John Knotts | President and Owner of Crosscutter Enterprises — Your Success Incubator.

The concept of executive presence was formed by Sylvia Ann Hewlett in her 2014 book, aptly named, Executive Presence. Since then, many executive coaches have focused on developing this concept with their clients.

Gerry Valentine breaks down the concept of executive presence in his Forbes article, "Executive Presence: What Is It, Why You Need It, And How To Get It." He defines executive presence as an ability to inspire confidence in such a way as to make people want to follow you.

I see executive presence as an air about yourself. When you walk into the room, people want to listen to what you have to say. I remember the EF Hutton commercials in the late '70s and early '80s: “When EF Hutton talks, people listen.”

What happens today when there is no room to walk into? How do you build and display executive presence in the virtual new normal? How do you command a presence that encourages people to listen, pay attention and follow?

Today’s virtual meeting space is dominated by three systems: Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet. The one thing that can quickly erode confidence in others is someone who does not know how to operate the virtual system on which they are presenting.

This can make you look incompetent and even a little aloof—as if learning the system is below you. Bottom line: Not knowing how to operate a system and fumbling with the platform can make you look inept.

Take the time to learn how to operate and practice with these systems and become confident in the functions of each. I even recommend taking some training to develop your skills.

Here are some of the worst things I have seen in virtual meetings:

I remember when Apple's FaceTime came out and my dad had a new iPad. I had come home to visit, and he was really excited to show me FaceTime. At 11 p.m., he called his buddy in Florida. I still remember the guy on the other end of the screen, wearing a white T-shirt and barely awake. He had his arm draped over his head as he talked. I could not wait for that call to end.

Fast forward to the start of the pandemic and everybody has moved to working from home. I gave my first speech online. My wife, whose office is down the hall, popped her head in and said, “That wasn’t very good!”

Brutal, I know. But she was right. My presentation lacked energy.

I recognize that pre-pandemic, I spoke on stage—standing! I immediately bought a sit/stand desk. Problem solved.

When speaking and presenting online, stand up if possible. This can bring a different level of excitement and energy to the event.

I know that this working-from-home environment has birthed some bad workplace habits. Less bathing, less shaving, less managing hair, less makeup and even wearing pajamas to work.

Hats off to those of you who still prepare and dress for work every day, even if your office is in the room next door to your bedroom.

No one can see your pajama bottoms or sweatpants, but you know you are wearing them. Knowing can affect your presence and it can affect how you act—even when others cannot see it.

Get ready and dressed as if you were going into the office. You can feel the difference and those online can sense it.

The window you have to present from is pretty small. Make the most of it.

Have you ever been online with someone who only has the top of their head in the frame? Have you had someone fill up the frame with their head and they are gesturing offscreen but you can't see their hands? Have you ever been mesmerized by a cluttered space in the background?

Manage the box. Get yourself in full frame. If you gesture when you speak, then step back so people can see the gestures. And pay attention to what is in the background.

5. Be aware of eye contact.

Nothing says “sincerity” more than someone looking you in the eyes when they talk.

You must learn to speak to the camera and not to the people on the screen!

Nowadays, we have a lot of hybrid events. You are in a room with a live audience and there is a camera projecting you to a virtual group. When speaking to the online audience, look at the camera and not the images of the audience on a screen in the room (usually behind you).

If you are on your computer, with multiple monitors, keep the people on the screen with the camera. Focus on speaking to the little light on your webcam that tells you that the camera is on.

Being a good communicator is core to executive presence. It is doubly important in a virtual environment.

If you are monotone, your speech is punctuated with “ums” and “ahs” and you drone on too long, you could lose your audience fast.

This is so easy and inexpensive to fix. Go to www.toastmasters.org. Find an online-only or hybrid club and learn how to speak well to a virtual audience. With such an easy, inexpensive and abundant solution, there is no reason to be a poor speaker.

In summary, finding your executive presence is hard enough in a face-to-face world. In today’s new virtual normal, it's even harder! Take the six steps necessary to build your virtual executive presence today.

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