From the October 2019 #MTMN Executive Buffet (Formerly the #SmallBizBuffet)
Speaker: Emily Radkowski, Director, Revenue Enablement at DataRobot
Who Has Executive Presence and Why?
Emily Radkowski of DataRobot gave us the most engaging presentation we’ve ever had with a discussion about executive presence. She began by asking us who we thought had executive presence and why we thought they had it to help us really consider what it was. Here are a few of the qualities we came up with:
- Direct
- Fearless
- Knowledgeable
- Strategic
- Purposeful
- Empathic
- Passionate
- Inspirational
Emily made a point of explaining that executive presence is important but it is not something that people are born with. She explained it can be learned and it doesn’t have to wait until we are at the top of our fields. Instead, we can start learning it now. She noted it is not power but is opinion-based as people who have it have learned how to inspire us to want something more from ourselves.
She also highlighted the diversity among those with executive presence by pointing out that we would not approach everyone we consider to have it in the same way.
Defining Executive Presence: What, Why and How
Emily defined executive presence as the ability to instill confidence in others and shared that she works on it daily herself. We all agreed that it is inspirational at its core but trust was also pointed out as an essential element. We also determined that it is an ongoing action, not a static title. It is not enough to be purposeful but one must act on their intentions and be effective. Executive presence ignites change.
So, why is it important? Quite simply, it creates opportunities for you. That’s it and that’s exactly what we need as small business owners. So, she closed by giving us a few tips on how to build executive presence practically:
- Find a mentor
- Ask for positive and negative feedback from trusted people
- Give yourself room to grow and practice
- Follow your own path
About Emily Radkowski, Director, Revenue Enablement at DataRobot
Emily’s background in sales
Sales is any set of activities related to selling products a... More and the quest for knowledge is the main driver for her success. Emily knows how important it is for training and development past the onboarding stage and strives to provide her team with continued opportunities to learn and develop their skillset.
Join the Next #MTMN Executive Buffet – FREE
The #MTMN Executive Buffet is held on the 4th Wednesday of every month from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Zoom. Join us to connect with local business owners, over free food, and with a short educational presentation related to growing your business.
Be the first to reply