ABSTRACT
How do you know if you or someone else has executive presence? Outward signs of executive presence are expressed through
• Professional attire • Posture • Behavior • Facial expressions • Subject-matter expertise • Fluency of speech (barring speech impediments) • Personal values • Initiative • Demonstrated integrity
Why should you develop this quality? Your image telegraphs messages about you to others and contributes to their perception of you as a person and as a professional. While judging someone based on appearance seems unfair and superficial, it happens regularly. I remember preparing for my first job interview after graduating from college. I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to be. All I did know was that I didn’t want to be unemployed. At that time, the job market was exceptionally tight. Jobs were incredibly hard to find. To increase my employment odds, I made an appointment with the career development office. Here’s what I learned:
People form a judgment about you within the first 10 seconds of meeting you. Most people can’t say their name to someone else and break the ice within 10 seconds! Everything you say or do after the first 10 seconds confirms or refutes the initial impression you made on the other person.
