I’ve only had to give robust feedback a couple of times in my career as an executive coach, and the first time was a huge challenge for me and the client. When the morning meeting of the senior management team was over, and the President and I had returned to his office, I said to him, “Stop all the jokes, goofiness and slap stick during the meeting. Quit being ‘buddy buddy’ with your direct reports. You are the President of this company. It’s time you start acting like the President of this company, and be more Presidential.”
There was a long pause after I said this. You could have heard a pin drop in the room. He got really quiet and reflective. He heard me, and he knew I was right. He had chosen being popular over leadership and accountability.
I continued, “Listen, you need to lead with executive presence.” What followed was a long and in-depth discussion about what this means and what it would look like at a behavioral level.
When it comes to the reality of leadership, there is “a dark side of the force,” referencing a popular Star Wars metaphor. As CEO or President, you have “the power of the chair.” People have to do what you say because of your position. They may not like it, agree with it, or understand it. Still, they will do it because you are the boss, and because they want to keep their job. Furthermore, you have impact, and you can set precedence. This power also comes with great responsibility, which many leaders do not think about.
Patrick Lencioni in his book, The Five Temptations of a CEO: A Leadership Fable, (Jossey-Bass, 1998), writes about the dangers of “choosing popularity over accountability.” His advice is the following: “work for the long term respect of your direct reports, not their affection. Don't view them as a support group, but as key employees who must deliver on their commitments if the company is to produce predictable results. And remember, your people aren't going to like you anyway if they ultimately fail.”
So, if we want to lead with more “ executive presence”, what do we need to do and understand?
First, recognize that you are more visible with every level you move up in the organization. All of your actions are constantly sending a message about what is important and how to treat other people. Therefore, be more present when you are with people. Quit multi-tasking. Quit thinking e-mail is a solution. Spend more time shaping the values and standards of your organization and spend more time defining what is, and what is not meaningful outside the organization. Finally, spend more time helping people focus on the right things, rather than just doing things right.
Second, recognize that there is a difference between creating connections and and connectivity. Effective leaders know how to make connections, and understand that the success of every company is based on the health of it’s internal relationship. Therefore, these leaders are very conscious of the social geography of the company.
Third, recognize that as a leader, you need to be doing more of the thinking, not always more of the doing. And when you focus during your thinking time, check to make sure your actions are based on living the mission, vision and core values of the company. Then, make sure your direct reports are role modeling this as well.
Fourth, recognize that you will routinely have to deal with disjointed incrementalism, i.e. this is when you know where you want to go, but not always know how to get there. In these kinds of situations, the key is to convey strategic intent, and to make sure the goals and the desired outcomes are well defined. Then, have the courage to support your people as they figure out the right pathway to the desire outcomes.
After confronting the President about his behavior during the meeting with senior management, he kept me on as his executive coach. Years later, he told me my comments to him were one of the few moments when he truly grasped what it meant to be a leader. This week, I challenge you to move to the next level of your leadership journey and to lead with more executive presence. Over time, it will make a difference for involved.
© Geery Howe 2025
No comments:
Post a Comment