Tips for Communicating With Executives: Build Confidence and Executive Presence
One of the hardest parts of navigating corporate politics is dealing with intimidating and extremely busy executive leadership.
Early in my career, I felt an incredible weight whenever I had to meet with executives. They got paid SO much more than I did, were much better dressed, and always acted like they had somewhere better to be.
I didn’t know how to prove my value to them, I just hoped they liked me enough as a person that they would continue to want to work with me.
But I realized that when it comes to executive leadership, results win before relationships do.
This meant that as a sales rep, I learned that I needed to exceed quota or make it to presidents club before I got looked at or taken seriously by leadership.
As a communications consultant, this means I need to prove results of my communication workshops before I can ask for their business.
The heart of executive presence is to deliver value. It’s not about being the loudest voice in the room or knowing every single detail, it's about how and what you communicate in a way that makes leaders lean in, listen, and remember you.
Here are six tips to help you do just that:
1. Lead with clarity, not complexity
Executives don’t have time for a ten-minute backstory. They want the bottom line up front. Think of it as giving them the headline before the article.
For example, instead of starting with:
“So, over the past six weeks the team has been piloting this new client process…”
You could say:
“Our new client process reduced onboarding time by 30%. I’d love to share how we did it.”
See the difference? One gets attention, the other loses their attention.
2. Be concise and consistent
I once coached a client who had brilliant ideas but lost executives halfway through her updates because she would ramble. We worked on boiling things down to three clear points:
What they need to know
Why it matters
What’s next
She started practicing short pauses instead of filling space with “ums” or nervous apologies, and repeated exactly what she wanted them to take away. Repetition is a great skill to call upon when working with busy executives.
3. Speak their language
As I mentioned before - executives don’t care about tasks; they care about outcomes. They’re thinking in terms of revenue, reputation, risk, and efficiency.
So instead of saying:
“This project has been stressful for the team.”
Reframe it:
“The current project timeline may impact client satisfaction and delivery deadlines.”
When you can communicate with them in a way that will resonate with WHY they should care, you will increase buy in and the likelihood that they will actually listen to you
4. It’s ok if they ask questions - it means they care!
Don’t be scared if an executive questions your ideas or seeks clarity (as long as they are doing it in a respectful way). If they are curious about your ideas, that’s a good sign.
I always tell my clients: don’t just share information…bring recommendations. This is when you will start to shift into a positive working relationship with your leadership team. Congrats! This is a great sign.
5. Balance authority with approachability
Executive presence isn’t about knowing it all or saying the right thing. It’s about leading with impact and forging a productive working relationship. Lean into your strengths but also approach executives with a level of humility. The best working relationships are the ones where each party can learn from each other. Communicate your ideas to leadership and then ask for their feedback, opinions and perspectives.
6. Master the executive email
Sometimes, your presence is judged before you even walk in the room and this is especially true through your emails. Stop sending long emails, confusing emails, and emails that don’t include a specific call to action.
Here’s a quick formula that works:
Clear subject line: “Q4 Progress: Ahead of Target”
Scannable bullets: 2–3 key highlights
Direct ask: “Approval needed by Friday”
Executives skim. Make it easy for them to walk away informed and clear on what you need.
When you shift from proving yourself to positioning yourself as a strategic partner, your executive presence will continually level up. You will stop being the person giving updates and start being the person executives turn to for insight.
And the best part? It’s a skill you can practice. Every email, every update, every meeting is a chance to build it.
