Much about work has changed in the past decade, including the specific traits by which executives' gravitas, communication and appearance is gauged.
Executive presence boils down to those three categories in most industries, companies and workplaces. But from 2012 to 2022, the specific traits within each category have changed. Prioritization of confidence, decisiveness, command of a room and polished appearance has remained the same while the weight placed on authenticity, inclusiveness, vision, fitness and willingness to show up in person has intensified.
These are the findings from surveys of business executives in various industries who were asked in 2012 and 2022 to rank the importance of 25 leadership traits, with 268 respondents and 73 respondents, respectively. The findings were shared and analyzed by Sylvia Ann Hewlett, PhD, survey leader, economist and CEO of Hewlett Consulting Partners, in an article for Harvard Business Review.
Confidence and decisiveness remain among the top three traits for gravitas in 2022, but inclusiveness outranks the 2012 prioritization of integrity as the third most important trait in the latest survey, reflecting the emphasis placed on diversity, equity, and inclusion in business strategy.
Superior speaking skills and command of a room or Zoom remain the top two communication traits in both surveys, but the 2012 third-ranked trait of forcefulness falls out of the top rankings in the latest survey, with "listen to learn" orientation replacing it. Ability to read an audience and use of body language are still highly valued communication traits; "joking and bantering manner" is not.
Finally, for appearance, the top three traits in 2012 were polished look, physical attractiveness and "next job" style of dress. In 2022, the top three traits were polished look, authenticity, and fitness and vigor. "Next job" style of dress fell out of the prioritized traits in the latest survey, replaced by "new normal" style of dress — an approachable code that blends work and personal life. The superficial traits of tallness, slimness or youthfulness also fell from the latest survey results, replaced by curation of online image and willingness to show up in person.
"Appearance is the least-important EP bucket, but it's the one that changed most from 2012 to 2022," Dr. Hewlett wrote. "Authenticity, which didn't register with survey respondents 10 years ago, is newly prized. Nowadays, to be seen as leadership material, executives are expected to reveal who they fundamentally are — not mimic some dated, idealized model."
Many of the traits identified by survey respondents as most important to executive presence require balance — authenticity and polish, for example. In light of what can feel like a tightwire act, Dr. Hewlett reminds readers that EP is learnable: "You don't have to be some kind of genius to crack the EP code — you must simply act, speak, and appear in ways that set you apart as a leader."
She also advises that leaders can focus and excel in two or three competencies in each category of gravitas, communication and appearance to effectively convey presence.