Executive Leadership Roles

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲? Of all the topics people ask me about, executive presence is near the top of the list. The challenge with executive presence is that it’s hard to define. It’s not a checklist you can tick off. It’s more like taste or intuition. Some people develop it early. Others build it over time. More often, it’s a lack of context, coaching, or exposure to what “good” looks like. Here’s what I’ve learned over the years, both from getting it wrong and from watching others get it right. 1. 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 People early in their careers often feel the need to prove they know the details. But executive presence isn’t about detail. It’s about clarity. If your message would sound the same to a peer, your manager, and your CEO, you’re not tailoring it enough. Meet your audience where they are. 2. 𝐔𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Executives care about outcomes, strategy, and alignment. One of my teammates once struggled with this. Brilliant at the work, but too deep in the weeds to communicate its impact. With coaching, she learned to reframe her updates, and her influence grew exponentially. 3. 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 Every meeting has an undercurrent: past dynamics, relationships, history. Navigating this well often requires a trusted guide who can explain what’s going on behind the scenes. 4. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 Just because something is your entire world doesn’t mean others know about it. I’ve had conversations where I assumed someone knew what I was talking about, but they didn't. Context is a gift. Give it freely. 5. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Early in my career, I brought problems to my manager. Now, I appreciate the people who bring potential paths forward. It’s not about having the perfect solution. It’s about showing you’re engaged in solving the problem. 6. 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 Every leader is solving a different set of problems. Step into their shoes. Show how your work connects to what’s top of mind for them. This is how you build alignment and earn trust. 7. 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Years ago, a founder cold emailed me. We didn’t know each other, but we were both Duke alums. That one point of connection turned a cold outreach into a real conversation. 8. 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 Before you walk into a meeting, ask yourself what outcome you’re trying to drive. Wandering conversations erode credibility. Precision matters. So does preparation. 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 Executive presence isn’t about dominating a room or having all the answers. It’s about clarity, connection, and conviction. And like any muscle, it gets stronger with intentional practice.

🗣️“You must be more assertive.” Last year, those five words burned into Amy’s memory. She’d walked out of her 2023 review at XYZ Global determined to “step up.” Speak more in meetings. Push harder on decisions. Stop softening her tone so she wouldn’t intimidate anyone. She did exactly that. Fast forward 12 months. Same conference room. Same 2 VPs across the table. 🔇“You’ve become too intense, need to work on softening your approach.” 😑 Amy stared at them, speechless. Wasn’t that what you asked for last year? Which version of me do you actually want? She thought about the past year: 🤔 The time she challenged a flawed budget forecast in front of the CFO, saving the company $3 million, but earning whispers that she was “abrasive.” 🤔 The time she stepped in to rescue a failing project, praised for her “grit” publicly, yet privately told she “dominated the room.” 🤔 The time she finally got invited to an executive offsite, only to overhear a VP say, “She’s great, but can be… a lot.” This is the tightrope trap senior women walk daily: • Be assertive, but not too assertive. • Be collaborative, but don’t fade into the background. • Be visible, but not “hungry.”    The same behavior praised in men (decisive, strong leader) gets women penalized as abrasive or too much. Until you set the narrative yourself, you’re trapped performing for a moving target. If you’re exhausted from balancing on a wire men don’t even see, here’s how to step off it and still rise. 1. Audit the pattern, not just the feedback • Track every piece of feedback, especially contradiction. Patterns reveal bias. If the goal keeps moving, it's not you! • Phrase to use in review: “Last year I was encouraged to increase my presence; this year I’m told to soften it. Can we clarify what success really looks like?”    2. Control the frame before the room does • Pre‑set the narrative in 1:1s and emails leading up to reviews. I.e., “This year I focused on driving results while bringing the team with me, you’ll see that reflected in project X and Y.” • This primes leadership to view your assertiveness as an intentional strategy, not a personality flaw.    3. Build echo chambers, not just results • Secure 2–3 allies who reinforce your strengths in rooms you’re not in. • Promotions happen in the absence, you need people echoing your narrative, not someone else’s. • Phrase to brief an ally: “If my leadership style comes up in review, can you speak to how I challenge decisions but still align the team?”    Women aren’t just asked to deliver results. They’re asked to perform, decode, and reframe, all while walking a wire men don’t even see. If you’re exhausted from balancing between “too soft” and “too aggressive,” stop walking the wire and start controlling the narrative. Join the waitlist of our next cohort of ⭐ From Hidden Talent to Visible Leaders ⭐ https://lnkd.in/gx7CpGGR 👊 Because leadership shouldn’t feel like an impossible balancing act.

26% of your promotion depends on executive presence. But no one explains what those words really mean. "She lacks executive presence" might be the most frustrating feedback ever. Because it's rarely followed by what to actually do about it. I've coached hundreds of leaders through this exact challenge. Here are 7 ways to build executive presence: 1. Practise Strategic Silence ↳ Leaders who listen first command more respect ↳ Ask: "What are your thoughts?" - then pause 2. Simplify Complex Ideas ↳ Complex language often masks insecurity ↳ Replace jargon with everyday language 3. Calibrate Your Reactions ↳ Overreacting undermines your credibility ↳ Ask yourself: "Will this matter in 6 months?" 4. Bring Solutions, Not Just Problems ↳ Leaders are remembered for solving problems ↳ Never raise an issue without at least one solution 5. Own Your Authority ↳ Undermining phrases erase years of hard work ↳ Remove words that weaken your message: "just," "kind of," "I think maybe" 6. Own the Room ↳ Your physical presence speaks before you do ↳ Sit tall and take up your full space at the table 7. Expand Your Influence Beyond Your Role ↳ Broader influence gets you bigger opportunities ↳ Volunteer for cross-functional projects Executive presence isn't about changing who you are. It’s about showing up as your real, confident self. ♻️ Repost to help your network ➕ Follow Dora Vanourek for more

She said yes to every single project. Yet, she was overlooked for the promotion. They said: “She’s irreplaceable.” “We’d be lost without her.” But when it came time to lead the next big thing - She wasn’t even on the list. Over the past decade working in women’s leadership, I’ve seen this story play out far too often. Women staying in roles long past their expiration. Not because they lack clarity - But because they’ve been conditioned to confuse loyalty with worth. Loyalty to a team. To a leader. To a company culture that praises their reliability... But never promotes their vision. So how do you ensure you’re valued - not just used - for all that you bring to the table? Here are 5 practical, research-backed strategies I’ve seen top performers consistently use: ✅ Be Known for Vision, Not Just Execution ↳ “She delivers” is solid. ↳ “She sets the direction” is strategic. ↳ Build a reputation rooted in foresight - not just follow-through. ✅ Document and Distill Your Wins ↳ Don’t wait to be noticed. ↳ Capture and communicate your impact consistently. ↳ Think: outcomes, initiatives, feedback snapshots. ↳ This becomes your proof of value during reviews, promotions, or pivots. ✅ Speak the Language of Business ↳ Translate your work into metrics that matter: revenue, retention, growth, efficiency. ↳ When leaders see your contribution tied to business outcomes, you shift from “nice to have” to “can’t afford to lose.” ✅ Build Cross-Functional Credibility ↳ Influence isn’t built in silos. ↳ Make your value visible across teams. ↳ When multiple departments rely on your insight, you become a strategic connector - not just a contributor. ✅ Create Strategic Allies, Not Just Mentors ↳ Power isn’t just about performance - it’s about proximity to influence. ↳ Nurture relationships with decision-makers, peer champions, and collaborators. Influence grows through meaningful connection. The truth is - being essential isn’t the same as being seen. You can be deeply loyal to others - and still loyal to your own growth. These shifts aren’t just career strategies. They’re acts of self-respect. Because when you decide to lead from alignment, not obligation - You stop waiting to be chosen. And start choosing yourself. 💬 Which of these strategies feels most relevant to where you are right now? I’d love to hear in the comments below. ♻ Repost if you believe it’s time to stop rewarding quiet loyalty - and start recognizing conscious leadership. 🔔 Follow me, Bhavna Toor, for more. 📩 DM me to bring our holistic leadership development programs to your organization - that are a powerful combination of inner-work and real-world strategy.

I've seen, for years, executive hiring revolved around compensation, prestige, and power. The bigger the paycheck, the bigger the pull. But today’s best executives? They want more. And if your culture doesn’t align with their values, no salary bump is going to change that. I've been hiring agressively for #CPG companies since a decade and now, top leaders aren’t just evaluating what they’ll be doing, but who they’ll be doing it with. ✅ They want alignment, not just a paycheck. ✅ They choose leadership values over leadership vanity. ✅ They prioritize culture over compensation—even at the highest levels. They’re asking tougher questions than ever: -How does leadership actually behave when no one’s watching? -Is DEI a real commitment or just a slide in the investor deck? -Is this a place where I can lead authentically—or will I be fighting culture battles daily? And the data backs it up: -69% of executives won’t take a job at a company with a bad culture—even if the paycheck is bigger. (Harvard Business Review) - Companies that prioritize culture in hiring outperform competitors by 3x. (McKinsey & Company) - #1 reason top executives leave within 18 months? Cultural misalignment. (Hunt Scanlon Media) If your culture isn’t attracting top talent, it’s actively repelling them. 🔹 Recruiters: Stop selling roles—start selling workplace reality. If the culture is broken, no paycheck will fix it. 🔹 Hiring leaders: Is culture part of your executive search strategy—or just an afterthought? 🔹 Organizations: If you’re not shaping culture intentionally, you’re passively losing talent to companies that are. At the end of the day, executive search isn’t just about placing leaders—it’s about placing the right leaders in cultures where they can thrive. Is your culture a magnet for top FMCG talent—or a silent dealbreaker? Your biggest competitor in hiring top FMCG talent isn’t another company—it’s your own company culture. #ExecutiveSearch #FMCG #Leadership #Culture #Hiring #TalentAccquisition

How do I position myself early for executive roles? Once in a while I receive an inMail asking a question I feel more people may find interesting. And I love this timely strategic approach! What I often see: Most focus on 𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴 too early and 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 too late. Early on (post‑MBA or otherwise), executive readiness is 𝗻𝗼𝘁 about being the smartest person in the room or getting the fastest promotion. It’s about building a track record that makes senior leaders trust you with complexity. A few things that matter more than you'd think: 𝟭. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 Executives are paid for judgement, not task completion. Early in your career, raise your hand for messy topics. Ambiguous ones. The kind where everyone looks away. Build an ability and reputation of problem solver and sleeve-roller-up. 𝟮. 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Too many careers stall because people become excellent specialists but invisible business leaders. Learn how money is made, where risk sits, and what truly keeps your leaders awake at night. 𝟯. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆, 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 Visibility matters (truly); it only works when it’s grounded in substance. Do what you say you’ll do. Consistently. Over time, people notice. Like your favorite brand. 𝟰. 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁 Executives are not neutral. They have opinions, informed by experience and data. Start forming yours early, practice articulating it clearly and respectfully. Ask questions if you need more insights to form it. 𝟱. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 Executive careers are marathons. The people who make it are usually not the fastest movers, but the most resilient, curious, and adaptable. Act at the next level (or two) leadership to demonstrate you are ready. 𝟲. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 Build your career in all directions - the higher you aim, the broader and more stable foundation is needed. Think complimentary industries, functions, projects, challenges etc. I must add this: ➡️ Not every high performer actually wants executive life once they see it up close. And that’s okay. It`s actually good. The real goal is not the title or level. It’s building a career that fits your strengths, values, and tolerance for pressure. If you’re at this crossroads early in your career, ask yourself: What kinds of problems do I want to be trusted with next? 🔄 Share this with Early and Mid-career professionals aiming at Executive careers!  

I used to say the right recommendation in meetings and watch it get ignored until someone else repeated it, and suddenly it moved forward. I thought they missed it, but they heard me clearly the first time. I had no power in that room, and my framing made it easy to dismiss. This is what changes as you move closer to executive roles. You will sit in rooms where your title does not carry weight yet. You will still be expected to influence decisions that impact revenue, risk, and direction. Influence is not reserved for people with authority, it is built through how you position ideas. I learned that influence is a system you can apply even with low formal power. Here are 12 ways to do it in practice. Make them think it was their idea by planting logic early and letting them carry it forward. Start with the business problem so leaders engage before forming resistance to your recommendation. Tie your recommendation to revenue, risk, retention, or customer impact so it feels relevant. Bring proof before you speak so your point lands with credibility and not opinion. Present a clear decision with tradeoffs so the room moves toward action faster. Align privately before meetings so public conversations feel like confirmation, not persuasion. Mirror the language leaders already use so your idea feels familiar and easier to accept. Show the cost of inaction so staying the same feels like a risk. Make the first step easy so momentum builds without resistance from the group. Identify who actually influences decisions and build alignment with them early. Ask better questions to surface pressure points leaders are already trying to solve. Close by connecting your idea directly to what leadership already said matters most. This is the work most people miss when they say they are ready for executive roles. Execution gets you in the room, but influence decides if you stay there.

“Does that make sense?" has become an overused phrase by many a brilliant professional in a meeting, presentation, or conversation. We've all asked it (myself included!) - wrapping up an important point by essentially asking permission to have been clear. The thing is, this seemingly helpful check-in, when overused, can actually chip away at your executive presence and make you appear less confident than you truly are. Here's what's really happening when this phrase slips out: instead of owning your communication, you're subtly shifting the burden to your audience. It's like saying, "I'm not sure if I explained that well, so please validate me!" Even when you're just trying to be helpful, this verbal habit, when used repeatedly, can make others wonder if you're truly comfortable with your own expertise. The good news is that there are more effective ways to check for understanding that actually enhance your gravitas. These alternatives not only achieve your goal of ensuring comprehension but do so in a way that reinforces rather than weakens your authority in the room. Instead of "Does that make sense?" try these stronger alternatives: 1. "What questions do you have about what we've covered?" 2. "I'd like to hear your thoughts on what we've discussed." 3. "How do you see this fitting with your objectives?" 4. "What aspects would you like me to elaborate on?" 5. "I welcome your perspective on this approach." Breaking this habit isn't just about changing your words. It’s about embracing your value as a communicator. When you drop the uncertainty from your language, you give others permission to see you as the capable leader you already are. So the next time you feel that familiar phrase bubbling up, pause and choose confidence instead.

My two most effective AI consulting moves have nothing to do with data or tech. Here’s why they work: And they're NOT what you'd expect from someone at the executive level. After hundreds of enterprise engagements, I've distilled my approach down to two signature moves. 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁: 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁. Before I even start an engagement, I reach out to all the EAs. I send thank-you notes in advance. I host a call with them. And I tell them: "I see the magic you do with calendars and emails. I know your work is hard and often thankless." Why? - Because they're the power behind the power. - They're the ones who make room on impossible calendars. - They get you in front of the right people at the right time. And on EA Day, I make sure every single one gets treated,not just mine, but ALL of them. 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱: 𝗜 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘀. When I establish a strategy, I dedicate the first four months to one-on-ones,not just with executives and stakeholders. I go all the way down to analysts and junior analysts. People are often surprised when they see an EVP or SVP talking to an analyst or a manger. They ask, "Why are you doing that?" My answer is, "Because they're the ones doing the actual work, they are the closest to the issues." They know where the inefficiencies are, where the systems don't talk to each other, and where the manual workarounds happen that executives never see. This lets me bridge the gap between what executives THINK is happening in steering committees and what's ACTUALLY happening on the ground. Those two things together? Creates clarity on the real issues (not the symptoms felt) AND time to talk to the people I need to talk too when I haven’t built up my credibility or reputation yet. Because strategy without relationships is just PowerPoint. And executive perception without ground truth is just wishful thinking. What are YOUR signature moves that others might overlook?

5 hidden signals execs use to spot VP–CEO potential Past a certain level, strong performance is just the entry ticket. What separates the VPs who get considered for CEO from those who don't isn't hard work or technical depth. It's mainly five behaviours - and most VPs aren't deliberately working on any of them. 𝟭. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 You surface risks and options before anyone asks. That shifts how people see you - from executor to someone they trust to think ahead. Instead of: waiting until metrics turn red to mention a looming problem. Do this: spot the trend 2–3 months earlier and say, "We're on track to hit a capacity wall in Q4. Here are three ways we can get ahead of it, and my recommended path." 𝟮. 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Most leaders: present the same slide-deck to everyone. High-potential leaders: translate their message for each audience. Instead of: explaining a new initiative to the CFO in product language. Do this: frame it in terms of margin, risk and return: "From a finance lens, here's the cost, risk profile and payback period of this decision." 𝟯. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 You can take a messy, charged situation and land on "here's what's at stake, here are the options, here's my recommendation." No overexplanation, no avoidance. Instead of walking in with 12 slides on the restructure options, you bring one page: the real trade-off, your recommendation, and what you need from the room. 𝟰. 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 You make sound calls with 70–80% of the information, adjust if needed, and own the outcome. Leaders notice when you reduce friction instead of adding it. Instead of: stalling on a vendor decision until every stakeholder has signed off. Do this: shortlist the top two against clear criteria and say, "I've evaluated both on cost, integration fit and scalability — here's my recommendation and what we need to do to finalise." 𝟱. 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 You manage team energy, not just tasks. Your presence becomes part of how the team performs under pressure. Instead of sending a "team update" email after a tough board meeting, you call a 20-minute standup, name the uncertainty, and focus people on what's in their control. None of these show up on a performance review. But they're what gets you talked about when succession comes up. Pick one. Practise it deliberately in one meeting this week. Ask a trusted peer to flag when you slip. By week 4, notice who starts looking to you first. - - - If you're ready to make your move to VP or CXO and want a clear, customized, and accelerated path forward, book a consultation session below.