Executive Presence Coaching

At Humessence, we help high-performing leaders close the gap between how they show up and the impact they’re capable of making. Through executive presence coaching, you’ll develop the confidence, clarity, and communication needed to thrive in today’s fast-paced, high-stakes environments. Whether you’re preparing for a promotion, leading through change, or looking to deepen your influence across teams and stakeholders, this program helps you unlock the kind of presence that inspires trust and drives action.

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What Is Executive Presence and Why Does It Matter?

Executive presence is often described as the “it factor” — that intangible mix of confidence, clarity, and credibility that inspires trust and gets others to take notice. But it’s not as elusive as it sounds.

According to researcher and executive coach Sylvia Ann Hewlett, executive presence consists of three measurable elements:

  • Gravitas (how you act): Confidence, decisiveness, and the ability to stay composed under pressure

  • Communication (how you speak): Clarity, assertiveness, and the ability to connect across audiences

  • Appearance (how you look): Professionalism and polish that align with your role and environment

As Hewlett outlines in her book Executive Presence: The Missing Link Between Merit and Success, executive presence isn’t just about dressing the part — it’s about showing up with the presence of mind, emotional intelligence, and leadership alignment to match your ambition.

In today’s organizations, having great ideas or technical skills isn’t enough. If you want your voice heard, your vision adopted, or your team motivated, you need to project the authority and authenticity that earns trust at every level.

🎧 Listen: What Executive Presence Really Means

Looking for a deeper dive into how executive presence shows up in real life?

In our podcast episode, we explore:

  • Common misconceptions about executive presence

  • How leaders can cultivate presence without faking it

  • Stories of leaders who shifted from invisible to influential

TPPP Website | Spotify | Apple | Amazon

Under Julie's mentorship, I was able to spread my wings as a leader and re-establish my self-confidence. She taught me that there is more to being a leader than speaking up or setting the tone. She taught me that leaders are always being mindful of my teammates wants and needs, while staying true to my own values and beliefs -- that you don't have to be the loudest one in the room to be heard. Thanks in large part to Julie's coaching, I received a promotion at the end of our mentorship to Senior Account Manager at RedPeg Marketing -- a testament to the profound impact Julie had on my personal and professional growth.
Tim Yorro
Sr. Account Manager, RedPeg Marketing

How Executive Presence Coaching Enhances Leadership Impact

manager leading a discussion with his team

Through personalized coaching, leaders gain the tools to:

  • Strengthen verbal and non-verbal communication

  • Lead with greater emotional intelligence and clarity

  • Build trust across teams, clients, and senior stakeholders

  • Navigate power dynamics and high-stakes conversations

  • Develop presence in virtual and in-person environments

  • Increase visibility without “playing politics”

Coaching sessions often include real-time feedback, practice dialogue and meeting prep, and reflective tools rooted in positive psychology and communication insights. The result? Leaders who show up with authenticity and confidence and get results without burning out.

John has an incredible ability to balance kind encouragement with tough questioning. Coming out of these conversations, I was more effective in creating stakeholder by-in and delivering solutions. There are lessons I learned during these conversations that I’m confident I will utilize throughout my career. He wasn’t afraid to start from scratch and learn about who I was at my core. In this, I appreciated John’s determination and patience; I never felt like he was rushing me through the process. After my time with John, I feel much more confident in my current work and the career path I’ve been able to set myself on. Better yet, I feel more in touch with myself than ever before! I highly recommend John for anyone at any stage of a career.
Brian Stiles
Business Development Manager, GRUNDFOS
executive presence coaching client testimonial picture

Key Elements Developed Through Executive Presence Coaching

Our coaching approach focuses on five key pillars of executive presence:

  • Self-Awareness

Understand how your presence is perceived and what habits support or sabotage your influence.

  • Gravitas and Confidence

Learn how to project calm, conviction, and clarity, even in unfamiliar or challenging situations.

  • Communication Mastery

Speak with clarity, precision, and presence — whether in the boardroom, on Zoom, or 1-on-1.

  • Emotional Intelligence

Read the room, regulate your emotions, manage pressure, and respond rather than react.

  • Leadership Alignment

Align your values, vision, and leadership style to show up authentically and with purpose.

This coaching isn’t about learning to imitate someone else’s style. It’s about becoming the most grounded, powerful version of yourself — so you can lead with trust, impact, and integrity.

Is Executive Presence Coaching Right for Your Leadership Journey?

If any of the following statements resonate, executive presence coaching may be a game-changer:

If any of the following statements resonate, executive presence coaching may be a game-changer:

  • “I’m confident in my skills, but I don’t always command the room.”

  • “I’ve been told I need to speak up more or lead with more authority.”

  • “I’m stepping into a bigger role and want to prepare for higher visibility.”

  • “I want to strengthen my influence across teams and departments.”

  • “I need to build trust more quickly in stakeholder conversations.”

Leader communicating to his team huddled at their desks in an open office environment

Whether you’re leveling up, transitioning roles, or simply want to sharpen your leadership edge, executive presence coaching helps you lead from the inside out — with clarity, courage, and consistency.

The Humessence Coaching Team

Hear from our coaches on the benefits of coaching

Meet our coaches, and schedule a free intro call

We’re all certified professional coaches with diverse industry experience, ready to meet your leaders where they are today.

The coaching relationship is foundational to success, so schedule a consultation with anyone from our team today to learn more about coaching and start your executive presence coaching journey individually or for your team and organization.

Meet Our Coaches

More Coaching Client Testimonials

You’ll find more client testimonials on each coach’s profile here.

Julie Johnston is one of a kind. She has an uncanny ability to make people feel seen and heard and safe. The passion of her heart is to bring out the best in each human and help them discover the life path that will give them the most fulfillment and happiness. Can't say enough about her, so I will just encourage each person reading this to reach out to Julie and have just one conversation with her. You will be hooked for life.
David Fishette
David FishetteExecutive Director, True West Foundation
John quickly became one of my key sources of support and guidance as I moved from the most challenging and painful chapter of my life into what I now consider to be the happiest and most successful. John is a highly gifted coach, with the ability to continuously adapt his approach as he learns which parts of me need to be protected and accommodated and which parts are ready to be challenged and reshaped. For anyone looking to make a change in their life, do yourself the biggest favor and reach out to John.
Sonia Lala
Sonia LalaDesign & Public Health Leader
Working with Coach John Marshall at Humessence was BEYOND POWERFUL. I was able to better see my road blocks, ask myself big questions that unlock new possibilities, and get clear on charting a path forward to a more ideal and satisfying life. I highly recommend working with Humessence!
Terry Williams
Terry WilliamsOwner, The League
Brett brings a wealth of hands-on experience and deep insights when it comes to the topic of leadership. I appreciate the vulnerability he demonstrates as he shares personal examples to illustrate key leadership practices. This is what humble leadership looks like. Brett’s insights about emotional intelligence helped me think more deeply about what it means to lead self and others. I love his use of leadership research which has obviously formed the bedrock of his thoughts on the subject. I am excited to learn more about his upcoming book.
Kevin Siggard
Kevin SiggardProcess Owner for TM & SP/MPD/QE Role Excellence
The tips, tools and techniques Julie patiently taught me during our one on one coaching sessions was an invaluable investment for my career. Within just a few short months of coaching, I received a promotion which resulted in a 30% salary increase. It was even noted that I had substantially improved my communication and conflict resolution skills. Without Julie’s coaching, that would not have been possible.
Jeannine GoldsmithSenior Consultant
John is one of the best, well-versed life and career coaches I know. He is energetic, compassionate, and genuine. He is truly interested in helping his clients reach their full potential. His coaching style is infectious. Each time I leave a session I'm more motivated, organized, and able to achieve my goals. John is definitely one of the best!
Duston Morris, Ph.D.
Duston Morris, Ph.D.Professor, Health & Wellness Educator
John is a patient and caring coach and life-teacher. He takes the time to listen deeply, at the level of the heart in a grounded and centered way, stepping in with dexterity to shift the perspective at just the right moment. Yes, we've all read these testimonials before and written them off, but mark these words, veritas. John has true gifting and calling as a coach!
Joseph Down
Joseph DownSolutions Architect, Consultant
Julie was such a pleasure to work with. Her insight was invaluable and guided me through an important time in my career! She motivated me to find answers to questions I had for a long time. Our discussions were enlightening and I feel fortunate to have had the chance to work with Julie.
Amira Ward Sr. Director of Talent
John has an unparalleled way of listening and provoking self discovery by leaning into conversation and growth. Every time we meet, he peels back another layer of discovery that I am often unaware of. Recently imposter syndrome was blurring my vision, but John was able to teach me simple, realistic ways to change my words to change my perspective. I also had the pleasure of working with John prior to his coaching career - although now that I think about it, he's always been coaching me.
Taylor Spellings
Taylor SpellingsConsultant, Bain & Company

Ready to Explore Your Executive Presence Coaching Options?

Take a moment to fill out the form below, or schedule a free call.

Schedule a call today or submit the form below to learn more about the program

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Executive Presence Coaching Frequently Asked Questions

Does this coaching apply to all roles in all industries?

Yes, no matter where you work or what you do the fundamentals of great leadership remain consistent.  Discovering communication styles and the impact they have is one of the most universal tools for leadership.  Within the first 2 sessions, you and your coach will identify the areas of growth that you want to focus on, and your sessions will revolve around growing in those areas.

  • 1:1 meetings with your coach. 
  • Assessments and reflective conversations.
  • Experiments and “homework” to try out your skills and learn more from your experiences.
  • Open and honest conversations to help you gain self-awareness and perspective.
  • Strategic goal and objective setting.
  • The opportunity to focus on the areas and topics that are most important to you.

Typically you will see the effect of your coaching sessions and learnings within 4-5 sessions. Everyone is different and responds differently to coaching, but if you are eager and willing to fully embrace the experience and invest the required time and energy, we guarantee you will have positive results.

All the Humessence coaches offer different styles and expertise. The first thing to do is look at the coach profiles HERE and schedule a free consultation with the coach you feel most aligned with. Discuss your goals and areas of focus with them. You can meet as many of us as you like. Once you both feel that it will be a good fit, you can set up your Performance to Promotion coaching engagement.

When you are ready to move forward, set up consultations with the Humessence coaches you’d like to meet. Once you find a coach you like, you will receive a proposal and a coaching agreement. You will approve that agreement, pay your fees, and then set up your sessions with your coach. Simple as that.

Coaching engagements last anywhere from 3 months to a year.   We recommend that you do no less than 12 sessions (3 months) to get the most out of your coaching experience. Depending on what your goals and budget are, you and your coach can work out a schedule that best fits your needs.

The price of coaching depends on the duration of your engagement and the frequency of your sessions. We will work together to meet your budget, and you can expect a low-to-mid-four-figure investment with payment plans available.

Ask your company to sponsor executive presence coaching for your development

Download our free email template to request that your coaching program be sponsored by your organization. Please feel free to edit accordingly prior to sending to your leadership, HR representative, or Training and Development leader.

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