Book Review: “Executive Presence 2.0” by Sylvia Ann Hewlett

The book Executive Presence 2.0 by Sylvia Ann Hewlett has been published after almost a decade since its first edition in 2012. Author’s earlier work has been almost canonically referenced by many executive coaches to help define executive presence (EP) and how to enhance the same and for this reason, the book piqued my interest to understand what has changed in EP paradigm after the Covid

There are 3 components to EP

• How you act (gravitas) – 67% weight 
• How you speak (communication) – 28% weight 
• How you look (appearance) – 5%

If EP is learnable, it’s also doable. You don’t have to be some kind of genius and ace all top picks across the three categories of gravitas, communication, and appearance. The author advises to work with your strengths and try to nail three picks in each category

The author ran a survey among hundreds of executives and asked their opinion of what constitutes EP and which components are more important than others (their weights in overall equation). The book is a commentary on the survey questionnaire, executives’ answers and the difference among responses a decade later. I will quickly highlight important takeaway from the book

1. Projecting confidence and “grace under fire” was the number one pick of senior executives asked to identify what constitutes EP
2. When it comes to communication, eye contact matters enormously.
3. Colleagues size up your competence, likability, and trustworthiness in 250 milliseconds—based solely on your appearance.
4. Confidence, decisiveness, integrity and EQ are the 4 top aspects of gravitas – the biggest constituent of EP. And top 4 gravitas blunders are: sexual impropriety, flip flopping, lack of integrity and being shallow / lightweight
5. Once you’ve demonstrated that you know how to stand with the crowd, you get to strut your stuff and stand apart
6. When the moment demands a decision that you’re prepared to render, step forth and render it. Just choose those moments with care.
7. When you challenge authority, you’re coming from a place of integrity and leaning on a store of knowledge. Anything less and your actions will be perceived as insubordination and/or arrogance
8. Your reputation does precede you, either bestowing gravitas or bleeding you of it
9. To project gravitas, it’s critical for an up-and-coming executive to have an inspiring take on where he or she wants to take a team or business
10. People with a clear goal who show they are determined to achieve it exude gravitas, which in turn bolsters their chances of securing the support they’ll need to achieve their goals
11. Three pieces of advice from executives who have tangled with gravitas challenges a. Surround yourself with people who are better than you b. Stick to what you know c. Smile more
12. Other people’s perceptions of you are very much yours to shape
13. Top communication traits are: superior speaking skills, commanding a room, displaying forcefulness and reading an audience
14. Inarticulateness, poor grammar, and an off-putting tone or accent as examples of verbal tics that undermine EP
15.  Using language incorrectly marks you as uneducated and signals you are someone who should not be admitted to the inner circle
16. A deep voice in the lower-frequency range will encourage others to see you as successful, sociable, and smart,
17. The lower your voice, the greater your leadership presence, which correlates to an increased likelihood of running a large company and making a substantial salary
18. Getting an audience to like you, to root for you, while at the same time giving the impression that you don’t need to be liked—this is the wire you want to walk
19. The speed with which you deliver words impacts the effectiveness of your phrasing
20. It’s imperative you cut to the chase, be highly selective with your data, and whenever possible share an illustrative story
21. Know your material cold so that you needn’t rely on notes, and needn’t rely on your glasses to read notes. This will free you up to establish eye contact with the audience. And nothing is more important than eye contact
22. In an important meeting, nothing boosts your leadership presence more than signaling that you’re totally present
23. Executive presence is not necessarily about being formal or abundant in your communication, but rather straightforward and brief
24. To command a room, you’ve first got to read it. Sensing the mood, absorbing the cultural cues, and adjusting your language, content, and presentation style accordingly are vital to your success as a communicator,
25. What does it take to effectively read a room? You’ve got to tune yourself out in order to tune in to the needs and wants of others, and then course-correct on the spot to establish connection
26. Reading your audience is all about making them comfortable so that when you speak, they really hear what you have to say
27. While standing at attention bolsters your own self-confidence, it also signals to others that you are paying attention—which is perhaps the keystone of all effective communication
28. Communication errors identified in the focus groups include breathlessness or any other sign of nerves, constantly checking iPhone for the latest messages, being obviously bored, being long-winded instead of getting right to the point, and relying too heavily on notes and other props
29. Three pieces of advice from executives who have struggled with communication a. Oveprepare b. Less can be more c. don’t allow challenges to your authority go unanswered 
30. Appearance is typically the filter through which gravitas and communication skills are evaluated
31. Top aspects of appearance are: being polished, physically attractive, fit and dressing for the next job
32. When you make an effort to look polished, you signal to others that you see them as worth your time and investment, and that you’re even prepared to tolerate mild discomfort in that process
33. Casual clothes may be the right choice for your organizational culture, but in their fit and brand and style, they should telegraph that you take your work and those whom you engage in it very seriously
34. Achieving polish comes down to this golden rule: Minimize distractions from your skill sets and performance
35. Being physically fit gives people the confidence that you will take care of what you are asked to do, because you are taking care of yourself
36. Far from betraying a lack of EP, asking for professional help (if need be on your own dime) signals an impressive level of personal maturity and professional commitment
37. Some persons speak too tentatively and don’t seem to have the courage of their convictions
38. Authenticity vs. conformity: It may be helpful to discern where assimilating is tantamount to “playing the game” as opposed to “selling out.”
39. Sometimes when a group starts questioning your authenticity, then that’s a group trying to hold you back.
40. For being authentic. Know your non-negotiables and be willing to walk away b. Never try to be someone you aren’t c. Perceive slights as an opportunity to address ignorance d. Seek air cover (someone you can vouch for in that conversation) before you step out to assert authenticity

Some observations from the author on what has / has not changed in the last 10 years on EP

41. Gravitas (how you behave) is still two-thirds of the EP equation and continues to center on projecting confidence, signaling decisiveness, and demonstrating a compelling vision of where you want to take a team or an organization
42. Communication (how you speak) is still almost a third of the EP equation and continues to center on superior speaking skills, commanding a room, and utilizing body language
43. Appearance (how you look) is still a distant third, comprising a mere 5 percent of the EP equation
44. Inclusiveness is among top 3 traits in gravitas displaying integrity in 2012 survey
45. In communication, “masters Small Talk” is also no longer in vogue
46. On superior speaking skills a few pointers on techniques a. A direct style of speaking which is clear, crisp and concise b. A singular emphasis on eye contact c. know your stuff cold d. A focus on one big bold breakthrough idea
47. Body language is a powerful communication tool. The way you stand and sit, the way you hold your head, the way you square your shoulders, the way you move your arms and position your hands—all these elements have the potential of enormously enhancing your impact
48. Using your whole body to share credit, foster collaboration, and express appreciation marks you as a leader in 2023
49. It is in-person contact, not emails, LinkedIn, or TikTok, that allows up-and-comers to build trust and rapport with senior executives who can open doors
50. Cracking the EP code will close the gap between merit and success, between where you are right now, and where you could be if you unleash your full potential and allow it to fly and soar. And it will make you feel quite wonderful

As one of the references says towards the end, Sylvia Ann Hewlett’s book is essential reading for anyone striving to minimize the gap between how others perceive you and how you want to be seen. In my opinion, however in order to execute some of the recommendations from the book, an executive coach will likely be needed for most of us since some of the EP blockers are so much ingrained in our personalities that it’s quite difficult to isolate what’s NOT working and importantly being able to practice EP enhancing techniques effortlessly

This book can be ordered from Amazon here!