Executive Presence: How to Influence and Make an Impact
This article was originally published in the newspaper “La Estrella” and is part of a biweekly column from the ICF Panama Chapter to disseminate what Professional Coaching is. It seeks to inform, create more awareness and differentiate professional coaching, in which the Coach is governed by ethical principles and is continually improving his or her skills.
See the original article in this Link.
Developing executive presence is one of the objectives that professionals and executives most seek in coaching processes since it helps to have greater impact and influence.
In an increasingly complex, interconnected, and rapidly evolving world, with more virtual than in-person interactions, where many collaborators work in matrix structures and belong to multiple teams, where power structures change, developing a system mindset, understanding connections, reading context, and developing relationships is increasingly relevant.
Some of the strategies of current professionals to be able to successfully surf the waves of change are:
- deploy active listening and be present in every interaction,
- create greater value with and for your people of interest,
- have greater impact in your communications and interventions,
- develop a growth strategy with a clear purpose,
- simultaneously manage work, career, and personal and family life,
- structure an active network of allies, mentors and sponsors.
In a coaching process, it is important to clarify with the client their understanding of what it means for them to develop executive presence, supporting them to analyse and prioritise their objectives, define their measures of success, and focus their action plan on the 20% that allow 80% of the results.
In the process of self-knowledge and self-management, it is key to clarify the purpose, the client’s north, and establish with them the predisposition to change, to let go of what no longer serves them, in a relationship of benefit versus cost. In many cases the cost is letting go:
- an attachment to past behaviours and success factors,
- the idea of control,
- making excuses – not remaining a victim of circumstances,
- the excessive need to be “I”,
- thoughts and emotions from the past, opening to create a new and more emotionally agile version of the “I”.
It is opening oneself to uncertainty, not knowing, having to develop new resources and different solutions, seeking the opportunity and gift of each unforeseen situation.
In the process of self-knowledge, the coach supports the client to:
- recognise your personal power and authenticity, your competencies, experiences and knowledge, what you bring to the table;
- to evaluate how he presents himself in different situations, how he empathizes and creates rapport and relationships of trust, how he responds to others and in crisis situations, what are the triggers that can arise and that must be taken care of;
- and what is the value and impact you want to create, what new perspectives or emotional changes can you bring to enhance solutions in critical situations.
Achieving the intended results with well-being also requires the client to work on continuous feedback with their stakeholders. It is important to map your people of interest, who your key internal and external stakeholders are, expanding your sphere of influence and impact, defining what formal and informal power structures to take into account, and what value to create with and for each stakeholder.
A process of continuous feedback and alignment of expectations allows the client a more real knowledge of the evolution of the perceptions of their people of interest, preparing them for faster strategic action in situations of changes in the organisational or business context.
A professional coach supports his client in his development process, stimulating reflection and creativity: “what if…?”, “what would happen if…?”, “what else…?”; acting as a mirror for the client: “this is what I am hearing”, “this is what I am observing”; stimulating the discovery of new lines of action: that “haven’t you tried yet?” “How would you say it?”, “How would you do it?”, and in some cases also supporting the client with experimentation or role play techniques that allow them to visualize different perspectives and actions and try them in a safe environment, in a continuous process of reflection, action and learning.
Author: Fátima Ribeiro
The author is ACC (ICF Associated Certified Coach), Coach in professional development, leadership and teams processes, and member of the Board of Directors of ICF Panama.
