Being An Executive Is Not Just A Look.
It's time for an executive update.
An old proverb says "Don't judge a book by its cover." The same is true of people — in your workplace and beyond. When we face challenges, we sometimes put on a confident face to mask our insecurity. This false image is called the exec look, which can be achieved with clothing, hair style and demeanor. But being an executive is not just a look; it's the culmination of everything you do from the moment you walk into work until the moment you leave.
So what is your exec look? When you take a moment to think about it, you probably can answer this question easily. You know the look of your boss or an executive who promotes himself as the high-powered executive in the office. But what about your own look? The look you present to others when you're at work — or at home, or in a social situation. It's important to know this because your perception of yourself influences how others perceive you.
It also influences how they respond to you and how they value what you have to say. Take heart. Your perception of yourself doesn't have to be a false front like the exec look. You can develop and display an authentic, executive presence that will naturally earn the respect and admiration of others.
In developing an executive presence, I suggest you begin by identifying your personal style. What is it that makes you stand out from your peers? For example, do you have a terrific sense of humor? Are you well read and highly intelligent? Are you a good listener who gathers information from others before speaking up? Do people seek your advice when they're in trouble or need help with a decision?
Look for ways to improve your style. Gather feedback from others about the strengths and weaknesses of your personal style and get input on how to improve it. You might ask friends or family members or even coworkers to be candid with their assessments.
You'll also need to decide on a professional style. To help you decide, I will share some thoughts on the importance of a personal and professional style and the things that must be avoided in order to establish executive presence.
Personal Style
This is what makes you who you are. It's the character and temperament that form your persona as a leader. This is where you get your confidence, pizazz and charisma — it's the real you in public, so it must be authentic.
Executive Presence vs Personal Style
As I mentioned above, these two concepts are not always one and the same . In fact, there is an important distinction between them that must be understood. As I see it, people need a personal style that is consistent with their executive presence. With a personal style, the best executives are able to walk the fine line between being themselves and presenting an authentic executive presence . For example, in your personal life, don't be so opinionated that you're perceived as bossy or egotistical when you should be confident and convincing in your roles as parent or spouse. In your professional life, don't be so reticent that people perceive you as one who isn't sure of himself.
Aside from these general rules of behavior, there are more specific ways that an executive must display a personal style . For instance, some executives refrain from using colorful language with subordinates because it's inappropriate at work. Others are reluctant to discuss certain topics at work because they're personally sensitive or because they don't want their company or job to be criticized. These executives must recognize the effect of their personal style and the benefits that the use of colorful language can have in communicating thoughts and ideas.
Application to Corporate Culture
In addition to being yourself, you need to show appropriate respect for your co-workers. If you're new at a new job, it's likely that this is your first experience working with a particular group of people. You might not think about them as "colleagues" but as colleagues who need to be treated with respect. Because of the judgmental nature of the workplace, it's much easier for some people to work with others who are similar to themselves.
How do you choose your colleagues? I suggest that you go beyond what is listed on your personnel file. My advice is to take a personal interest in finding out more about the co-workers who report to you. Get to know them and learn what they like, dislike, are good at and are not good at. You'll also want to find out how they got their jobs and how they like their work situation.
As an executive, it's most important that you respect your co-workers who report directly or indirectly to you. Because you're likely to be in a leadership position, it's likely that you will have the opportunity to develop and advance your direct reports. The key is to learn how they would like to be developed. This might be something that's not too difficult for you to do because it's in your best interest for them to succeed.
It's also important for you to respect those who report directly or indirectly from someone above you. On the surface, it might seem strange for an executive with a high degree of authority over others to show respect for people with less power and status than he has. But as I will discuss later, executives must learn how to show empathy toward those who are less experienced or less skilled than themselves .
Also, you need to respect your co-workers who report to someone above you. As an executive, it's likely that you will have the opportunity to develop and advance your direct reports. Because of this, it's important for you to learn how they would like to be developed. This might be something that's not too difficult for you to do because it's in your best interest for them to succeed.
Professional Style
This is the style that a business professional develops and displays based on the practices he follows at work. While your personal style should be consistent with your executive presence, your professional style is interpreted by other people in a business setting.
Application to Corporate Culture
When I look at the culture of most organizations, I see little differentiation among executives. In my opinion, this is why so many companies have difficulty locating and recruiting talented individuals. When executives are not encouraged to develop their own personal styles, they are more likely to conform to the styles of others without being influenced by their personalities.
While it's important for executives to develop and display a professional style, there are also certain things that must be avoided as well as methods that can be employed.
Conclusion
With so much emphasis on personal style and executive presence, it's no wonder that companies struggle to find the right talent. This is because most companies overlook the fact that a person's personality, character and temperament must be consistent with his executive presence if he is to be effective as a leader of people. I hope this information will help you in your quest to find that ideal candidate who is qualified to fill that all important position.
Also keep in mind the importance of a professional style. The next time you're conducting a job search, it's likely that candidates with highly developed professional style will stand out among those with similar experience and skill levels — even when they may be lacking in some other way.