How to Score a Promotion in 2013: 5 Insider Tips for Building Your Executive Presence

by Linda Descano

One of the professional hats I wear is that of President & CEO of Women & Co., Citi’s online hub for financial news, blogs and original content for women. On Women & Co., we cover just about every aspect of money: earning it, spending it, investing it, donating it, and even how to talk about it. We also partner with LinkedIn on Connect: Professional Women’s Network.

Throughout 2012, whether I was “speaking” with women online or in person at an event, the topic that consistently dominated the conversation was that of executive presence – and, in particular, what were the “right” signals to demonstrate executive readiness. And, when I read that Connect members believe 2013 will mark the ascent of women in the workplace, both in the positions they hold and the number who hold them, the laser-like focus on executive presence made perfect sense.

So, what’s the secret to signal executive readiness? Here’s what I distilled from interviews with five experts in the field:

• Raleigh Mayer: Polished personal style including physical poise, compelling communication, and social grace
• Cary Broussard: Good listener; thoughtful decision maker; highly self-aware and emotionally intelligent
• Leslie Grossman: Demonstrated expertise in the subject matter and confident clarity in presenting ideas; calm demeanor with no fear of speaking up in any setting; ability to listen to conflicting views dispassionately and then commenting respectfully
• Diane Baranello: Confident, self-assured, credible and capable
• Whitney Johnson: Regal posture and well groomed; owns her space, has an inner calmness; willing to listen but not one to give up her power; wears clothing that draws attention to her as a person, not an object; speaks confidently and doesn’t apologize

Another key take-away from the conversations: executive presence, like physical fitness, takes ongoing commitment, reflection and work to maintain. Every few months or so, I actually go through a list of 11 questions to help me assess how effectively I’m managing my brand.

What says “executive presence” to you and how do you stay fit?