WHAT'S 'SOVEREIGN' GOT TO DO WITH EXECUTIVE PRESENCE?
Sovereign as in a nation, right? A country?
But 'Sovereign' Executive Presence?
The overarching lesson I learnt from my nigh-under-ten year corporate journey in the financial services sector was that you gain respect from your colleagues when you're acting with agency - your very own. The more self-directed I became in how I presented myself in the workplace and how I interacted with my work and colleagues, the more I found myself getting to be known as a credible professional.
Credibility is hard to build in the workplace and it's also really important. When your team knows you're a no-nonsense worker - you do as you say - you're taken seriously. Your credible image travels up to senior leaders making it easier for you take concrete steps for career progress.
You direct every aspect of your professional behavior. You own up when you make mistakes, offer fixes, pay it forward when you can and also, importantly, you never sell yourself short. You learn from feedback offered by colleagues. You take initiative without constant prompting from your leadership.
It's these autonomous choices that set you up for career visibility through expanding your executive presence.