Demystifying Executive Presence

The role of a lawyer to is to advise clients. To win them over, you need not only technical but also social skills to build your executive presence. Here are 5 ways to do it:

1. Understand the business. Don’t be the department of no. Show instead that you understand the context and significance of the issues presented. Raise practical alternatives if what your clients want isn’t a good idea.
2. Tailor your communication to the audience. On the business side, don’t lapse into legalese (do you really need to say something is dismissed “with prejudice”?). On the social side, bring up what your audience cares about. An executive whom I have known for years turned out to be a huge sports fan, but I had no idea because he knew sports talk would be wasted on me.
3. Accept compliments with grace. Do you turn down words of praise? Instead of rejecting someone’s opinion, smile and say thank you.
4. Share glory with your team. You can also bring up your team after someone recognizes your work (but say thank you first before sharing glory).
5. Be charming and approachable You want clients and colleagues to come to you early before a problem has escalated, so you need to be easy to be around. Treat everyone with respect, and expand interactions beyond straight business. Walk around, have lunch with people, and don’t hide at your desk.

Next blog will list ways you know you are successfully building your executive presence!