Discussion

Executive Presence and Communication Skills

Your executive presence and communication abilities have grown by leaps and bounds this term. Outside of this course, you have so many opportunities to expand both of these skillsets. You can enhance your personal brand by maintaining an active blog, for instance. You can also demonstrate your skills at work by hosting workshops on skill development. Considering the course materials for this week, reflect on your own skills. Use the prompts below to organize your thoughts:

• Reflecting on your first video in the course, what changes did you make for Assignment 3 to improve your executive presence?
• What have you learned this term about how you communicate in the workplace? Include both positive and negative aspects of your communication style. 
• Going forward, what steps will you take to expand your communication skills and executive presence?

Post your initial response by Wednesday, midnight of your time zone, and reply to at least 2 of your classmates’ initial posts by Sunday, midnight of your time zone.​

1st response

 Laquita Mitchell RE: Week 10 Discussion

COLLAPSE

Hi Professor and Class,

In Assignment 1, I was extremely nervous, but with Assignment 3, I relaxed more and enjoyed my presentation. I was speaking on a topic that I am familiar with, which helped me to relax also. I also felt confident delivering a strong message while being relatable and telling a story that would resonate with the audience. For Assignment 1, I was also more concerned about not exceeding the time limit. Even though I had to forward the PowerPoint manually, I am not too close to the camera. In Assignment 1, I was too close to the camera, so my hand movements were not clear. Before taking this class, I struggled with my confidence level, and one of the things I wanted to improve was my confidence. Having to submit videos coupled with the presentations I attend at work; has helped me become more comfortable speaking with groups of people.

I have learned to lead by example and to speak with honesty and be authentic. Since we are all working remotely, I will call an employee that I have not had the opportunity to get to know and generate small conversations, to get to know them. We also have zoom meetings that we call Watercooler talk, which is randomly selected employees that are grouped, and we ask questions that would help us get to know one another on a personal level. It is crucial to have eye contact and to be present. I am always present at meetings and on time. Most importantly, I must continue to be deliberate. I will give more thought to the things that I say and do instead of speaking freely without understanding the consequences.

The steps that I will take to expand my communication skills and executive presence will be to continue working on my confidence and gain as much knowledge as I can. I will also continue to get to know my teammates and move myself to the next level.

2nd Response

 
12 days agoMaria Reyes RE: Week 10 DiscussionCOLLAPSE

Executive Presence and Communication Skills

Improving my Executive Presence

Executive presence is one of the most important attributes one can have as an individual and a leader. It involves the ability to display a managed and confident image that warrants admiration from other people. Most people with executive presence attributes and excellent communication skills are considered outstanding leaders that can handle different situations (Carrion, 2021). Improving my executive presence required a few changes and considerations. To begin with, I changed my headshot and background image because I realized that first impressions matter when it comes to enhancing my executive presence. Since many people will be looking at my LinkedIn profile, I have to ensure that I have the right information. For example, I provided my background, character, and reasons for being passionate about the things I do. The headshot and background image is vital in presenting a first impression that improves my executive presence.

Another thing that I resorted to changing in assignment three was my narrative. Previously, I had not defined my narrative, which meant my executive presence was somehow weak. Defining one’s narrative is important because it provides people with an overview of who I am and my background information. I also considered writing this narrative in the first person as a strategy of humanizing myself, which keeps the audience active. Executive presence can be enhanced by exploring the narrative, which is in the ‘about section.’ In this sense, these two changes were necessary for assignment three to improve my executive presence.

Communication in the Workplace Lessons

I have learned several things regarding how I communicate in the workplace, including my positive and negative communication styles. First, I learned that effective communication in the workplace is important because it defines the outcome of different situations. Communicating poorly can impact the team members and even hinder the successful execution of tasks. Secondly, I learned that leaders play a significant role in workplace communication. During a crisis, the leaders are expected to develop a solution that solves the present issues effectively. Failure to communicate during a crisis or a change in the workplace may impact the working force negatively. Thus, communication must be effective at all times.

One positive aspect of my communication style is that I engage people when communicating. Instead of doing all the talking, I allow people to talk and contribute to the conversation. In other words, I have collaborative tendencies, which are good competencies for communicating with other people. Secondly, I also display logical reasoning when communicating with other people. Logical reasoning during communication is important because it helps avoid bias. Nonetheless, I also display negative elements in my communication style. For example, I tend to be very defensive when talking about certain things in the workplace. Defensiveness in communication presents an engagement challenge because I may brush off things other members have to say. I am working on this negative aspect to ensure I become a better communicator in the workplace.

Expanding Communication Skills and Executive Presence

Going forward, I intend to take several steps towards expanding my communication skills and executive presence. For example, I intend to engage other people with high energy levels. Engaging with people intensely allows me to develop my communication skills and executive presence because it helps me learn how to be confident, steady, and strong during communication (Joshi, 2019). Furthermore, analyzing how I show up to meetings and other places that require communication will help me prepare for how to communicate.

References

Carrion, E. (2021, January 24). How to Build your Executive Presence on LinkedIn. Retrieved 22 February 2021 from https://builtin.com/recruiting/best-tips-stand-out-LinkedIn

Joshi, M. (2019, September 10). Five Ways to Develop your Executive Presence. Retrieved 22 February 2021 from https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/leaders/5-ways-to-develop-your-executive-presence-20190723-p52a1r

Additional information

Take a deep breath and let it out. We are in Week 10, our last week, and all of your major assignments have been submitted. So, let’s relax, reflect, and enjoy our last week of learning together in this class.

You might enjoy this article as you prepare your topic:

“3 Areas You Need to Focus on to get “Executive Presence”” – Look at how this includes two things we have done a ton of work on this term – Communication and Confidence.

http://www.businessinsider.com/3-areas-you-need-to-focus-on-to-get-executive-presence-2013-2?MixPanelId=160be77a49b0-0468d8411-6a25300b-49a10-160be77a49d0

In your initial posting, please address:

Reflecting on your first video in the course, what changes did you make for Assignment 3 to improve your executive presence?
What have you learned this term about how you communicate in the workplace? Include both positive and negative aspects of your communication style. 
Going forward, what steps will you take to expand your communication skills and executive presence?

Thanks,

JWI 505: Business Communications and Executive Presence

Week 10 Lecture Notes

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 505 – Lecture Notes (1206) Page 1 of 8

Executive Presence (Part II)

What It Means

We began our study of business communications by exploring the concept of executive
presence. We defined the term as your ability to project confidence, communicate clearly, and
convince others that you have authority. We also explored the four components of a strong
executive presence: authenticity, attentiveness, credibility, and confidence. You know what
executive presence is. But how do you demonstrate it?

As we have learned, executive presence is not a personality trait that people are just born
with. It is a skill that you can develop. Fostering executive presence means establishing
personal connections in each of your interactions. It means being flexible with your messages
and strategies. It means not being afraid to be vulnerable and empathetic with your listeners.
And it means aligning your team around shared goals that every member will contribute to.

In this lecture, we will explore different ways for you to grow and display your executive
presence. We will also discuss how to apply a strong executive presence throughout your
career.

Why It Matters

• A strong executive presence can convey your biggest strengths as a leader.

• Demonstrating executive presence can expedite your rise to the top of your
organization or industry.

• Honing your executive presence can help you build strong, lifelong connections with
others.

“‘Leadership potential’ isn’t enough to lever men and women into the executive suite.
Leadership roles are given to those who also look and act the part.”

Sylvia Ann Hewlett

JWI 505: Business Communications and Executive Presence
Week 10 Lecture Notes

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 505 – Lecture Notes (1206) Page 2 of 8

Show Them What You’ve Got

Think of a leader you really admire. It could be a CEO, a teacher, a political figure, or even a
parent. Why do you look up to this person? Is it just because they have a particular title? Or is it
because they know how to be decisive, how to rally people behind their vision, how to be honest
with everyone, and how to make you feel valued? Leaders who demonstrate these qualities
demonstrate their executive presence. As you have learned throughout this course, you do not
have executive presence just because you think you have it. You have to develop this quality
through each of your interactions. Your colleagues and connections have to feel that you are
authoritative and present.

Over the past eight weeks, you have learned how to craft and deliver powerful communications
to different audiences across different media. It does not matter if you are having a face-to-face
conversation with your colleague or speaking in front of a packed auditorium. Every single
interaction provides you with an opportunity to display and increase your executive presence.
Every message you deliver is a chance to uncover your leadership potential and to adopt more
relational and collaborative models for influencing people.

In the first set of Lecture Notes for this course, you learned how authenticity, attentiveness,
credibility, and confidence play major roles in shaping your executive presence. In this final set
of Lecture Notes, we will focus on how to demonstrate and enhance each of these qualities in
your communications and conduct.

How to Be Authentic

There are no perfect people in business – or anywhere else, for that matter. Every manager has
a shortcoming, and every leader – even Jack – has made decisions that they regretted. You
should never strive to be a flawless leader. Instead, you should strive to be a leader who
recognizes their flaws, a leader who is sincere and transparent. Being authentic means being
aware of your strengths and weaknesses, as well as being open about them.

In Week 5 of our course, you learned how to communicate during crises. Specifically, you
learned that when you are forthright with your team and your stakeholders, and when you
commit to fixing the issue as quickly and completely as you can, you will weather any crisis and
emerge stronger. Too often, leaders stumble through dire situations by blaming others, not

JWI 505: Business Communications and Executive Presence
Week 10 Lecture Notes

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 505 – Lecture Notes (1206) Page 3 of 8

taking responsibility, and refusing to change how they conduct business. These are bad
leadership practices precisely because they show a lack of authenticity. Those leaders are so
intent on preserving their image, they will forsake any effort to actually mitigate the crisis.

You, as an authentic leader, will not make those missteps. If you and your organization are
facing a crisis, do not waste time blaming other people, even if they are responsible. You risk
coming across as vindictive, and those other people will not be motivated to help you fix the
problem. Instead, be forthright and candid with everyone involved about how serious the crisis
is. Do not downplay the effects it might have on you and your organization. And do not lie about
any element of the situation – someone will invariably find out, and then you will have a hard
time regaining people’s trust.

Authenticity is a crucial element for building support in bad times. But you must also practice it
in good times. Your personal brand needs to resonate among your colleagues, superiors, direct
reports, and customers. It needs to come across as genuine and personal. It needs to be real.
Think back to Week 9 of our course, when you learned how to communicate online. How many
of your social media connections and followers do you truly know? Can you vouch for these
people’s characters and talents, or are they just people you connected with to grow your
network?

When you project a message, online or in person, you have to show you respect your audience.
You do that when you are open and direct with them. If you have a personal website or social
media account, do not use a pseudonym. Use your real name and let people know they are
communicating with an actual human being. When possible, avoid sending form letters to
people. Tailor your emails, posts, and other communications to each recipient. If someone
emails you or posts to your account, respond as quickly as you can. If they choose to interact
with you, assume they are genuinely interested in knowing about you. You should provide them
with the same courtesy. Ask probing questions and learn more about them. That is how you
build meaningful connections that enrich each person.

How to Be Attentive

In Winning, Jack wrote about the four principles of his approach to business. The fourth
principle concerned recognizing and respecting people’s contributions: “every person in the

JWI 505: Business Communications and Executive Presence
Week 10 Lecture Notes

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 505 – Lecture Notes (1206) Page 4 of 8

world wants voice and dignity, and every person deserves them.”1 It does not matter where you
work or what your job title is. You are never too busy to make your listeners feel important. You
may have a lot to do during your workday, but so do your colleagues and direct reports. If you
want their respect and cooperation, you have to actively listen to them.

One of the most dispiriting experiences you can have when talking to someone is watching
them turn away from you and glance at their phone. They are clearly not focused on you or
engaged in what you are saying, and you are left feeling unimportant. You learned the value of
improving your interpersonal communication skills in Week 2 of our course. When a subject is
not paying attention to their audience’s reactions, and when a listener is not actively listening to
the message, the communication has failed. Nobody receives any new information and
everyone has wasted their time.

You, on the other hand, know how to harness the power of empathy in your communication.
When you converse with someone, keep your body language open. Turn to face them fully and
maintain eye contact with them. Ask complex questions that force them to really think about
their answers. If they are talking, acknowledge what they are saying by nodding or repeating
what you heard them say. Respond to them, but do not interrupt them. Remember that there is
a difference between listening and waiting to talk. When you have already decided how you will
respond to them and are just waiting for them to finish, you are not receiving their message in its
entirety. Absorb what the other person is saying, and respond to their entire statement. If they
ask you a question, take a moment to think through your answer. A pre-planned, generic
answer will make the other person feel as if you are not actually listening to their perspective.
And if you have already proven your point, or if you have already sold your listener on
something, you do not need to keep talking. You have already accomplished your goal, and you
do not want to bore your audience or waste their time.

Being adaptive is a critical part of being attentive. It entails adjusting your message or your
medium to accommodate your listener and their needs. As you learned in Week 3, this is a
valuable skill in all conversations. Attentiveness is particularly important when you communicate
across cultures. Not knowing certain cultural standards and cues can drastically undermine
whatever message you wish to send. For example, when he visited Australia in 1992, then-U.S.
President George H.W. Bush made a V-sign with his fingers to greet a crowd of demonstrators.
In the U.S., that sign can symbolize “V for victory.” In Australia, that gesture is incredibly
offensive. Mistakes like this, while innocent, can demonstrate a lack of attention to details and

1 Jack Welch, Winning (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 2005), 53.

JWI 505: Business Communications and Executive Presence
Week 10 Lecture Notes

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 505 – Lecture Notes (1206) Page 5 of 8

nuances.

It takes a long time to be well versed in another culture. So, when you communicate across
cultures, carefully consider how to deliver your message. Do not assume that your listeners will
immediately understand the exact idea you are trying to convey. Take time to learn about how
business is conducted there, and get to know your colleagues as individuals. If someone
commits a cultural faux pas, do not assume they did so maliciously. Use a moment like that as
an opportunity to teach them about your cultural values. If it is a particularly serious mistake,
find a way to let them know immediately, yet diplomatically. Your listeners will be receptive to
your message if you demonstrate that you care about their response.

How to Be Credible

Think back to why you enrolled at JWMI. Was it because the letters “MBA” look impressive at
the end of your name? Was it because you wanted to learn how to conduct business through a
leadership lens? Or was it because you want your peers and superiors to take you more
seriously? Each of these reasons revolves around the same principle: you wanted to enhance
your credibility as a leader. Even before you attain your degree, there are ways to demonstrate
that listeners can trust you and that your message matters to them.

For one, you have to show you take your audience seriously. You learned how to do this in
Week 6 of our course, when we examined how to create a communication strategy. So much
thought goes into crafting and delivering a message. If you do not consider exactly what your
objective is, you risk wasting your time. If you do not think about the content of the message,
you end up providing too little – or too much – information. If you do not assess your audience,
you might send your message to people who do not need to hear it. If you do not take into
account your listeners’ culture, your listeners could interpret the message very poorly. And if you
do not put any thought into your choice of medium, you will not get the response you want.

You will enhance your credibility when you take all of these factors into account. Think very
carefully about what message you want to send, who needs to hear it, and how you should say
it. Determine very quickly what you want from your listeners. If you need their buy-in, you must
figure out how to “sell” your message. If you are informing them of a new development, on the
other hand, you do not have to sell anything. When you draft a message, read it out loud. If you
think that you are missing information, or that your listeners might be confused about
something, keep writing and editing your draft. Make sure every element of the message is

JWI 505: Business Communications and Executive Presence
Week 10 Lecture Notes

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 505 – Lecture Notes (1206) Page 6 of 8

explicitly tied to your central objective. Only send the message to the people who will act upon
it. If a listener does not need your message to do their job, they do not have to receive it.
Consider how your listeners will receive your message and respond. If you have detailed
instructions, send an email or put together a handout. If you want their immediate feedback, set
up a meeting.

However, credibility involves more than just taking your audience seriously. Taking yourself
seriously is just as important. In Week 7 of our course, we studied how to craft powerful
persuasive arguments. If you want to elicit strong responses from your audience, you have to
appeal to both their intellect and their emotions. They will do what you ask if you demonstrate
that you know what you are talking about, that your reasoning makes sense, and that you are
personally invested in their response.

When you want your audience to take action, you have to prove that this topic matters to you.
Think about how you present yourself. Do people think of you as an authority figure, or do you
need to prove it? If you want to build up your credibility, consider your content. Take the time to
research what you are talking about, and reflect on what details your listeners need to know. If
your message contains new information or findings, tell your listeners how you received this
information. If your listeners have questions for you, do not respond with generalizations. Put
thought into each answer you give, and be honest with your audience if you cannot give them
an answer just yet. Also, try to maintain a calm and professional demeanor at all times.
Remember that your credibility is built upon what you say and how you say it.

How to Be Confident

We tend to think of leaders as people who never second-guess what they do. We believe they
have a vision, that they always believe in themselves, and that they are experts in their field. But
this is not always the case. Leaders have misgivings all the time, and unforeseen circumstances
can scuttle even the best-laid plans. However, in spite of their doubts and any obstacles they
may face, leaders make their messages understandable. Their thought processes are clear.
They exude a confidence that convinces people they are in charge.

Too often, confidence is confused with arrogance. Someone can swagger into a boardroom and
“look” like an executive, but that does not make them one. You can only bluster your way
through so many interactions before your colleagues and direct reports stop trusting you. And
as you learned in Week 4 of our course, trust is the bedrock for productive teamwork. Every

JWI 505: Business Communications and Executive Presence
Week 10 Lecture Notes

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 505 – Lecture Notes (1206) Page 7 of 8

member of your team is there because they offer a particular expertise. When you stifle others’
voices or act as if you are more important than the rest of the group, you will not align people
around your mission.

Being confident entails admitting you do not always have the answer to a situation. Know when
to defer to a teammate on an issue. They will address it effectively, and you can learn how to
address similar scenarios in the future. If you do know how to address a problem, offer to show
others how to address it for their own benefit. In fact, look for opportunities to teach your team
members how to perform work functions that you excel at. For example, if you are the head of a
communications team at your office and you are well-versed in a certain type of mass email
software, host a workshop on how to use it. Show that you are invested in others’ professional
development.

As we discussed in our Week 8 Lecture Notes, when you present something to a group of
people, it is easy to feel anxious. Everybody is watching you. They are listening to every word
you say. There is a lot of pressure, and your confidence can evaporate under pressure. But
remember, even if you are at a job interview, those listeners are not judging you. They are
learning from you. They want to hear what you have to say. They do not want you to fail.

Presenting confidently means commanding the room. When you speak, find ways to make
yourself bigger. Do not slouch or look at the floor. If the room is big enough, stand up and speak
directly to each member of the audience. Maintain eye contact with someone for a complete
thought or sentence, and then look at somebody else for your next thought. Find ways to
express yourself physically. You can walk between your main points, but walk slowly and
purposefully. Use your hands to accentuate your key words and thoughts, but do not gesture on
every word. Make sure you vary your tone, pace, and pitch, depending on what you are saying.
When you present, you control all of the information your audience needs. You just have to
demonstrate that you are in control.

Wrapping Up

Over the past ten weeks, we explored how to deliver our communications in many different
settings. We began by learning how to speak face to face with our colleagues. We then
expanded the size of our listeners to include teams, groups of stakeholders, and even whole
organizations. We also determined how to present ourselves online to an audience of unknown,

JWI 505: Business Communications and Executive Presence
Week 10 Lecture Notes

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

JWI 505 – Lecture Notes (1206) Page 8 of 8

innumerable people. At the core of each lesson, you learned how to build up your executive
presence. You now know how to send clear messages and convince others that you have what
it takes to win.