Career growth

Executive presence

Bring clarity, steadiness, and judgement to high-visibility conversations.

A practical starting point

Three principles to take into the conversation

  1. 1

    Lead with the central point and the decision or action it supports.

  2. 2

    Stay composed enough to listen and adjust under pressure.

  3. 3

    Make trade-offs and uncertainty visible without becoming vague.

Try this opening

“My recommendation is…, based on these two considerations…”

Adapt this opening to your situation and say it in your own words.

Prepare in a few minutes

  • Write down the outcome you want from the conversation.
  • Separate what you observed from what you assume.
  • Choose one point the other person needs to understand.
  • Plan a question that makes room for their perspective.