No matter what country, company, or team you are on, one thing remains the same - leaders pick leaders. Or to be more specific, leaders pick others they perceive to be leadership material. This is where Executive Presence comes into play. It doesn’t matter how much you do or how well you are liked. Even the value you provide does not matter. When it comes to rising to higher levels, you will not be selected unless the leaders who decide feel that you are a leader. I’ll say it one more time. The facts, your accomplishments, your worthiness - none of this matters if people don’t perceive you as a leader or feel that you can lead.

The reality is certain personalities and cultural backgrounds fit into the leadership mold of a company more readily than others. This can lead to a dilemma for Asian professionals. How do you stay true to yourself and still do the things required for you to be perceived as a leader? How do you get rewarded for being your authentic self instead of being fake?

This course will not ask you to take speech lessons, change the way you dress, stand, or eat. Instead we look at the principles that signal to others that you are a leader and make it more likely that they will perceive you as a leader. These principles are universal so extend beyond individual preferences or comfort levels. The key is to find out how to match your already ready self to the principles in a way that will resonate with those you need to support you.

Learning how to do this is not a strategy to get a single promotion or position. It is an investment in your career development. It will be hard. It will be painful. You will want to quit. But like all the other accomplishments you have made so far, if you persist, the reward is waiting for you at the other end. I look forward to taking this journey with you and supporting you in unlocking your Executive Presence so you can elevate your career.