Presence Is Strategy: How to Lead Before You're Promoted
What Executive Presence Really Is (and Isn’t)
Let’s strip away the buzzwords.
Executive presence isn’t about being extroverted or dominating a room with bravado. It’s not about speaking the loudest or having all the answers on command. And it’s definitely not about power poses or perfect polish.
True presence is quieter- and deeper.
It’s about clarity. You know who you are, what you stand for, and what value you bring to the table. It’s about consistency. You show up the same way in every room, whether you’re briefing the CEO or mentoring a new hire. And it’s about credibility. You don’t just contribute- you contribute in ways that stick, that move conversations forward, that build trust over time.
Presence is less about performance and more about being grounded in something real. It’s not about pretending to be someone you’re not- it’s about fully embodying who you already are.
Using the 5 Ps to Build Presence
The Career Ninja Mindset™- my signature framework- isn’t just a personal development tool. It’s a tactical presence strategy.
Here’s how the five Ps help you lead before you’re promoted:
Passion People follow energy. You don’t have to be animated or loud to project passion- you just have to be connected to your work in a meaningful way. When your enthusiasm is grounded in purpose, people lean in.
Plan Presence is sharper when it’s strategic. When you’re clear on where you’re headed, you speak and act with more intention. You’re not throwing ideas at the wall- you’re contributing with direction and momentum.
Prioritize Part of being seen as a leader is knowing what not to spend energy on. When you prioritize with clarity, you show that your time, attention, and voice are deliberate- not scattered.
Practice Presence isn’t something you either have or don’t- it’s something you refine. Each time you show up, speak up, or share your point of view, you’re practicing leadership. Over time, those repetitions compound into confidence.
Persistence Your presence isn’t built in a single meeting- it’s built in the moments you choose to show up consistently, even when the recognition isn’t immediate. You become the go-to, the reliable one, the steady presence others trust.
Together, these five Ps aren’t just helpful- they’re transformative. They give structure to what can otherwise feel vague or intimidating: how to be someone others instinctively recognize as a leader, no matter your current role.
How to Build Credibility Without Waiting for Permission
So what does this actually look like in practice?
It might mean speaking up in a meeting to ask a thoughtful question- not to prove something, but to drive the conversation forward. It might mean sending a recap email that doesn’t just summarize, but synthesizes and suggests next steps. It might look like sharing your insights on a project call, connecting dots others haven’t, or calmly offering a counterpoint that elevates the group’s thinking.
None of this requires a new title. But it does require you to stop waiting for one.
Credibility is built in the moments between the milestones. And when you start acting like a leader now, before anyone tells you that you “are one,” that’s when you begin to shift how people experience you.
These are the moves I teach in corporate sessions on presence, visibility, and voice. They’re also a core part of my upcoming book, The Career Ninja Mindset™, coming this fall. Because too many professionals have been told to wait their turn- and it’s time we rewire that narrative.
