Executive Presence

The Missing Link between Merit and Success

By: Sylvia Ann Hewlett

Narrated by: Rosalind Ashford

Length: 6 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Do you exude confidence and credibility? Can you command a room? Sylvia Ann Hewlett, one of the world's most influential business thinkers, cracks the code of Executive Presence (EP) for men and women intent on winning the next plum assignment and doing something extraordinary with their lives.

You might have the qualifications to be considered for your dream job, but you won't get far unless you can signal that you're "leadership material" and that you "have what it takes". Professionals are judged on presence as well as on performance.

Using a wealth of hard data - including a new nationwide survey and dozens of focus groups - Hewlett reveals EP to be a dynamic mix of three things: How you act (gravitas), how you speak (communication), and how you look (appearance). She also draws on in-depth interviews with a wide selection of admired leaders to reveal how they embody and deploy key elements of EP.

This book is immensely practical. Hewlett teases out tactics that can help you raise your game and close the gap between merit and success. She offers the unvarnished advice you won't get from supportive friends and tackles head-on such touchy subjects as too-tight clothing and too-shrill voices. She shows how the standards for EP vary for men, women, multicultural, and LGBT employees, and she shares how to get meaningful feedback from politically correct bosses intent on avoiding the real issues.

The good news is that EP is eminently teachable. You can learn how to "show teeth" while remaining likable, and you can teach yourself how to dress appropriately while staying true to yourself. You don't have to be born with the voice of James Earl Jones or the looks of Angelina Jolie to hurdle the EP bar. With hard facts and vivid examples, Hewlett shows you how to ace EP and fully realize your unique potential - no matter who you are, no matter where you work.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2014 Sylvia Ann Hewlett (P)2014 HarperCollins Publishers

Valuable content but buy the book not the audio

The unwritten rules for success beyond merit are described here in an easy-listening manner. Especially valuable is the explanation, and thus increased awareness of the fine line women, minorities and LGBT have to navigate. Unfortunately, there were reference materials which I understood would be included at the end of the book which I did not get with the audible version.

Solid Image Management Advice

Well researched and entertaining with many great stories and quotes to emphasize points. Worth your time.

Great Insight and Practical Examples

I was pleased with how the booked was organized and the practical examples given to combine stories with points of the book.

Relatable actionable not abstract or overly theoretical

Great examples, a real wake up if you stray into victim hood or boys club exclusion…. Every part can be great crashed if you find a way to engage and be trusted subconsciously while still being you

Spot on!

This was an excellent and easy book to listen to. It successfully and succinctly peeled back the layers on Executive Presence. A must read at any level!

Focuses too much on how to dress and woman issues

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would not recommend this book generally. While entertaining, it did not have mind blowing insight for me personally. The author focuses heavily on woman's issues and the differences in executive presence for woman as compared to men. Also the author overly focuses on how to dress, and repeats many of the same points. The rest of the book is enjoyable if you can get past the comments above.

Love love love!

Such a helpful book. I am so grateful to have found it! Sharing these insights with my loved ones.

Executive Presence

Great Book for All. Brings Clarity, Understanding and Insight on Executive Presence for Woman and Men.

A Must Read!

Great content especially for women and minorities on how to strengthen you executive presence and success in a corporate environment.

Loved listening to this audio, very eye opening.

First, the narrator has a fantastic voice and is exciting and interesting to listen to. The information provided in the book is very eye-opening and helps you to evaluate yourself in areas you never thought of in the past, that others are undoubtably already evaluating you in.