All the Leader You Can Be

The Science of Achieving Extraordinary Executive Presence

McGraw-Hill, 2016

15 min read

10 take-aways

Audio & text

What's inside?

If you know executive presence only when you see it, here’s how to see it in the mirror.

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Analytical
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For Beginners

Recommendation

When most businesspeople try to define “executive presence,” they say, “I know it when I see it!” A formal definition of executive presence might not matter to everyone, but managers stymied in their quest for promotion need to know what to do if their bosses think they lack this crucial quality. Unable to articulate a more concrete reason for blocking your path, bosses likely think, “I can’t promote you because you’re missing a special quality, but I can’t tell you what it is.” Consultant Suzanne Bates helpfully explains the essence of executive presence, why it matters and how you can develop it. She breaks executive presence down into three “dimensions” with 15 behavioral “facets.” getAbstract recommends her insightful, practical manual as a helpful backgrounder for ambitious executives, start-up founders seeking investors and HR hiring officers wondering how to define what they know they’re seeking.

Summary

A Bigger Stage

Every time an executive’s career advances, the stage he or she must fill gets bigger and the stakes grow larger. The traits that worked for an executive in the past may not prove sufficient at higher levels. The challenge of a new role or promotion – an “inflection point” – calls for “executive presence,” or “the ability to influence, engage, align, mobilize and inspire people to act.”

Some businesspeople act as if executive presence is a nice career extra – icing on the cake. But that view ignores the real-world power that executive presence conveys. Senior positions demand people with executive presence. Employees work harder for bosses who live up to public perceptions of what an executive should be: someone whose actions motivate others. On a purely personal level, in most companies you must demonstrate executive presence to get a raise or higher position. While industry knowledge and management expertise are basic requirements for joining the executive ranks in the corporate world, moving up is impossible if you lack presence, which joins more identifiable skills as fundamental requirements for top jobs.

The “Mysterious...

About the Author

Bates Communications CEO Suzanne Bates is an author, coach for CEOs and leadership expert. She also wrote Speak Like a CEO, Discover Your CEO Brand and Motivate Like a CEO.

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N. S. 7 years ago

The book promises to break down the vague “feel-good vibes” you get from a powerful executive leader into a reliable model for assessment and discussion. Recommended, Worth reading!!!
V. S. 7 years ago

The book provides granular and a scientifically grounded approaches for an outstanding leader.

Suzanne Bates

All the Leader You Can Be

The Science of Achieving Extraordinary Executive Presence

What's inside?

Editorial Rating

Qualities

Recommendation

Summary

A Bigger Stage

The “Mysterious...

About the Author

My Highlights

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