Today, I’m excited to share insights from my recent conversation with Anita Knotts, the founder and CEO of the Lotus Women’s Institute. With over 30 years of experience in financial services, Anita has dedicated her career to empowering women and people of color in the wealth management industry. During our discussion, she introduced me to her powerful ASL Method for cultivating executive presence: Act, Speak, and Look. Let’s dive into how this method can transform your professional presence and boost your influence.
Act
Anita emphasizes that executive presence isn’t about a job title or status—it’s how you show up. To cultivate this presence, start by paying attention to your non-verbal cues and body language. Before entering a meeting or social setting, Anita suggests visualizing yourself already in the room. This approach helps you think about how you want to be perceived before you even take a step inside. Standing tall, maintaining eye contact, and offering a firm handshake are simple yet impactful actions that can signal confidence and authority.
Speak
What you say and how you say it are crucial elements of executive presence. Anita advises speaking clearly, without jargon, and with a tone that exudes confidence. But being confident doesn’t mean having all the answers. Instead, it’s about responding authentically when you don’t know something, such as saying, “That’s a great question. I’m curious to find out more. Let me get back to you.” This approach builds trust and demonstrates that you are both knowledgeable and approachable, strengthening relationships and increasing your influence.
Look
While Anita acknowledges that appearance is the least important of the three, she also recognizes its impact. People form opinions based on how you look before you’ve even spoken. To address this, Anita suggests dressing appropriately for your industry and the context, noting that, like it or not, the standards of professional dress still play a significant role in conveying your competence. The key is to align your appearance with the impression you want to create without losing your authenticity.
This month, choose one aspect of the ASL Method—whether it’s adjusting your body language, refining your communication style, or enhancing your professional appearance—to work on. Small, intentional changes can have a big impact on how others perceive you. Pick one area and focus on it consistently over the next 30 days.
By aligning how you act, speak, and look with your core values, you can develop a presence that is both powerful and unique to you. Authenticity is what sets leaders apart and creates lasting influence. Let’s cultivate executive presence together—one step at a time!