Training Industry Magazine - March/April 2020 - 24

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF

EXECUTIVE
PRESENCE
BY CHARLIE E. HARDY

HOW DOES EMOTIONAL
INTELLIGENCE IMPACT
EXECUTIVE PRESENCE?
Understanding and practicing EI positions
you to consistently exhibit executive
presence. Daniel Goleman, author of
"Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter
More Than IQ" asserts that EI consists of
four fundamental domains:
SELF-AWARENESS
The first domain of emotional
intelligence is self-awareness. Being
emotionally self-aware means having an
intimate knowledge of your emotions.
The ability to read and understand
your emotions allows you to recognize
their impact on work performance and
professional relationships. It is also a
good practice to periodically evaluate
your strengths and limitations. Overall,
self-assessment builds self-confidence
- another key aspect of EI.

IF YOU ARE NOT
INFLUENTIAL, YOU ARE
NOT LEADING.

Executive presence plays a major
role in your success. This is shaped
by your emotional intelligence (EI),
image, interactions and impressions
with others both in person and online.
Ultimately, it will define your brand and
reward you with personal fulfillment,
promotion and the potential to reach
your goals.

WHAT IS EXECUTIVE PRESENCE?
Executive presence allows you to
establish your personal brand. Each
person develops a brand whether
intentional
or
unintentional.
It
encompasses the holistic approach
you take in presenting yourself to
the outside world. You are constantly
developing your brand. This includes
the manner in which you speak, how
you dress and how you generally

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conduct yourself both in person
and online. You are consistently
communicating to others who you are.
Executive presence is comprised of a
proper balance of these attributes.
In addition to appearance, it is significant
to have a mastery of EI skills in order to
develop and cultivate your executive
presence. Your emotional quotient (EQ)
can position you for an opportunity that
does not rely upon your intelligence
quotient (IQ). EQ is like learning to
play the piano. You must study theory
and harmony in order to play the right
chords to create a melodic presentation.
Regarding emotional intelligence, these
skills include decision-making, change
tolerance,
communication,
social
skills, customer service, accountability,
assertiveness, trust, empathy, stress
tolerance and time management.

SELF-MANAGEMENT
Cultivating EI also requires selfmanagement. Whether or not it's in
your job title, you are a manager. As
a manager of self, you must learn to
exhibit self-control. Keeping disruptive
emotions and impulses under control
allows you to be a consistent contributor
within your work environment. When
colleagues recognize that you are
trustworthy and conscientious, they
are more likely to positively engage.
Leadership will respond favorably when
you have a standard of excellence,
take initiative, and demonstrate the
skills needed to adjust to change and
overcome challenges.
SOCIAL AWARENESS
EI extends beyond self-knowledge
to social awareness. By developing
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Training Industry Magazine - March/April 2020

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