Last week I talked about the five dimensions of Executive Presence. Today and for the next few weeks, we will dive a little deeper into each of these dimensions. This is all part of my upcoming book, "The Six Step Leadership Challenge."

Every leader desires to be in that position where they can inspire confidence in those they are leading. A lot of effort goes into becoming that leader that elicits trust in others, making identification one of the core of executive presence. 

It takes a leader who understands what to do to inspire confidence in those they lead. Finding yourself and embracing your identity is a vital element in standing out. Without identification, a leader will not command trust from subordinates, peers, and superiors.

What is Leadership Identification

Leadership identification is the presence you command at your workplace. Your identity is what makes you think like a leader. It comprises your values, vision, character, and integrity. Every successful leader has an identity. To become distinguished in your sphere of leadership, you need to know your identity, embrace it, and project it.

Your identity influences your executive presence. Identification acts as a propeller, pushing you in the right direction towards achieving your leadership goals. Understanding your identity as a leader will help you to model the necessary elements in your life. Who you are today as a leader is impacted by the identity you project. Your identity, in turn, influences your executive presence. 

Components of Leadership Identification

There are vital components that form a leader's identity and, in turn, influence executive presence. Once you have identified these components, building a compelling executive presence will become easier. Here are some of them

#1. Values

A leader's values are the guiding principle that sets them apart from their contemporaries. Unfortunately, there is no leadership without values. The values a leader has come to identify with over time affect how people perceive them.

A leader's values influence not only their actions but that of those they are leading. With quality values in place, leaders can accurately apply their qualities and develop their leadership competencies. Leaders with the right values have more potential to impact the lives of all who come in contact with them.

What does identifying and living out your value help you to achieve as a leader? First, it enables you to build trust and credibility among those you lead. 

Value identification helps to give you a sense of direction. Your value acts as a guard, influencing your decisions and choices. Once you identify your values, you can better communicate to others what you stand for.

#2. Vision

A leader can visualize and motivate others to channel efforts towards realizing the vision. A leader with a vision can picture the future from the present. Without vision, a leader is left with nothing - no dreams to aspire to attain, no desire to improve, and definitely no drive to impact. 

Leaders looking to build executive presence will be required to turn on their vision bulb as it defines who they are. You may wonder what the big deal is about vision in a leader's identification. Vision gives a sense of direction. It is like a map that enables the leader to move from where they are to where they want to be.

Vision is the energy behind the impact and acts as a propelling force that motivates the leader to keep going against all odds.

A strong vision keeps the leader focused on the end. Every leadership effort is geared towards achieving a set goal. Vision is the destination that acts as a yardstick for measuring the leader's success.

Vision helps the leader to bypass distractions until they accomplish their set goals. There is a reason why everything you do has meaning and purpose. That reason is vision. A picture of where you want to be will give you a sense of fulfillment when you eventually get there.

#3. Character

Character is fundamental to a leader's identification and, by extension, executive presence. Character is what builds trust. People can't be willing to submit to a leader they cannot trust. Leadership identification reveals who the leader is and why they can or cannot be trusted.

A leader with good character will naturally command respect not only from peers but also from subordinates and superiors. One of the easiest ways to raise people's trust in your leadership competencies is to model strong character traits.

#4. Self- Development

A leader with solid identification is a lifelong learner. These individuals refuse to rest on their past laurels. Instead, they are keen to maximize opportunities that would help them become better versions of themselves.

You must be ahead of the competition to heighten your executive presence as a leader. Your ability to adapt to the ever-changing business environment raises the team's confidence in your ability to lead even in uncertainties. 

Leaders who are committed to self-development are not only self-aware. They also seek feedback from those they interact with and are open to learning at all times. These attributes increase executive presence.

#5. Integrity

The leader's integrity is first to themselves and then to others. Integrity will help the leader walk the talk. Some consistency between what the leader portrays and what they do should exist. Leaders must be committed to their vision, values and ensure that their character is consistent with their values.

Here are some of the ways integrity sets the leader up for success.

• It equips the leader to stand firm against all odds. It is a commitment to stay true to one's beliefs and values. This ability to commit tenaciously to what is right will come in handy in mailing decisions and treating all with equity.

• Integrity raises the trust of the followers in their leaders. The essence of executive presence is to build an image that others would love to identify with. Integrity raises the bar of trust and puts the leader in a position to influence others easily.

• Credibility is one of the benefits of leaders who take time to build integrity. There is no executive presence without credibility. A leader who maintains integrity will find strengthening their presence as easy as a walk in the park.

Conclusion 

Identification is a vital part of executive presence. What people respond to is your entire essence as a leader. With the right vision, value, consistent character, and integrity, you can build an identity that will increase credibility and influence respect.