We Love These 11 Leadership Presence Facts & So Will You

Leadership presence is a hard quality to pinpoint. It’s something you sense when you see it. Someone with leadership presence has that “it” factor that makes them captivating and trustworthy. They make you feel good about your work and can guide you toward success.

There are many facts about leadership presence. These are our favorites.

Leadership presence is a top indicator of a future promotion.

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According to the Center for Talent Innovation (CTI), leadership presence accounts for 26% of what it takes to get a promotion at work. CTI defines three pillars of presence: gravitas, communication and appearance. Gravitas refers to the confidence and decisiveness of someone with leadership presence, and includes emotional intelligence. Communication includes the ability to command a room, read a room, and respond appropriately. Appearance simply serves as a filter through which gravitas and communication are viewed.

You can prime your brain to feel more confident.

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Self-confidence is a trait seen in every person with leadership presence. While self-confidence comes easier to some people than others, one simple way to develop more self-assuredness is by simply concentrating on times you’ve excelled. Focus on a professional situation or a social interaction that went better than expected, then draw from this. Concentrate on how that win made you feel. Channel this confidence into your work.

The word “because” adds credibility.

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Credibility is a key trait of any successful leader. Credibility comes from being honest, diplomatic and decisive – and having a track record to back you up. It’s easier to develop credibility than you might think. One simple way to add credibility and boost your leadership presence is to add the word “because” to your requests.

A recent Harvard study tested employees waiting to use a copier. They found that those who gave a reason for their actions were seen as more credible. 60% of the subjects were successful when asking, “May I use the machine?” However, that percentage jumped to 94% when the subjects asked, “May I use the photocopier because I’m in a rush?” The added reasoning gave transparency into the subjects’ position and showcased their confidence that their task at hand was important.

Focusing on assisting others improves your ability to connect.

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Use empathy to show your team members that they are being heard and understood. Take action that demonstrates your faith in their thoughts and ideas. By assisting others, you show that you are willing to listen – and follow through. Both are qualities of someone with leadership presence. Empathy and action also build genuine human connection. Connection strengthens teams and makes workplaces more efficient.

Open body language makes you more persuasive.

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Depending on who you ask, as much as 90% of communication is nonverbal. According to this source, your body language can make or break others’ perception of you. Many people associate cold, dominance-asserting behaviors, rather than charisma, with leadership. Research shows that warm body language and a total focus on who you’re talking to is just as effective because it conveys empathy, trustworthiness and openness to collaboration. Open leaders are perceived more positively and as more persuasive. That doesn’t equate to abandoning strong leader behaviors entirely—rather, a balance of confidence and warmth is the winning combination.

The 3 C’s of communication can improve your leadership presence.

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You already know that communication is a pillar of leadership presence, but you might not know how to improve your communication. It is as easy as remembering the three C’s: be clear, concise and consistent. Whether you’re making a presentation or having a one-on-one meeting, be clear, concise and consistent in your messaging.

79% of employees quit their job due to “lack of appreciation”.

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Emotional intelligence is a large part of leadership presence. Emotional intelligence includes the ability to attune to others. Good leaders are attuned and empathic. It’s hard to imagine a leader with presence who isn’t attuned to others. They show their employees that they are being heard, understood and appreciated. The result is a more satisfactory work environment.

Passion for your work makes you a more compelling leader.

Passion adds to your leadership presence because it is infectious. If you are excited about the work you’re doing, you are more apt to get the people around you excited about it as well. Being passionate also means you’re radiating positive energy; this naturally attracts people and makes others want to follow you.

A leader’s trustworthiness indicates how well the team communicates.

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Here’s an alarming statistic: 82% of employees don’t trust their boss to tell the truth. Trustworthiness is everything in the workplace; it ensures honest communication among team members. Trustworthiness is a key aspect of leadership presence and helps build solid relationships between management and employees. Without trust, information is not fully relayed and operations begin to splinter.

You can develop leadership presence.

There is a well-known myth that leaders are born, not made, but there are plenty of leadership presence facts indicating otherwise. Leadership presence training can benefit employees at all stages of their careers and help prepare your company for future success

63% of Millennials report a lack of leadership development opportunities.

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Now that you know that leadership presence can be developed, it’s time to start training your younger employees. Ten thousand Boomers retire every day, and soon Millennials will fill all of their management positions. Leadership presence training is a worthwhile investment that will help boost your company’s success for years to come.