Executive Presence: The Missing Link Between Merit and Success

by Sylvia Ann Hewlett Narrated by Rosalind Ashford

Overview

Are you “leadership material?” More importantly, do others perceive you to be? Sylvia Ann Hewlett, a noted expert on workplace power and influence, shows you how to identify and embody the Executive Presence (EP) that you need to succeed.

You can have the experience and qualifications of a leader, but without executive presence, you won't advance. EP is an amalgam of qualities that true leaders exude, a presence that telegraphs you're in charge or deserve to be. Articulating those qualities isn't easy, however.

Based on a nationwide survey of college graduates working across a range of sectors and occupations, Sylvia Hewlett and the Center for Talent Innovation discovered that EP is a dynamic, cohesive mix of appearance, communication, and gravitas. While these elements are not equal, to have true EP, you must know how to use all of them to your advantage.

Filled with eye-opening insights, analysis, and practical advice for both men and women, mixed with illustrative examples from executives learning to use the EP, Executive Presence will help you make the leap from working like an executive to feeling like an executive.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

03/31/2014
Economist Hewlett argues that understanding the bias in the workplace against women and minorities is part of overcoming the bias, and that overcoming it can pay huge dividends to your career. Furthermore, as Hewlett notes: “When companies and leaders know how to harness and leverage gender, generation, ethnicity, race, culture, and nationality, there is a significant impact on the bottom line.” Hewlett shows how to achieve success through attention to appearance, speech, manner, and authenticity—a combination of elements that make up “executive presence.” The author describes how Margaret Thatcher moderated a voice perceived as shrill and earned the increased gravitas that helped her achieve political success. A financial analyst who switched from jeans and T-shirts to tailored slacks and blazers was given oversight over a major project. Meanwhile Marissa Meyer “showed she had the chops” when she changed Yahoo’s telecommuting policy, “but, regrettably, it also showed a leader out of touch with the realities other working parents contend with.” Hewlett argues that neither ruthlessness nor conforming to the dominant culture makes a great leader; rather, it’s most important to find comfort in your own skin. Hewlett’s approach is straightforward and anecdotal. A solid guide for those looking to take their career to the next level. Agent: Molly Friedrich, Friedrich Agency. (June)

From the Publisher

Whether you’re an established leader or an up-and-coming star, this book will transform your prospects for advancement. Pithily written, laden with vivid stories, and grounded in hard data that spans 2012 to 2022, Executive Presence 2.0 demonstrates how to master the intangibles of leadership in our post-pandemic world where inclusion, authenticity, and mastery of virtual collaboration are key to business success.” — Tiger Tyagarajan, Chairman and CEO, Genpact

“Sylvia Ann Hewlett’s excellent book is an inspiring and practical guide for professionals seeking to crack the EP code. I particularly value her data-driven approach and the weight she gives to challenging issues of identity and authenticity in corporate contexts. Executive Presence 2.0 provides a timely roadmap to navigate the complexities in today’s ever-evolving hybrid work environment.”  — Erika Irish Brown, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer and Global Head of Talent, Citi

“Executive Presence 2.0 by Sylvia Ann Hewlett is immensely valuable, deftly solving some of the most significant barriers that impede the advancement of professionals of color in the corporate world. Her treatment of conscious and unconscious bias and her guidance on how to give and take unvarnished feedback across lines of gender, race, and sexual orientation are particularly powerful.” — Kennedy Ihezie, Head of Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, AIG

“As a venture capitalist, I seek to identify the rare qualities that allow visionaries to create breakthrough innovation, build world-class teams and achieve rapid scale. This book provides state-of-the-art guidance. Hewlett shows how and why projecting gravitas and displaying an unwavering commitment to inclusive leadership are powerful traits for entrepreneurs to cultivate on the challenging journey from start-up founder to leading a large private or public company.” — Andrea Turner Moffitt, Co-founder, Plum Alley Investments

“Executive Presence 2.0 is inspiring and immensely concrete. Today both seasoned and up-and-coming leaders are expected to project inclusively and authenticity, show up on social media, and lead through a screen. Sylvia Ann Hewlett’s splendid book creates a blueprint and actional path to develop these urgent skills.”   — Elizabeth Nieto, Head of Equity and Impact, Spotify

 “For two decades, Sylvia Ann Hewlett has set the standard for cutting-edge research that goes far beyond data and analytics but tells a story digestible and deployable for leaders at every level. I’ve worked with Sylvia and seen her impact on the hundreds of CEOs who partner with Out Leadership worldwide. The importance of her work on Executive Presence cannot be overstated.” — Todd Sears, Founder and CEO, Out Leadership

“A solid guide for those looking to take their career to the next level” — Publishers Weekly

“This is a powerful and urgent book for young professionals climbing the ladder. Credentials alone will not get you the next big opportunity, you also need Executive Presence - the ability to signal confidence and credibility. ” — Aberdeen Press & Journal [Scotland]

Kenji Yoshino

In this significant book, Sylvia Ann Hewlett challenges the conventional wisdom that executive presence is an innate quality that can barely be defined, much less developed. Anyone seeking to close the gap between their merit and their success could benefit from her practical, engaging, and humane advice.

Anré Williams

Sylvia Ann Hewlett is once again leading the way by examining a critical component of business success, Executive Presence. She is a master at making a vague topic clear. She demystifies the meaning of Executive Presence and provides tangible, practical advice that readers can easily use to lift their game.

Joanna Coles

Sylvia Ann Hewlett’s book is essential reading for anyone striving to minimize the gap between how others perceive you and how you want to be seen. Executive Presence will transforms careers and unleash a current of previously untapped potential on the world.

Katherine W. Phillips

Sylvia Ann Hewlett has taken some of the mystery out of the claim that “you just don’t have what it takes” in this groundbreaking book on Executive Presence. This book provides a simple guide that will help you crack the code to career success.

'Tiger' Tyagarajan

Sylvia Ann Hewlett has put together the complete play book for high potential employees eager to develop the executive presence skills that will propel them to the top. In this book Hewlett explains what EP is, and how to get it. It’s real, pragmatic and brilliant!

Sallie Krawcheck

This is a powerful and urgent book for young professionals climbing the ladder. Credentials alone will not get you the next big opportunity, you also need Executive Presence - the ability to signal confidence and credibility.

Anré Williams

Sylvia Ann Hewlett is once again leading the way by examining a critical component of business success, Executive Presence. She is a master at making a vague topic clear. She demystifies the meaning of Executive Presence and provides tangible, practical advice that readers can easily use to lift their game.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940173632111
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	06/03/2014
Edition description:	Unabridged

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