Why Talented Leaders Are Often Overlooked
“She’s warm and personable, but she doesn’t have that ‘something extra’ we’re looking for in an executive.”
“It isn’t that he couldn’t do the job. It’s that no one can picture him as a leader.”
“I think she’s great, but no one else knew who she was.”
“He’s got all the qualifications, but no one listens when he speaks.”
I’ve coached clients who knew every detail of their business or job function, contributed substantially to the success of the organization, were highly competent in practically every way, and still got turned down for promotion because, as their bosses told me, “Something is missing.”
Often that missing element was leadership presence.
Leadership presence, that elusive but “we know it when we see it” factor, allows talented performers to stand out in ways that result in reward, recognition, and advancement.
If you're a talented professional who's been overlooked, it may be because your communication habits are masking your true abilities. (Let me be more blunt: You may be genuinely capable, credible, empathetic, and confident, but it doesn’t matter if that's not how you come across to others.)
Which is why the key to projecting leadership presence is impression management. And that, in turn, requires a deep understanding of the impact of your appearance, your emotional state, your visibility, and your verbal and nonverbal communication habits.
Remember: Leadership presence gets evaluated every time you speak. Bosses and peers notice how actively you engage in and contribute to meetings, how confidently you come across when offering your opinion, how poised you are under pressure, and how your body language supports or sabotages your message.
But make no mistake, the ability to project presence isn’t a “fake it until you make it” skill set. At least not the way I define it. Real leadership presence – the kind that impacts, influences, and inspires – is an expression of your best authentic self and of the values that define you.
You don’t have to be born with leadership presence; you can develop it. Throughout my career, I’ve worked with thousands of wonderful, high-performing professionals, helping them project presence to advance their career. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, an emerging or an established leader, you can enhance your communication skills so that you STAND OUT as the talented leader you truly are.
