Tips on Executive Presence in a Virtual World

COVID-19 has changed the way we live and work. As many of us make the transition to working from home, how will teams stay connected and engaged? As individuals, how can we ensure we are maintaining a strong executive presence virtually?

Read tips from Lange International’s high-stakes communication consultants to make the most of your time working remotely:

• Be present to have presence. Turning your camera on keeps you more engaged and engaging. You should still be thinking about your presence virtually, from your posture, to the tone and fluctuation of your voice, to being thoughtful about how you generate interest in your ideas. Be mindful of your body language and what isn’t being said so people don’t misinterpret your message.

• Manage your stress to manage your responses. Manage your stress during this difficult period to maintain your professional composure. Avoid scheduling back-to-back meetings—Lange consultant Maria Iams recommends shortening meetings that are usually one hour to 50 minutes. This gives you time to get a drink, move around, and unwind like you would normally have by the watercolor or on the walk to your meeting.

• Recognize that this is a difficult time for you and your team. Take a few minutes to do a check-in at the beginning of each meeting to see how everyone is doing, whether they have mental blocks to being present in the meeting, or even to meditate and refocus as a group. This is a stressful time with a lot of change happening, so we should have reasonable expectations (of ourselves and others) for how much we will accomplish.

• Prioritize human connection. Schedule virtual lunches and coffee dates with your colleagues to stay in contact and create a sense of community in your newly-virtual team. As Lange consultant Kirsten Smith said, “Be patient and gracious with others.  We are seeing the best and sometimes the worst of others as we deal with uncertain times. Always assume good intent.”