Episode 78: Decoding Executive Presence with Sharmini Suthan

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If you’ve heard of Executive Presence and aren’t really sure what it is and how it can help you, this episode is for you!

Sharmini Suthan has 30 years of experience sculpting confident communicators and is the Managing Partner at BeInClarity. She’s a Master Trainer for the globally renowned Think on Your Feet® programme and an accredited practitioner for SoundWave® Global.

Here are just a couple of takeaways from our conversation: 

The Framework of Executive Presence: Appearance accounts for only 5% of executive presence, communication makes up 28%, and gravitas holds 67%! This breakdown emphasizes that how we communicate and the gravitas we bring to our interactions are far more impactful than our physical appearance. We can all work on our communication skills and the way we carry ourselves to enhance our presence as leaders.

The Power of Voice: Sharm shares her own insightful journey in learning about her voice, how it has been perceived by her work colleagues, and the significance of this.  By becoming more aware of our vocal strategies, whether we are advising, suggesting, or asking, we can better connect with our audience and foster a sense of trust and safety. 

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode!

Reflect on this question: How do you think your communication style influences the trust and safety others feel when interacting with you?

Timestamps:

00:02:05 - Defining Executive Presence
00:02:53 - Sharm's Journey to Understanding Executive Presence
00:03:26 - Discovering Sylvia Ann Hewlett's Framework
00:04:08 - The Venn Diagram of Executive Presence
00:06:33 - Clarifying Gravitas
00:07:03 - The Impact of Gravitas on Others
00:09:07 - The Myth of Being Born with Executive Presence
00:10:18 - Balancing Confidence, Warmth, Strength, and Approachability
00:10:57 - Sharm's Personal Experience with Voice Perception
00:12:42 - The Role of Voice in Perception and Communication
00:14:34 - Using Voice Strategies to Build Trust and Safety
00:21:01 - The ASK Framework: Awareness, Skill, Knowledge
00:25:08 - The Role of Compassion in Leadership
00:26:01 - Defining Compassion and Its Application
00:27:09 - Empathy and Trust in Gravitas
00:28:01 - Using Voice to Project Compassion
00:30:25 - Becoming Best Friends with Your Voice
00:32:32 - Practical Tips for Developing Executive Presence
00:36:26 - Planning and Influencing Your Development

Resources: 

• Executive Presence 2.0, Sylvia Ann Hewlett
• Presence, Amy Cuddy
• Emotional Equations, Chip Conley
• SoundWave https://soundwave.global/personal-growth-and-professional-development/#search/sharmini/_blank

Connect with Sharmini: 

• Email: sharmini@beinclarity.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharmini-suthan/

Connect with Lisa: 

• Website: https://www.sixcomms.org/
• Email: lisa@sixcomms.org
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisasing/

If you’d prefer to watch episodes, check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@sixcommsconversations2025

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