executive presence and assertiveness... a coffee break with lorena villanueva

Lorena Villanueva

Executive Presence & Assertiveness

PROCESS • ANALYTICS • TECHNOLOGY 2© 2014 Copyright Genpact. All Rights Reserved.

Lorena Villanueva is the Solutions Leader for Latin America and a speaker from the Genpact Women Network that is happy to collaborate with the cause and share her experience with others while learning from the forum as well

She has over 17 years of working experience starting her career in a completely masculine environment in Mexico City, working for the Mexican Stock Exchange, which may be what shaped her business style and vision

She finds it entertaining to write brief bios to introduce herself and she has put together the following material based on literature and online research in an effort to support her speeches during the “Coffee Break” sessions along Latin America

She hopes you enjoy it!


What is Assertiveness?

Assertiveness is the quality of being self-assured and confident but without being aggressive

It is also the ability to honestly express your opinions, feelings, attitudes, and rights, without undue anxiety, in a way that doesn't infringe on the rights of others

It is a learnable skill and mode of communication


Assertiveness is often linked to self-esteem

Dorland’s Medical Dictionary defines assertiveness as: "a form of behavior characterized by a confident declaration or affirmation of a statement without need of proof; this affirms the person's rights or point of view without either aggressively threatening the rights of another (assuming a position of dominance) or submissively permitting another to ignore or deny one's rights or point of view"


Non-Assertive Behavior Comes From:

Being taught that we should always please and/or defer to others

Believe that it is not nice to consider our own needs above those of others

That if someone says or does something that we don't like, we should just be quiet and try to stay away from that person in the future


Non-Assertive Behavior Produces:

Depression - Anger turned inward, a sense of being helpless, hopeless, or of having no control over your life

Resentment-Anger at others for manipulating or taking advantage of you

Frustration - Why did I allow that to happen?

Temper/violence - If you can't express anger appropriately, it may build up


Assertive Communication

Assertive communication is all about respect for the boundaries of oneself and others

It also presumes an interest in the fulfillment of needs and wants through cooperation


Assertive Communication


Assertive People Have the Following Characteristics:

They feel comfortable and free expressing their feelings, thoughts, and desires

They are "also able to initiate and maintain comfortable relationships with [other] people“

They have control over their anger. This does not mean that they repress this feeling; it means that they control anger and talk about it in a reasoning manner


characteristics…

Are more likely to find win-win situations

Assertiveness is all about being present in a relationship. In other words, you’re able to articulate your wants and needs to the other person, and you welcome their wants and needs as well

Solve problems more effectively


Assertiveness In The Workplace

Here are some tips:

FOCUS ON LEADING

• If you’re in a leadership position, you have the right and, more importantly, the responsibility to direct the actions of others

• Set goals with them and review their performance frequently • Provide them with positive, encouraging feedback when they

do well, and redirect their behavior when they get off track


workplace…

BE PROACTIVE

• Identify where you aren’t asserting your opinion and direction, and think through those situations in advance

• Allow you to work on your leadership skills in a proactive way. Look for one opportunity each day to assert your opinions and direction

• Demonstrating you can think ahead confirms to everyone around you that you’ve got the present work under control and are a capable employee


workplace…

WELCOME THE UNCOMFORTABLE

Don’t skirt around issues – address difficult conversations head on and don’t misdirect blame. Being real and down-to-earth in how you confront an issue will lead to a lot of supporters and is a true demonstration of self-assurance

DON’T BE AFRAID TO CHALLENGE YOURSELF


Remember…

Assertiveness is not what you do, it’s who you are!

-Shakti Gawain

* Shakti Gawain is a New Age and personal development author. Her books have sold over 10 million copies


And How About Executive Presence?

Think of people who has that “it” factor, this is called Executive Presence

Carlos Slim has executive presence. So did Steve Jobs

Although very different people, they both had that confidence and composure that allowed them to connect with others

* Carlos Slim is a Mexican business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. From 2010 to 2013, Slim was ranked as the richest person in the world** Steve Jobs? Well, you all know who Steve Jobs is!


While it may seem like some people “just get it,” executive presence is actually something that they’ve probably worked very hard to achieve

Chances are, you may need executive presence, too, to get venture capital for your business, motivate your staff or get a promotion. How important is presence?


So What is Executive Presence?

Executive presence is one of those terms that’s often used but rarely clearly defined

It is the ability to project gravitas–confidence, poise under pressure and decisiveness—seems to be its core characteristic, according to more than two-thirds of executives surveyed


First, it’s about your ability to get results, especially when the expectations around results are continually changing. Second, it’s about the behaviors you exhibit at the personal, team and organizational levels. When your behaviors align with the expected results, you have executive presence

When it comes to executive presence, remember that actions speak louder than words. So, take the time to think through everything you do and how those around you may perceive it


A person with good executive presence never lets people see her sweat

You don’t have to be the most gregarious or outspoken person in the room to demonstrate executive presence

Experts teach there are 7 traits that professionals with strong executive presence display, let’s review them:


7 Traits To Executive Presence

Composure: Essential components are Self-awareness and understanding others. The ability to control your emotions, recognize emotion in others and manage your response to them is key

Vision:Effective leaders craft and communicate a vision with passion and clarity of purpose that inspires and motivates others to follow. They balance a sense of possibility with a sense of reality to ensure that their vision can be understood and implemented by others


7 Traits…

Charisma: The ability to draw others to you. With good listening skills and an ability to stay “in the moment.” You send the message that you are solely focused on them, and not distracted by the many other things you could be doing at that moment. They matter to you

Confidence: One key aspect of executive presence is to communicate confidence both in what you say and how you say it. To appear confident, good posture is essential. Next, eye focus is critical. Ensure you only speak when making eye contact and manage your eye focus appropriately when communicating with more than one person — one thought per person. Ensure your facial expression matches your message and that your voice has good pitch, volume, and pace. And of course, you must look the part. Choose your wardrobe and accessories carefully


7 Traits…

Sharpen your conversation skills: Have the ability to put people at ease. Be inclusive of everyone when conversing in a group setting. Being aware of how people feel about themselves when they're in your presence is a key aspect of executive presence

Clarity: The ability to clearly communicate is fundamental. If your point is unclear, any hope of commanding attention is lost. Ask yourself, “What is my message in 10 words or fewer?” If you can’t articulate it to yourself you are not ready to communicate it to others


7 Traits…

Coaching and Feedback:Effective leaders are continual learners who are focused on their own development and intentional about understanding their strengths and weaknesses. They are also generous and constructive in supporting others' development

Voltaire once said, "The only way to truly see yourself is in the reflection of someone else's eyes"


"When leaders with executive presence speak, people listen - because the talk is filled with conviction instead of equivocation. They inspire that I'll-follow-you-anywhere loyalty, conveying an aura of warmth and authenticity to everybody from the receptionist to the CEO." (BusinessWeek, July 2002)

Lorena Villanueva

[email protected]

Thank You

mailto:[email protected]

executive presence and assertiveness... a coffee break with lorena villanueva

Career