Career

Late 2025, I walked away from a full-time corporate career I’d spent 30 years building. That’s not a humble brag. It was genuinely disorienting. I had built something substantial. A reputation, a network, a track record inside organizations that I was proud of. And I chose to leave it. Not because it stopped working, but…

Executive presence isn’t charisma. It’s not a firm handshake, a powerful wardrobe, or the ability to command a room. Those things can exist alongside executive presence. But they are not it.In 20+ years of talent acquisition, hiring at every level, from manager to C-suite, here’s what I’ve consistently seen distinguish leaders who have it: They…

At the Director level and above, hiring teams already assume you can do the job. What they’re really deciding is whether they trust you to lead at scale. Executive presence is often misunderstood.It’s not about confidence tricks, polished phrases, or dominating the room. It’s about how you think out loud when the stakes are real.…

The moment that reveals executive presence isn’t when an interview or conversation is going well.It’s when you’re challenged. You give a thoughtful answer.And then the interviewer pushes back.“I’m not sure I agree.”“What would you do differently?” At senior levels, this isn’t a test of confidence.It’s a test of composure and judgment.Leaders with executive presence don’t…