Executive Presence Shows Up When You Think No One Is Watching
Executive presence is not something you turn on for the big moments. It is not reserved for the board meeting, the client presentation, or the executive briefing. Executive presence is revealed in the moments you believe do not matter.
The hallway conversation. The Zoom call you dial into half prepared. The quick check-in with your team between meetings. Those interactions shape your reputation far more than most leaders realize. People are not only evaluating you when the spotlight is on. They are watching how you show up everywhere.
Consistency is what builds credibility. Inconsistency is what quietly erodes it.
If you are composed and confident in high-stakes meetings yet distracted or dismissive in casual conversations, people notice. If you are articulate in formal settings yet ramble when the conversation feels informal, that is what they remember. Executive presence is not about performance. It is about reliability.
Inconsistency Damages Trust Faster Than You Think
Trust is fragile. Research from Gallup shows that only 21% of U.S. employees strongly agree that they trust the leadership of their organization, highlighting how easily credibility is lost when leaders lack consistency in how they communicate and show up.
Leaders often assume their intentions matter more than their impact. They do not. People respond to patterns of behavior, not isolated moments of excellence.
Two Ways to Discover How You Actually Show Up
Most leaders believe they have executive presence. Few leaders verify it.
The first step is to record yourself. Audio or video. One minute is enough. Record a casual meeting or a Zoom call and watch the playback immediately. Listen for clarity. Notice whether your message was concise or if it drifted. Pay attention to whether you said in ten words what could have been said in five. Recording is uncomfortable. It is also one of the fastest ways to create awareness.
The second step is to ask for feedback. Find someone you trust and ask direct questions. What do people say when I am not in the room? How am I perceived under pressure? What do I need to improve? Feedback is the only way to understand how others experience you rather than how you believe you show up.
Presence Is Built Monday to Monday®
Thinking you have executive presence is not enough. Feeling confident is not enough. Presence is measured by how consistently your message resonates across every interaction.
Executive presence is not a moment. It is a practice. When leaders commit to showing up with clarity, confidence, and intention in every conversation, credibility follows. That is how influence is built—Monday to Monday®.
If you are ready to close the gap between how you think you show up and how others experience you, it starts with awareness, feedback, and deliberate practice.
