I’m currently working with a client who was told that to reach the next level, she needed to strengthen her executive presence to have a greater impact in meetings. Over the past three months, we’ve built a structured feedback loop to track progress—and the results have been transformational.

Here are the key strategies we used to shift the dial and reshape how others perceived her:

1. Authenticity vs. Discomfort

Don’t confuse authenticity with feeling uncomfortable. This was a huge blocker with my client as they were introverted and felt “it was not their true self” to interject and speak up. Growth requires discomfort, it’s a natural part of the process. Learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable.

2. Be Intentional with Language

Build an awareness of the language you use as this shapes how people perceive you. Perception is reality. Instead of saying “Well, what if” consider saying “I recommend”. Consider replacing “I think maybe” with “My strong advice is… and here’s why.” This muscular language will position you as being decisive, a key leadership quality.

3. Influence Beyond the Meeting Room

Consider the importance of alliances and building relationships outside of the meeting room. Being overly efficient and arriving just on time for meetings may not serve you well in the long term. Arriving early, getting a good seat at the table and understanding what direction the meeting is likely to go in and who the main players are will help you identify whose support you can pull on and be more effective.

4. Speak Up—Don’t Wait for Permission

Be comfortable interjecting, don’t wait for permission to speak up. You need to be able to engage in robust conversations in high stakes meetings. To get into the conversation and move it in a different direction phrases like “Have you considered looking at it in this way?” can work. Treat everybody as equals in the room, regardless of seniority. You’ve all been invited to share your expertise and to co-create solutions. Don’t let your perfectionism hold you back – you don’t have to have the “right answer”, you’re there to each provide a piece of the jigsaw to get to a good solution.

5. Prepare with Intention

Know your material, anticipate potential questions, and have a plan for what you don’t know: “That’s a great question—I’ll follow up with more detail.” Also, don’t personalize challenges. Women, in particular, can find it difficult when their ideas are challenged. Recognizing that pushback isn’t personal can help navigate these moments with confidence. And finally, body language matters—walk into the room with presence, engagement, and the energy that signals you’re ready to contribute.

The Outcome?

Through consistent, small steps, my client reshaped how others perceived her, raised her profile, and ultimately secured a well-earned promotion.

About the Author

Laura McGrath is an Executive Coach with a background in search and selection. She’s over 1,000 coaching hours with clients such as Virgin, BBC Studios, Virgin Partners, Booking.com Sum Up, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Gucci, BNP Paribas, Amazon and many start-up companies. She has a post graduate qualification in Executive Coaching from the IMI and has been a guest lecturer with Trinity College Dublin and TU Dublin. For more information call 087 669 1192 or email laura@isoar.ie.