Your presence speaks before you do.
But the real question is:
What’s it saying?
If you’re:
— Leading a team
— Hiring top talent
— Raising investment
— Influencing decisions
— Building partnerships
— Presenting to your board
Then executive presence is your silent superpower.
Here’s how to show up like the leader everyone trusts,
before you say a word:
✅ 1. Speak Less, Say More
People with presence don’t ramble.
They land their message.
Ask: “Is this adding value?”
Make your words do the heavy lifting.
✅ 2. Walk Like You Belong
Presence starts before you speak.
Walk in with purpose.
Sit like you earned the seat.
On Zoom? Eye contact. Clean background. Confident posture.
✅ 3. Decide, Even When It’s Hard
Uncertainty kills trust.
You don’t need every answer. You need to move.
Make the call. Own the outcome.
That’s real leadership.
✅ 4. Lead With Posture
Slouching says: “I’m unsure.”
Straight back. Shoulders open. Chin up.
Even seated, your body speaks volumes.
Lead with calm, not chaos.
✅ 5. Listen Like It’s Your Job
Don’t just wait to talk.
Actually hear them.
Ask sharper questions.
Trust builds fast when people feel seen.
✅ 6. Control the Heat
Pressure doesn’t break leaders. It reveals them.
Pause. Breathe. Then respond.
Calm earns confidence.
Executive presence isn’t about dominating.
It’s about inspiring confidence.
The strongest leaders don’t need to speak first.
Their presence does the talking.
Kenrick Vaz 