Our Methodology
Defining executive presence is a gray area because for many, it is the essence of leadership. It isn’t a technique, but an embedded skill that becomes a personal trait that helps you influence others. A leader with presence commands the room, projects the message and pulls you into their beliefs. Presence isn’t something you give yourself but something you earn from those around you who come to respect your right to speak and your ability to lead. Some have called it an “earned authority.” It is a combination of behaviors and attitudes that present a sense of confidence, competence, commitment and authenticity.
This workshop builds on our brand and impressions workshop and offers an advanced view of mastering presence with a broader view of how to engage a room and how to influence any audience.
Content – Most listeners give a communicator about 30 seconds to set a message and direction for their storyline. An effective communicator learns how to format ideas to frame a message and set the structure quickly to keep the listener(s) involved. We teach how to organize a storyline, create a compelling message and leverage stories to be sure sound bites are heard and remembered.
Style – Personal style, is presence, the ability to engage an individual or a group from the start of a conversation. An effective communicator comes across as confident and credible, conveying a sense of commitment to their topic and a personal interest in connecting the topic to each listener. The SW&A approach to style teaches the intentional choices communicators make to deliver on those impressions.
Situational – While the tools stay the same, the situations don’t. Every communicator thinks about their audience differently from those who interact with small groups to those who deliver keynote speeches. They think about outcomes differently, too. From meetings that generate discovery to recommendations that gain approval. That’s why the third dimension of our work applies the fundamentals to specific situations. It helps a communicator shift from competence in their skills to consistent outcomes in their communication.
