Simple Steps to Building Executive Presence and Stakeholder Influence for Experts and Professionals.

The pandemic years brought about the single biggest change in working practice in fifty years. With it, the world suddenly and unexpectedly accelerated almost entirely into the digital realm.
 
This presents real challenges for modern professionals as leaders and ‘rainmakers’ not least of which being how to reach out to build their executive presence and their ability to influence and manage their teams and key internal and external stakeholders remotely.
 
There is a further element to this in that the crisis also accelerated the adoption of AI (or artificial intelligence) in the workplace. AI is already replacing transactional work and management practices and can carry out the monitoring of staff performance remotely now that everybody is tied to a screen. 
 
What it cannot replace (at least not yet) is the need for leaders and professionals who can project their presence and message, build empathy and trust with others, nurture and inspire performance, motivation, synergy and success.
 
This means that professionals can no longer look to lead from a position of simple expertise but from a position of influence and service to their internal stakeholders, teams and clients. To act as highly trusted and influential leaders and advisors.
 
To put it simply, to succeed in this increasingly AI-enabled world then partners directors and leaders need to be strategic, creative and relational and not solely expertise-based, transactional and therefore replaceable.
 
They should learn to develop their EQ (Emotional Quotient/Intelligence or an awareness and understanding of themselves and their abilities) and from there their SQ (or Social Quotient/Intelligence) or ability to influence others and not just their IQ (or technical intelligence) alone.
 
In this article I want to cover some simple tips and ideas about to how adapt to this new world and how we can adapt our communication styles to succeed here.
 
 
1.     Learn to ‘Flex’ Your Behaviour; Connect in Colour.
 
Bear in mind that not everyone sees the world the same way as you do. In fact, we all have a different way of viewing the world depending on our unique personality profiles.
 
There will be relationships where you automatically ‘click’ with someone and that relationship is comfortable and communication flows seamlessly both ways. However, there are also times when you do not ‘click’ with someone and the relationship is more challenging with communication not being so open.
 
As a professional (legal, accounting, tech, medical, finance, engineering etc)  it is our job to be able to recognise, adapt and work successfully with any kind of personality-type.
 
I strongly recommend getting familiar with any 4 ‘colour’ behavioural model that helps you to identify the different behavioural types people have and then learn to flex your behaviour to work more effectively with them.
 
A relationship might require you to slow your normal pace of speech to people who are more reflective and process-oriented (Blue), or even speed up your pace of speech for people who are more auditory or visual (Red, usually senior executives) in how they process information.
 
Remember, you may not be entirely comfortable shifting out of your comfort zone when you communicate with someone with a completely different style of communication from you, but by doing so you help others get more comfortable and build trust with you faster.
 
 
2.     Learn to Network 
 
I know networking is probably not the first thing expert professionals think about as a key skill.
 
Any successful professional or leader will tell you that networking is the single most powerful tool when it comes to building executive influence, brand and getting access to senior corporate or industry decision makers.
 
We are rapidly getting back into the room with the opportunity to rebuild our networks and there are techniques that are relevant in both the live and online world that are worth learning.
 
1.     Learn to read the room
2.     Learn how to break the ice
3.     Learn how to have a structured conversation
4.     Learn how to ask for a meeting and
5.     Learn how to ‘Exit Elegantly’
6.     Adapt to the digital world
 
Networking is never considered an easy thing to do, or worse, that you have to be some kind of ‘psychotic extrovert’ to work a room!
 
The reality is very different. Networking is best done by introverts, not extroverts. Why? Because extroverts tend to talk about themselves, whereas introverts tend to listen to others.
 
Networking, despite the common myth, is not about ‘selling yourself’ it’s about creating a space to listen to others and build a relationship where the other person gets to know like and trust you. It’s a strategy, not a hope and it can be learned.
 
 
3.     Become a Master of Questions and Suggestions 
 
Either live or online try to encourage other people to do the talking, as it helps them to relax and engage more readily with us.
 
On a Zoom or Team call do allow a short pause when people finish speaking to ensure that they have indeed finished and it’s not just a lag on the line. Learn to become more comfortable with asking questions and suggesting ideas rather than directing the conversation as the person asking the questions is the real person in charge of the meeting.
 
Encourage others to speak, to volunteer ideas, to make suggestions to solve problems. Ask them to clarify and specify their responses so there is no confusion between all the parties.
 
Get comfortable with facilitating rather than directing conversations. People always value a person who is seen to support and serve rather than command in this new world.
 
The new definition of leadership is to create the environment in which others can excel. Think about creating synergy and collaboration and co-creation with your colleagues and clients. The more you involve others in reaching an outcome, the more readily the outcome will be accepted and agreed to.
 
Facilitate and learn to make suggestions rather than statements. Trust is hard to build (especially in the hybrid world) and easy to lose.
 
 
4.     Present Like a Pro
 
Presentations are a key skillset for many professionals, which is why it constantly surprises me as to how poor many of us are at it. Having been a professional speaker for many years, I know that having the focused attention of an audience for a set period of time is a privilege.
 
Today, having the focused attention of a group of key internal stakeholders or clients for any period of time is an enormous value to any team or professional.  It is the one opportunity where we can demonstrate our value and project our worth to them. Therefore it should be done correctly.
 
In today’s world, I say that ‘Share of Attention = Share of Influence’, so the more quality attention we can get from our stakeholders the greater the influence we have with them.
 
It is said that attention spans are decreasing but that is not the case. In fact, it is distraction spans that are increasing.
 
Sequoia Capital, a US venture capital firm that makes multiple investor presentations every year, says that if you haven’t captured the attention of our audience in the first 5 minutes, they’re gone. 
 
Learning how to capture and hold that attention is now a requirement for professionals, not a nice to have.
 
The psychology of our stakeholders, team members and colleagues has changed since Covid. In this new Hybrid working environment it demands a new set of skills from professionals and leaders.
 
If we want to project our value, gain more influence and position our value as a critical part of any modern business, we need to move beyond our technical skills to skills of influence and engagement.
 
For more details on how to do that, visit ExpertToInfluence.pro
 
-       Sean Weafer