Back to Webinars
    WebinarKiller Achievement 2007 60 min

    Putting Power into Your Presence

    Leadership presence is a powerful attribute of leadership. You can define it as the presence of authority imbued with a reason to believe. Leadership presence begins with communications but extends to every facet of leadership. As such it can be taught and put into practice. This webinar demonstrates ways managers can improve their presence strategically and tactically to develop the trust of their people so that they can accomplish their goals and the goals of the organization. John Baldoni is an internationally-recognized leadership consultant, coach, speaker, and author. John specializes in helping his clients discover and achieve leadership presence, which he defines as “earned authority.” Those with leadership presence demonstrate a strong capacity to project confidence, communicate with conviction, instill trust, and most importantly, lead by example. Leadership presence combines a leader’s earned authority with a follower’s reason to believe. While leaders project their leadership, followers authorize it with their approval. What matters to us most is authenticity. Leadership presence can be taught and put into practice through focused coaching. A much in-demand presenter, John teaches in corporate education programs and speaks frequently to corporate, professional, military, and university audiences. In 2007, John was named one of the top 30 most influential leadership gurus in the world. Honorees included John Maxwell, Tom Peters, Jim Collins and Marshall Goldsmith. John is the author of six books on leadership, including the leadership trilogy for McGraw-Hill: How Great Leaders Get Great Results, Great Motivation Secrets of Great Leaders, and Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders. John is an Expert Blogger for FastCompany.com. He also writes a leadership monthly column for CIO.com and is a contributor to HR.com and Wharton Leadership Digest. His articles have appeared in thought-leader publications such as Harvard Management Update, Leader to Leader and T&D. His podcasts, vodcasts and published articles are accessible through the home page of his website, www.johnbaldoni.com

    Presenter

    JB

    John Baldoni

    Participants will gain insights into:

    • Instilling character
    • Leading with authority
    • Instilling accountability
    • Leading by example
    • Living “the presence”

    Key Takeaways

    • 1.Leadership presence is not an innate trait but a form of earned authority that can be taught and developed.
    • 2.Effective leadership presence combines a leader's projected confidence with their team's reason to believe and grant authority.
    • 3.Building trust is a critical outcome of leadership presence, achieved through authentic communication and leading by example.
    • 4.A leader's presence extends beyond communication to every aspect of their leadership, influencing goal attainment.
    • 5.Authenticity is the most important factor for followers when they choose to authorize a leader's presence.
    • 6.Leaders can strategically improve their presence through deliberate practice and focused coaching.

    Understanding Leadership Presence

    Leadership presence is a critical attribute that enables leaders to inspire belief and achieve organizational goals. It is defined as the presence of authority that is imbued with a reason for people to believe in the leader. This concept moves beyond a simple title or position, focusing instead on a leader's ability to project confidence, communicate with conviction, and instill trust.

    The Concept of "Earned Authority"

    Presenter John Baldoni describes leadership presence as “earned authority.” This means it is not automatically granted but is instead authorized by followers. While a leader projects their leadership qualities, it is the team's approval and belief that solidifies that leader's presence. This dynamic underscores the importance of authenticity, which is often the deciding factor for a team's willingness to trust and follow.

    How to Develop Leadership Presence

    Leadership presence is a skill that can be cultivated and put into practice. The webinar outlines several strategic and tactical approaches for managers and executives to enhance their presence and, in turn, their effectiveness.

    Strategic Communication

    Communication is the starting point for building leadership presence. However, it extends to every facet of a leader's actions. Key techniques include projecting confidence and communicating with conviction. This involves not only what is said but also how it is delivered, including non-verbal cues and the ability to convey a clear, compelling vision.

    Fostering Trust and Authenticity

    Trust is a cornerstone of leadership presence. Leaders can cultivate trust by demonstrating authenticity in all their interactions. When leaders are genuine, they solidify their earned authority and encourage their teams to invest in their vision. Leading by example is a powerful way to demonstrate these values in action.

    Application Through Practice and Coaching

    Leaders can apply these principles through deliberate practice. This includes actively working on communication techniques that convey confidence and seeking feedback to understand how their presence is perceived. Focused coaching can significantly accelerate this development, helping leaders refine their approach to build stronger team cohesion and achieve organizational objectives.

    This session delves into the critical attribute of leadership presence, explaining how it enables leaders to inspire belief and achieve organizational objectives. It explores the foundational role of communications and how presence can be strategically developed to cultivate trust among teams, ultimately driving goal attainment for both individuals and the organization. While recorded in 2007, the core principles of effective leadership presence remain highly relevant for today's dynamic work environments.

    What you'll learn

    • How to define and understand leadership presence as "earned authority."
    • The strategic and tactical methods for enhancing your leadership presence.
    • Techniques for projecting confidence and communicating with conviction.
    • Ways to foster trust within your team and across the organization.
    • The importance of authenticity in leadership and how to demonstrate it.

    Who this webinar is for

    This webinar is ideal for managers, team leads, aspiring leaders, and executives seeking to strengthen their impact. It is particularly beneficial for those looking to improve their communication skills, build credibility, and inspire greater commitment from their colleagues and direct reports. Any leader who wants to develop a more powerful and authentic presence will find this content valuable.

    Why it matters now

    In an era of rapid change and increased demand for transparent leadership, the ability to project a strong and authentic presence is more crucial than ever. Employees look to leaders for clarity, confidence, and a sense of shared purpose. Developing one's leadership presence helps cut through noise, consolidates influence, and ensures messages resonate effectively, leading to stronger team cohesion and better organizational outcomes at a time when trust is paramount.

    How leaders can apply this

    Leaders can apply the insights by focusing on deliberate practice of communication techniques that convey confidence and conviction. This involves not only what is said but how it is delivered, including non-verbal cues. Leaders should actively seek feedback on their presence and adjust their approach to foster greater trust and engagement. Emphasizing authenticity in all interactions will help solidify their "earned authority," encouraging followers to believe in their vision and authorization. Implementing targeted coaching to refine these skills can significantly accelerate personal and team development.

    About this session

    Key takeaways

    Watching this webinar gives you grounded, practical perspective on Competence. Expect ideas you can use in leadership conversations, not abstract theory, drawn from John Baldoni's direct experience.

    Who this is for

    CHROs, HR business partners, talent leaders, executive coaches, organizational development practitioners, and senior leaders who are responsible for killer achievement inside their organization.

    Why it matters now

    Workforce expectations, hybrid work patterns, and AI-driven change keep raising the bar on culture and leadership. Sessions like this help leaders make smarter, more evidence-informed decisions about Competence.

    How to apply it

    Use the ideas here to challenge a current assumption on your team, design a single concrete experiment in the next 30 days, and bring one finding back to your leadership group for discussion.

    Frequently asked questions

    Topics

    Competence

    Best Practice Institute

    Best Practice Institute is the research organization behind Most Loved Workplace® certification, the SPARK Model, the Love of Workplace Index™ (LOWI™), and The Workplace Report.

    The Workplace Report

    The Workplace Report is BPI's original workplace culture research and editorial briefing series for CEOs, CHROs, people leaders, talent leaders, and employer-brand teams. It turns BPI's 25 years of research, Most Loved Workplace® certification data, SPARK findings, and current workforce signals into practical analysis leaders can use.

    The report format includes executive summaries, research-backed articles, company examples, methodology notes, and practical implications for retention, hiring, culture, leadership, and employee experience. New research and analysis is published on an ongoing editorial cadence at /workplace-report.