I recently did a podcast with an Innovation Communication consultant, Susan Lindner. Her super power is helping people take complicated and novel ideas and communicate them clearly and more importantly, compellingly. If I was ever to have pitch meetings to get investors, it would be invaluable to get guidance from her.

The Truth

A common insight you hear related to Shark Tank-like meetings is that the buyers, be they Venture Capitalists, Fortune 500 companies, or your own bosses, are buying the person, not just the idea. A pitch is a promise. And the promise is being made by the person pitching, not the product.

The Shift

Whenever you need to pitch something, be it an idea, a product, or a company, you are more likely to fail if you lack Executive Presence. I'm not talking about your style or your resemblance to a CEO. I'm talking about being able to convince others that you can lead the idea, product, or company to success.

As you prepare, consider:

What are the obvious challenges with the strategy and how would a great leader address them at this point in time?

For the non-obvious challenges (or the Black Swans), how would a great leader handle a question they didn't see coming?

What feelings would a leader with Executive Presence evoke in the audience and how will I evoke them?

How would someone with Executive Presence both start and finish the presentation? What will be my very first and very last words?

If you do this, you will give yourself a much better chance at making the sale. Never underestimate your importance, and the importance of your Executive Presence in any business interaction.

Remember, your Executive Presence sets the ceiling of your success.

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Learn more

This article was adapted from the new leadership book, Unlock Your Executive Presence: Feel like a Boss. Find it here, along with other books from the Unlock Your Leadership series.

Joe Kwon, the Connection Counselor is a leadership coach and keynote speaker who helps elevate careers by unlocking the ability to better connect with yourself and others.

Contact him if you'd like his help.

To find out more and to access free leadership videos, podcasts, and guides, go to www.connectioncounselor.com.

Growing up the only books I loved as much or more than dinosaur books were books about mythology. Greek and Roman, Korean, German, and especially King Arthur - I just couldn't get enough.

As a child I loved the adventure and imagination of the stories. As an adult, the deeper meaning and function of myths started to fascinate me, as well. There is no better source for this than the work of Joseph Campbell. It even served to inspire George Lucas as he developed the Star Wars mythology. The best part is Joseph Campbell recorded a series of interviews on PBS where he masterfully shares his insights. If you love mythology and haven't watched this, yet, stop reading and watch it now.

I'll wait . . .

Joseph Campbell and The Power of Myth

In this beloved 1988 PBS series, mythologist and storyteller Joseph Campbell joins Bill Moyers to explore what enduring myths can tell us about our lives. In each of six episodes, Moyers and Campbell focus on a character or theme found in cultural and religious mythologies. Campbell argues that these timeless archetypes continue to have a powerful influence on the choices we make and the ways we live. Released shortly after Campbell’s death on October 30, 1987, The Power of Myth was one of the most popular TV series in the history of public television, and continues to inspire new audiences.(1988)

The Myth

Okay, great, you're back! Amazing, right? Mythology has various functions and one function that is relevant to the topic of Executive Presence is the sociological function.

“I am not who you think I am; I am not who I think I am; I am who I think you think I am.”

~Thomas Cooley

This function is about reinforcing and maintaining a certain social order. Myths help to bind people to a certain social group. So much so that we participate in the myth and let it define us. A similar dynamic can occur with our beliefs about other things, including the elusive and mysterious power of Executive Presence.

The myth of Executive Presence is simple.

Executive Presence does not matter unless you are in position of leadership.

Wrong. Just so, so wrong and downright damaging to your career. It's right up there with "the only thing you need to succeed is hard work." Just to be clear, I believed both of these myths for the majority of my life, so I'm no genius.

The Shift

When you realize the Executive Presence myth is just that, a myth - amazing things begin to unfold. You can now see the true form of Executive Presence and how it is generated.

"Executive Presence is the ability to inspire confidence that you can lead well in a given situation."

This ability is for helpful to everyone and can be held by anyone - not just executives. It's important to note that Executive Presence requires more than just the ability to inspire confidence or lead well in a given situation. You need both. Most importantly, both must be felt and perceived by others. You may be wondering,

"I still don't see why I would need Executive Presence if I'm not in a position of leadership. What benefit could it possibly have for me?"

The answer to this question is also revealed once we go beyond the myth and look at the truth of Executive Presence and the power it bestows. Imagine there are several crossroads or intersections you will come to in your career. The tricky part is you may not even realize you are at one. Others with the power to stop you, keep you where you are, or propel you forward will have moments where they need someone to lead.

Usually, you are not the only person they are considering. There are other candidates. Some are more qualified than you and others are less. Unbelievably, that's not the point and not what matters from a "getting the opportunity" perspective.

What matters is when you are at an intersection with competing traffic, the people in control of the “Career Opportunity Stoplight” decide who to give the green light. When you have Executive Presence, meaning people perceive you as someone who can lead, this gives you the edge. This is the Executive Presence Advantage.

No matter what you do, or where you sit in the pecking order, Executive Presence is something that will help you fulfill your full potential.

Remember, your Executive Presence sets the ceiling of your success.

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Learn more

This article was adapted from the new leadership book, Unlock Your Executive Presence: Feel like a Boss. Find it here, along with other books from the Unlock Your Leadership series.

Joe Kwon, the Connection Counselor is a leadership coach and keynote speaker who helps elevate careers by unlocking the ability to better connect with yourself and others.

Contact him if you'd like his help.

To find out more and to access free leadership videos, podcasts, and guides, go to www.connectioncounselor.com.

There is a curse that comes with experience. The curse comes from seeing all too clearly, and often before anybody else does, when something is wrong. The curse is not in the seeing. The seeing is good. The curse comes about when you try to give feedback to others to fix it.

People reflexively resent and resist correction, even when they know it is right and good. They chafe against it even when you offer it with the best intentions. This begins in childhood and somewhat ironically, as adults we resent correction even more because we know so much.

The Challenge

There is always a danger that when you start telling people what to do and how they should do it, they will shut down. Your title does not protect you from this. Your facts and data are not much help, either. And being right . . .

So how do you, as someone who sees clearly how to get things done, communicate with Executive Presence? In other words, how do you do this in a way that people want your advice and are eager to follow it?

The Shift

A leader’s powerful perspective can be a double-edged sword. When you tell someone what "you" would do, this doesn't resonate as strongly as them understanding what "they" would do.

The next time you find yourself needing to deliver performance feedback, instead of telling them what you would do, help them discover what they would by taking the following steps:

Step 1. Artfully make them aware of the less than ideal state of performance.

This means instead of criticizing (e.g., You are doing it the wrong way), ask a question or make a statement that leads them to realize that things could be better (e.g., Is this going as well as you expected? or This way seems more complicated than how it's been done before). The goal is for them to genuinely realize that there is a need for improvement.

Step 2. Turn them toward the right direction with a goal-oriented reminder or question.

People are much more willing to learn when they remain focused on the overall shared goal. Instead of telling them how what they are doing is wrong, give a reminder or ask a question to put the focus on the goal, not the process. For example, "We want to make sure this is done by the deadline so our client is happy" or "Tell me, in your opinion, what is the benefit or importance of meeting this deadline?" The goal is for them to focus on the desired end state.

Step 3. Offer for them to recommend a course of action.

Nothing demotivates people on a task more than taking away their power and autonomy. When you tell someone they are doing it wrong and they should do it your way, this is the underlying dynamic. It's not about what way is right, it's about getting buy-in. Instead of telling people the "right" way (i.e., your way) of completing a task, ask them to recommend a course of action that will put the task back on track so the goal is met.

Step 4. If they don’t have a good recommendation, ask them if they would like you to offer your recommendation.

The shift is subtle, but powerful. This is the difference between leading with Executive Presence and leading without it. The more effective leader maneuvers themself so the person is asking for their feedback. The less effective leader attempts to maneuver the person and pushes them to do it a certain way because they have the authority to do so.

By "effective" I mean being a leader with Executive Presence that others want to follow.

I don't mean getting the task done. You can get the task done both ways for sure, but one compromises quality and damages future interactions. If you force a person to comply, chances are that's all they will do now, and in the future — the minimum required. They will turn off their brain. Not because they don't care or aren’t capable, but because you have created a disincentive for them to think and care.

Is providing performance feedback with Executive Presence easier than just telling someone what to do? No.

Is it a requirement of your job? Of course not!

Will it help you get the best results and create a reputation as a leader with Executive Presence? Absolutely!

The choice is yours. It’s always yours. See what I did there?

Remember, your Executive Presence sets the ceiling of your success.

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Learn more

This article was adapted from the new leadership book, Unlock Your Executive Presence: Feel like a Boss. Find it here, along with other books from the Unlock Your Leadership series.

Joe Kwon, the Connection Counselor is a leadership coach and keynote speaker who helps elevate careers by unlocking the ability to better connect with yourself and others.

Contact him if you'd like his help.

To find out more and to access free leadership videos, podcasts, and guides, go to www.connectioncounselor.com.