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Beyond the numbers: The power of executive presence for finance professionals

Jennifer H. Elder, CPA, CMA, CIA, CFF, CGMA, MS, president, The Sustainable CFO | April/May 2023 Footnote

Editor's note: Updated March 29, 2023

As a finance professional, you likely spend a significant amount of time honing your technical skills and knowledge. You work hard to understand complex financial models, analyze data and make informed decisions that drive business success. But have you ever considered the importance of your executive presence?

Imagine you are a finance professional who was just promoted to a new role as the head of a department. In this role, you’re responsible for leading a team of analysts and managing relationships with key stakeholders in the company. Your technical skills are top notch, but you’ve never lead a team before, and you’re feeling a bit nervous about the new challenges you’ll face.

This is where executive presence comes in. By developing your executive presence, you can exude confidence, competence and a sense of authority that will help you navigate these challenges with ease. You’ll be able to communicate effectively with your team, build rapport and trust, and inspire them to work together toward a common goal. You’ll also be able to build strong relationships with stakeholders, including senior leaders in the company, clients and vendors, which will help you achieve your objectives and drive business success. By demonstrating strong executive presence, you’ll be seen as a competent and influential leader who can inspire and motivate others.

Executive presence is a key factor that elevates finance leaders from a back-office support function to influential business partners. It encompasses your communication style, your confidence and your ability to build relationships with others. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of executive presence for finance professionals and provide 10 practical steps for establishing and enhancing your own executive presence. So, get ready to step up your game, have more influence and accelerate your career.

What is executive presence?

Executive presence is a combination of skills, attributes and behaviors that allow a person to project a confident, credible and influential image. It is the ability to exude a sense of authority, professionalism and charisma that commands attention and inspires trust. Executive presence is not only about what you say or do, but also how you present and carry yourself.

10 ways to establish and enhance executive presence

The good news is that executive presence is not something you have to be born with. It is a combination of skills that can be learned, practiced and developed. Here are 10 steps that finance professionals can take to establish and improve their executive presence.
  1. Identify your personal brand. What do you want to be known for? What are your strengths and values? What sets you apart from others? How can you present yourself to others in a way that reflects how you want to be seen? Define your personal brand and ensure that it aligns with your goals and values.
  2. Develop a professional image. It should go without saying that a finance professional should dress professionally. This does not mean you have to wear a suit every day. It does mean that you should ensure your clothing and image is appropriate for the setting and the occasion. How you dress for a meeting with a teammate won’t likely be the same as how you would dress for a meeting with your most senior executives. Pay attention to your grooming and personal hygiene. Your appearance should be clean, polished and put-together — representing the image of the job you want.
  3. Communicate effectively. Effective communication is essential. Practice speaking clearly, confidently and concisely. Speak up in every meeting and look for opportunities to give presentations. Use active listening skills to ensure that you understand others’ perspectives.
  4. Build a strong network. Build a strong network of contacts both within and outside your organization. Attend industry events, join professional organizations and seek out opportunities to connect with other professionals in your field.
  5. Demonstrate emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and understand your own emotions and those of others. Develop your emotional intelligence skills by practicing empathy, active listening and nonjudgmental communication.
  6. Stay current on industry trends. Attend conferences, read industry publications and pay attention to your competitors.
  7. Develop your leadership skills. As a finance professional, you may be leading a team or managing projects. Model the attitudes and behaviors of the leaders that you admire. Seek honest and constructive feedback on your leadership style.
  8. Practice self-reflection. At the end of major projects, consider what you did well and where you could improve for next time. Volunteer to work on projects that play to your strengths.
  9. Embody confidence. Project confidence in your body language, tone of voice and communication style. Stand tall, make eye contact and use confident language.
  10. Seek out opportunities to lead. Take on leadership roles or initiatives within your organization. Lead with confidence and inspire your team to achieve their goals.

Continue to develop

By demonstrating strong executive presence, you’ll be seen as a competent and influential leader who can inspire and motivate others. This, in turn, will enhance your reputation and credibility within the company, making it easier for you to achieve your goals and drive the success of your department. Additionally, as you continue to develop your executive presence over time, you’ll be well positioned for even more challenging leadership roles in the future.

Remember that developing executive presence is an ongoing process, not a “one-and-done” approach. It requires intentional practice and self-reflection. By following these steps, finance professionals can establish and improve their executive presence, build strong relationships and drive success for themselves, their team and their organization.

Jennifer Elder is a speaker, trainer and business coach dedicated to business transformation. She has conducted seminars for the Fortune 500, U.S. Government, State CPA Societies and CPA Firms in 33 states. You may reach her at jelder@sustainablecfo.com

B&I Leadership Webinar Series

Learn from Jennifer Elder in this new online CPE series as she distills leadership and management guidance tailored to the needs of corporate CPAs. Visit www.mncpa.org/lead to view the schedule and register today.