Susan Drumm says executive presence comes from clear, direct communication. State your expectations upfront and guide conversations to where you need them. Instead of vague questions, say exactly what you want: 'I'd like your opinion on how I should handle a conflict on my team.'
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Those with strong executive presence communicate this in an upfront, clear, concise way and direct the conversation the way they need it to go to achieve the result. You want to be explicit about your expectations and what you're asking for. Again, just tell your people what you want. So instead of starting with here's what happened, say I'd like to get your opinion on how I should handle a conflict on my team, so I'll start with some context. Here's what happened. Do you see how much clearer that is? And you're much more likely to get the outcome and support you need when people know what they're listening for. Those with strong executive presence communicate this in an upfront, clear, concise way and direct the conversation the way they need it to go to achieve the result.