What do you think?
Rate this book
Executive Presence: Step Into Your Power, Convey Confidence, & Lead With Conviction
Executive presence matters. When 400 CEOs were asked how they choose next-level leaders, 89% of them said they looked for one critical trait-executive presence. This quality is crucial for professional success.
In Executive Presence, Joel Garfinkle shows you how to step into your power, convey confidence, and lead with conviction. As you rise in your organization, your executive presence must keep pace with your growth. The higher the stakes, the more you need that power and presence.
Using extensive original research gleaned from studying executive presence for more than 15 years, Joel has uncovered the 9 essential qualities of executive presence. His 3x3 Executive Presence Model doesn't just explain executive presence for the modern leader-it walks you step by step through exercises and strategies for cultivating each essential element. Methodically explaining how to master each one, he equips you with a personalized plan for growth, demystifies what executive presence is, and debunks misconceptions that hold you back.
This book provides the blueprint for how to master 3 key executive presence domains.
1. Radiate gravitas.
2. Act with authority.
3. Express yourself fully.
In Executive Presence, you'll learn how
- Radiate the commanding, self-assured presence of a high-level leader.
- Bring power, conviction, and a strong point of view to your presentations.
- Move from passivity and self-doubt to self-assurance and bold decision-making.
- Exude a professional magnetism that influences others at every level.
- Cultivate and leverage charisma in all your interactions.
- Communicate in a clear, crisp, and concise way.
Maybe you've come across the term "executive presence" in HBR, but you couldn't adequately define it-let alone begin to grow it. This book will change that. As you delve into the lessons from Executive Presence, you'll join top-ranking organizational leaders who know how to influence others and drive extraordinary results. Whether you're a rising star or CEO, Executive Presence will guide you in leading a high-performing team. Moving from passivity and self-doubt to self-assurance and bold decision-making, you'll become the high-impact leader who propels your organization forward.
Executive Presence is for women, people of color, and other employees from marginalized groups who are too often underappreciated, which causes companies to miss out on their full range of talent. By cultivating executive presence, women and any overlooked employees can smash through the glass ceiling and gain the recognition they deserve. If you're in one of these demographics, growing your executive presence will allow you to leap over the barriers you may encounter in your career.
What's the key differentiator between this Executive Presence book and its competitors (Sylvia Ann Hewlett's Executive The Missing Link Between Merit and Success, Paul Aldo's Understanding Executive Presence, Debra A. Benton's Executive Presence for the Modern Leader, and Harrison Monarth's Executive Presence, Second Edition)? The 3x3 Executive Presence Model provides a clear, structured blueprint for developing the most important facets of executive presence. Learn about the 3 domains - gravitas, authority, and expression - that act as the foundational pillars holding up the 9 executive presence competencies.
In Executive Presence, Joel Garfinkle shows you how to step into your power, convey confidence, and lead with conviction. As you rise in your organization, your executive presence must keep pace with your growth. The higher the stakes, the more you need that power and presence.
Using extensive original research gleaned from studying executive presence for more than 15 years, Joel has uncovered the 9 essential qualities of executive presence. His 3x3 Executive Presence Model doesn't just explain executive presence for the modern leader-it walks you step by step through exercises and strategies for cultivating each essential element. Methodically explaining how to master each one, he equips you with a personalized plan for growth, demystifies what executive presence is, and debunks misconceptions that hold you back.
This book provides the blueprint for how to master 3 key executive presence domains.
1. Radiate gravitas.
2. Act with authority.
3. Express yourself fully.
In Executive Presence, you'll learn how
- Radiate the commanding, self-assured presence of a high-level leader.
- Bring power, conviction, and a strong point of view to your presentations.
- Move from passivity and self-doubt to self-assurance and bold decision-making.
- Exude a professional magnetism that influences others at every level.
- Cultivate and leverage charisma in all your interactions.
- Communicate in a clear, crisp, and concise way.
Maybe you've come across the term "executive presence" in HBR, but you couldn't adequately define it-let alone begin to grow it. This book will change that. As you delve into the lessons from Executive Presence, you'll join top-ranking organizational leaders who know how to influence others and drive extraordinary results. Whether you're a rising star or CEO, Executive Presence will guide you in leading a high-performing team. Moving from passivity and self-doubt to self-assurance and bold decision-making, you'll become the high-impact leader who propels your organization forward.
Executive Presence is for women, people of color, and other employees from marginalized groups who are too often underappreciated, which causes companies to miss out on their full range of talent. By cultivating executive presence, women and any overlooked employees can smash through the glass ceiling and gain the recognition they deserve. If you're in one of these demographics, growing your executive presence will allow you to leap over the barriers you may encounter in your career.
What's the key differentiator between this Executive Presence book and its competitors (Sylvia Ann Hewlett's Executive The Missing Link Between Merit and Success, Paul Aldo's Understanding Executive Presence, Debra A. Benton's Executive Presence for the Modern Leader, and Harrison Monarth's Executive Presence, Second Edition)? The 3x3 Executive Presence Model provides a clear, structured blueprint for developing the most important facets of executive presence. Learn about the 3 domains - gravitas, authority, and expression - that act as the foundational pillars holding up the 9 executive presence competencies.
447 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 9, 2022
62 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 19, 2023
Lack the intangibles or have no idea what that means? Read this book.
I was told a few years ago by my boss exactly that. You are a talented, hard worker, but to make the next jump in your career, you need to develop the intangibles. Unfortunately, he, like many leaders and resources I have encountered were unable to articulate exactly what the intangibles were in executive presence. This book outlines the intangibles and provides actionable steps with examples to focus on. It was very helpful and I have a solid list of things to focus on to continue to develop my executive presence.
I was told a few years ago by my boss exactly that. You are a talented, hard worker, but to make the next jump in your career, you need to develop the intangibles. Unfortunately, he, like many leaders and resources I have encountered were unable to articulate exactly what the intangibles were in executive presence. This book outlines the intangibles and provides actionable steps with examples to focus on. It was very helpful and I have a solid list of things to focus on to continue to develop my executive presence.
November 19, 2025
A Must-Read for Rising Leaders and Underrecognized Talent
As someone who has often felt overlooked despite strong performance, this book spoke directly to me. Garfinkle addresses the unique challenges faced by women, people of colour, and marginalized employees with clarity and empathy. His strategies for building presence without compromising authenticity are invaluable. This book not only builds confidence, but it also gives you the tools to be seen, heard, and valued at the level you deserve.
As someone who has often felt overlooked despite strong performance, this book spoke directly to me. Garfinkle addresses the unique challenges faced by women, people of colour, and marginalized employees with clarity and empathy. His strategies for building presence without compromising authenticity are invaluable. This book not only builds confidence, but it also gives you the tools to be seen, heard, and valued at the level you deserve.
December 16, 2024
Clear and succinct recommendations to grow your work persona. I found this book to be incredibly to-the-point, with practical examples and recommendations for personal growth. The author divides Executive Presence into 3 categories: Gravitas, Authority, and Expression with 3 traits per category. This helped me pin down my individual strengths and weaknesses for more focused development.
Appreciated the examples especially and clear descriptions of traits.
Appreciated the examples especially and clear descriptions of traits.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews