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Ever wonder why some people seem to command respect effortlessly in meetings, while others struggle to be heard?

It's not magic. It's not an innate talent.

It's an ambiguous soft skill called "executive presence." Unfortunately, it sometimes gets a bad reputation for playing to senior leaders' biases.

 

Personally, I don't disagree that it can lead to these negative outcomes. But when you're strategic about it, it often times is the difference between staying as an individual contributor or manager and getting elevated into leadership.

Today, I'm going to demystify it by sharing my 3-step formula to give off executive presence in your next 30-minute meeting. These are the exact techniques I've used to:

• Form partnerships with Fortune 500 companies at the NBA, CBS, and Lucid Software
• Get promoted to Head of Business Development
• Teach to more than 200 emerging leaders in my ​Impromptu Speaking Masterclass​ 

If there's nothing else you take away from this piece, remember this:

Step 1: Connect in the First 5 Minutes

Your goal in the first 5 minutes is to make the other person feel connected to you.

Here's how:

1. Deliver a concise, impactful introduction
2. Compliment the other person (or their team) authentically
3. Ask an insightful question

Here's a script you can model:

This introduction:

• Clearly states who you are and your role
• Compliments their team (reflecting well on their leadership)
• Opens with a question to get them talking

Pro Tip: If you're junior, don't stay silent! Contribute early, even if it's just asking for clarification. For example:

Your number 1 goal is to avoid being relegated as a silent note-taker, and to make your presence felt early. Paraphrasing a key takeaway from the meeting is helpful because it both 1) makes people feel heard, building trust, and 2) ensures that everyone's on the same page.

Step 2: Build Eagerness in the Next 15 Minutes

Your goal for the middle chunk of the meeting is to get them feeling eager to learn more about you and your ideas.

The counterintuitive secret, though, is to primarily get them talking about themselves.

Here's how:

1. Ask open-ended questions about their goals and challenges
2. Probe deeper into their responses
3. Show genuine interest in their perspective

Some powerful questions you can use:

• "What does success look like for ________ from your perspective?"
• "What's worked well (or not so well) in similar _______ you've had?"
• "What's the biggest challenge you're facing that you think we might be able to help with? Why has that been your biggest challenge?" 

This in-depth piece here also has examples of more great questions you could ask and others to avoid, all with the goal of uncovering their core values and motivations. That way, you'll be much better positioned to articulate how you can help when it's your turn to speak.  

_{This Venn Diagram is not only applicable in external conversations with partners and customers, but also in general conversations where you may have differing view points and are looking to solve a problem together.}

Rule of thumb: if you initiated the conversation, it often helps to anchor them with context before asking your questions. For example, you could share why you wanted to meet them. You can mention this during your introduction in Step 1, and you can also elaborate here. I would recommend keeping your context setting to under 1 minute so that you shift attention towards them.

Step 3: Drive Action in the Last 10 Minutes

Your goal for the end of the meeting? Make them feel excited to work with you.

Here's how:

1. Summarize the key points and areas of alignment you've identified
2. Propose clear, actionable next steps
3. Get their buy-in on those next steps

Here's a script you can adapt:

"This has been a great conversation. Based on what we've discussed, it seems like there are three key areas where we can collaborate effectively:

1. Identifying our mutual customers for potential case studies
2. Setting up a brainstorming session with our technical teams to explore integration possibilities
3. Outlining a joint go-to-market strategy for Q4

What I'd propose as next steps are:

1. I'll send over a list of our top customers in your industry by Friday
2. We schedule a technical deep-dive for next Tuesday - I can coordinate with Steven on your side
3. We reconvene in two weeks to review progress and firm up our Q4 plans

How does that sound to you? Is there anything you'd add or change?"

This approach demonstrates you were actively listening, shows you're action-oriented, and gives them the opportunity to refine the plan.

This Week's Action Step:

For your next important meeting (even if it's not with an executive), try implementing this 3-step formula. Before the meeting:

1. Prepare your concise introduction and an insightful opening question
2. List 3-5 probing questions to understand their perspective deeply
3. Draft a potential summary and next steps (knowing you'll refine these based on the actual conversation)

Remember, developing executive presence is a skill focused on cultivating the right emotions on the other side. The more you practice intentionally, the more natural it will become. You got this.

If you found this helpful, the Impromptu Speakers Academy is my 3-week bootcamp to help you become a clear and confident speaker at work. Reserve your spot today while they're still available.

 

I hope this helps you command the room in your next big meeting.

Talk soon,

Preston