Jackie Brown, Founder, Shifting Success
You’ve heard the whispers, maybe even a performance review carries the news:
- You’re great at what you do, but we want to see more executive presence
- You need to develop some gravitas
- If you want to move up, you need to sound more strategic
But let’s be honest, the path to executive presence is foggy. The signs pointing to leadership are outdated: owning the room, sitting in the best seat at the table, changing the pitch of your voice, wearing the navy suit and glad-handing the go-getters.
It’s time to ditch the vague and staid. Staff, members, heck – the industry – are all craving authentic leaders who lean into their strengths, claim their convictions and connect with a humanity those navy suits have never been able to allow.
It’s time to bust the myths of executive presence so you can unleash the leader inside of you. The one you know is in there, the one that’s ready to lead on your terms with your strengths as you rewrite leadership for today’s credit union movement.
Myth #1: Executive presence = polish
Nope. Real presence is about connection, not perfection. People don’t follow you because you use the “right” tone. They follow you because you say what matters and mean it.
Myth #2: You need gravitas to lead
Gravitas sounds impressive… until you try to define it. What most people really mean is: you don’t match the image in their heads. But leadership isn’t a vibe, it’s a way of showing up with clarity and conviction.
Myth #3: Confidence means being the loudest voice
Some of the most confident leaders speak the least, but when they do? People listen. Quiet authority is still authority. Don’t let performative energy drown out real presence.
Myth #4: Your work speaks for itself
If it did, you wouldn’t be reading this. Work doesn’t speak; you do. And if you’ve been stuck at a growth ceiling or struggling to be heard, chances are, it’s not about your work. It’s about how you’re showing up in the moments that matter.
I know you’re seeing these patterns as well – you’re likely feeling the leadership vacuum yourself. You’re not alone in this. Many are craving connection, clarity and conviction from leadership. We’re tired of slick, polished, cold leaders. We want our leaders to be human, to show they actually care about SOMEthing and especially about us.
You can be that leader. You can rewrite executive presence. Here’s the why and the how to get you going:
Why executive presence needs a rewrite
- Credit unions pride themselves on people-first culture. Yet many leaders still rely on outdated, formal communication that distances rather than connects. Need the facts? A 2023 Gallup study shows that only 21% of employees feel like their CEOs are communicating effectively.
- Credit union teams are dealing with change fatigue (regulations, internal policies, tech rollouts, etc). A 2023 Harris Poll with Grammarly found 80% of knowledge workers and 93% of business leaders say their ability to get work done is strongly contingent on how well their collaborators communicate their needs or share their ideas. Gravitas will not carry the worn down – connection and clarity are what support and energize teams.
- Top performing teams create space for everyone to contribute. Having a loud, dominant leader blocks collaboration.
What’s needed instead
Connection over perfection
Want to move people? Gain their trust. Ready to build trust? Start by understanding their needs, their perspective and their motivations. Our lizard brain doesn’t even begin to think logically until it has assessed that we are safe. When we see ‘perfect’, our lizard brain sends all sorts of warning signals. No one’s perfect, so if someone is presenting themselves that way, there’s got to be an ulterior motive. Showing our humanity while genuinely being curious about theirs is what real leadership is all about.
Clarity over charisma
The most entertaining, gregarious ‘leader’ won’t get much done if they aren’t clear about their goals, their message and how others can contribute. Charisma might woo people in the short term, but those who are clear about what they want and why it’s important create sustainable, long-term progress.
Courage over curation
We don’t have time to wait for a message to be scrubbed until there’s nothing left but a word salad. We don’t want a collection of buzzwords and backpedaling. We want someone to step in with a thoughtful, considered approach as quickly as possible. It’s OK if it’s not practiced. It’s OK if there are slight changes that come later. Finding the courage to take action, to have the difficult conversations, to face uncertainty is what we want to see from our leaders. That’s who WE aspire to be. Show us how it’s done.
Here’s how you can lead the change
Connection: Explore ways to connect with your peers and your team in ways that come naturally to you and them. These could be using a listening loop during crucial conversations or sharing a relaxed experience together (ie, one-to-one coffee chats, a quick creativity exercise before an intense meeting). The more you create and hold space for others, the stronger those connections become.
Clarity: Look for the ‘one thing’ you want them to remember and the ‘one thing’ you want them to do after the important email, meeting or call you’re about to have or send. People find it much easier to act when there’s less to process, especially when that message is made relevant to their situation.
Courage: Speak up, even if it’s not perfect. Courage doesn’t require certainty. It requires motion. Own what matters to you, even if it ruffles feathers. That’s the kind of leadership teams remember and rally behind.
Want to lead with more courage, clarity, and connection?
Whether you’re navigating visibility in a new leadership role or trying to help your team communicate with more impact, you don’t need another script or status quo checklist. You need a real conversation about what leadership looks like now and how to bring more of you to the table. If that’s a conversation you’re ready for, I’d love to help. Learn more at jbcommunicationsgroup.com.