide whether you matter. Google is no longer the primary discovery layer. AI-powered search is. AI assistants summarize you based on the digital footprint you’ve already created. If your digital presence is weak, the algorithms assume you are irrelevant. This is a massive tension. And many founders and executives are still acting like it's 2017. The Invisible Executive (or Founder) is the leader who still believes reputation is earned solely in conference rooms, not digital rooms. They hide behind outdated profiles, default to corporate-speak content, and assume their resume speaks louder than their online presence. In a world that now forms first impressions through feeds, summaries, and AI-ranked profiles, the Invisible Executive is bleeding revenue in silence. On a connection call, a potential client wondered why their pipeline was drying up. The reason wasn't what they thought. They didn't need more (often cold) outreach. The true root cause? Digital invisibility, created by a belief that a strong digital presence wasn’t “real leadership.” A weak digital footprint isn’t just a branding issue. It's a revenue leak. Are you a founder, executive, or entrepreneur who wants to elevate your digital presence? My DM's are open.

You could have the best ideas. But still sabotage your authority. 👇 Coaching 300+ CEOs, I have seen brilliant professionals unknowingly sabotage their presence. The way you speak, carry yourself, and structure your message sends powerful cues. Here are 7 silent killers of authority – and how to fix them fast 👇 1️⃣ Weak Self-Introduction ❌ “Hi, my name is Oliver and I, uh, kind of do communications, I guess…” ✅ Instead: Introduce yourself with clarity and intent. Say who you are, what you do, and why it matters – in one confident sentence. 2️⃣ Worrying What Others Think ❌ Playing it safe. Over-explaining. Apologizing for your opinion. ✅ Respect your audience by being decisive. Clarity > approval. 3️⃣ Filler Words & Sounds ❌ “Uh, um, like, you know...” ✅ Pause. Breathe. Let silence do the work. 4️⃣ Hiding Behind Slides or Notes ❌Read the room, not your script. ✅ Know your message. Use slides as backup – not a crutch. 5️⃣ Your Body Says “I Don’t Believe in Myself” ❌ Slouched posture, crossed arms, awkward hands. ✅ Stand tall. Use your hands. Hold eye contact. People believe what they see more than what they hear. 6️⃣ Passive Language ❌ “I just wanted to share…” or “Someone should…” ✅ Use direct, active language. You’re not suggesting – you’re leading. 7️⃣Talking Too Fast ❌ Rushing signals nervousness or lack of control. ✅ Slow down. Use strategic pauses to show you’re in command. The most successful leaders don’t hope for authority — they communicate it. And it starts with small shifts like these. 🧠 Which of these 7 are you working on right now? ♻️ Repost to help someone build real presence. 📌 Follow me Oliver Aust for daily strategies to communicate with clarity and confidence.

“What more do I need to prove?” A mid-senior level leader recently asked me during one of our coaching sessions. She was doing everything right: • Delivering consistently • Taking ownership • Supporting her team • Handling pressure like a pro Yet promotion conversations kept ending with: “Let’s wait and watch.” My answer surprised her. "You don’t need to prove more, you need to be seen more. Don't wait for a permission to lead!" Here’s the reality most capable professionals miss: Leadership visibility is not arrogance. It's not desperation. It’s responsibility. You can’t expect senior leaders to read minds. They don’t see everything. They see signals. And if you don’t send them intentionally, they’ll assume you’re “comfortable where you are.” 3 practical shifts that changed the game for her: 1️⃣ Start narrating your impact. Not bragging. Not exaggerating. Simply connecting your work to outcomes. “Here’s what I worked on, why it mattered, and the result.” 2️⃣ Speak before you’re invited. In meetings, share perspectives. Ask thoughtful questions. Leadership shows up in presence, not silence. 3️⃣ Align your ambition with your manager. If your manager doesn’t know you want the next role, they’ll assume you don’t. And here’s the uncomfortable truth, hard work builds credibility but your voice builds influence. And influence is what promotions respond to. If you’re a high performer who feels overlooked, it’s not because you’re “not ready.” It’s because you’ve been waiting to be noticed instead of positioning yourself intentionally. 👉 If this resonates, comment “LEAD” or DM me. Let’s work on making your leadership visible before the title arrives. Because no one promotes potential they can’t see.

LinkedIn in 2025 isn’t just networking it’s reputation management. The game has shifted. Organic reach is down. Content noise is up. More paid ads are starting to surface. But the most effective leaders are cutting through not with flash, but with strategy. This isn’t about chasing virality. It’s about strategic visibility. Here’s what’s actually working right now: ✅ Carousels = 11.2x more reach ✅ Long-form comments = 3x better performance ✅ Weekend posts (especially Sunday) = higher impressions ✅ 1,242–2,500 characters = the current sweet spot ✅ 14+ paragraphs = better readability, better engagement ✅ No hashtags = 81% more reach ✅ Ending with a question = +72% performance ✅ Lists, frameworks, spicy takes = clarity and authority The gap between posting content and building credibility is widening. For executives, this is no longer optional. Your digital presence is often your first impression to talent, customers, investors, and peers. The smartest leaders are treating LinkedIn like a modern boardroom. They’re not just showing up they’re leading the conversation. 📌 Save this. Share with your leadership team. And most importantly evolve how you post.

Showing Up Presence is one of the most underrated skills I’ve learned in leadership. It’s not dramatic. It doesn’t announce itself. It doesn’t show up in dashboards or performance reviews. But the longer I’ve led, the more I’ve realized how much it shapes the way people experience you. For most of my early career, I thought leadership was about speaking well, deciding fast, or knowing more than the next person. But over time, I saw something else at work. The leaders people trusted most weren’t always the loudest or the smartest. They were the ones who were fully there. Presence is the ability to sit in a room and give your attention without splitting it. It’s the discipline of listening without rehearsing your reply. It’s the steadiness to absorb pressure instead of passing it down. It’s the quiet confidence to let silence do its work. It can even be being deep in thought about other related matters, while preferring the company of your colleagues. As I moved into more senior roles, especially when I became a CEO in my forties, I realized how much people watch not just what you say, but how you show up. They can tell when you’re distracted. They can tell when you’re rushing. And they can tell when you’re fully with them. Presence doesn’t solve every problem. But it creates the conditions where real work can happen. It makes people feel safe enough to tell the truth. It slows the room down just enough for clarity to emerge. It’s quiet. It’s simple. And it’s one of the most powerful things a leader can offer. #ESAmentor #Presence

Every time you step on stage or speak up in a meeting, you're not just delivering words. You're shaping an experience. You're giving people a reason to lean in, to reflect, and to remember. Before you speak, ask yourself: How do I want to be remembered? How do I want people to feel in my presence? What truth am I offering the people listening? Your voice has weight. Your delivery carries energy. And your speaking style is an extension of your leadership. It’s not just about being polished. It’s about being authentic, connected, and intentional. Get clear on your tone, your rhythm, your presence. Speak in a way that reflects not just what you do, but who you are. When your voice aligns with your values, your presence leaves an imprint. Your presence is your power. Use it on purpose.