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Executive Presence: What Is It? Why Do Educators Need It? Here’s How to Get It!

Why is it that some people seem to attract attention just by their very presence? Why does what some people say seem to have more credibility than what others say? Why are some people more interesting and enjoyable to be around? Of course, there are many possible reasons, but in combination, these and related qualities are often referred to as executive presence.

The good news is that you do not have to be an executive to have executive presence. However, possessing and demonstrating certain characteristics and behaviors can lead others to pay greater respect and attention to what you do and say. We might assume that some people are born to project more charisma and credibility, but executive presence is not a personality trait—it is a skill that anyone can learn.

How do people with executive presence behave? To begin with, people with executive presence practice good communication skills. They demonstrate empathy and other elements of emotional intelligence. They speak with confidence, avoid unnecessary “hedging” in their speech, and use clear and concise language. People with executive presence are sure of their competence and project gravitas when engaging in their area of expertise. They are self-assured, poised, and demonstrate a sense of purpose. Executive presence is not a position. It is a profile.

So why is executive presence important for educators? Our work is crucial to the success of our society; we possess special expertise, and we need to be confident in how we present ourselves and our work. Executive presence can help us to counter negative assumptions and perceptions of education and educators. Developing executive presence can also help us to shift our perceptions of ourselves, build our confidence, and grow our professional stature. Here are six ways to build it:

Be clear and confident about your vision and why it is important. Communicate it clearly. What do you want for your students? Why do you care? How do you make a difference in the lives of your students? Be ready to share examples and anecdotes.
Share your passion. Your excitement and enthusiasm matter, especially in this line of work. You care about your students, and you are committed to their success. Your work is important. You shape futures!
Listen with interest, humility, and empathy. Listening communicates respect and projects confidence. Seeking to understand and learn, rather than listening simply to respond, invites others to share and helps build interpersonal connections. People want to be around and engage with good listeners.
Project competence and confidence. Own your expertise. How you feel about yourself plays a nuanced but important role in how people see you. Remain calm and collected when feeling pressure. Remaining in command of your emotions and practicing good judgment projects strength and competence.
Make connections. Finding common interests, identifying potential connections, and putting people together for mutual benefit builds relationships and expands your network. When you are seen as a connector, people want to get to know and be associated with you.
Be a mentor. Helping others to build their skills and find success increases stature and creates credibility. Investing in the profession, supporting colleagues, and creating shared success demonstrates professionalism and builds respect. People want to be around those who are willing to invest in the success of others.

Executive presence may not be something educators think much about. However, having and projecting a sense of presence can have a powerful impact on how others see us and our profession. Building and honing our executive presence can also make us feel better about our work and remind us of the difference we make in the lives of others.

Eight Reasons to Challenge “Those Who Can, Do; Those Who Can’t, Teach”

In Your Corner, Supporting Teachers

September 26, 2024

Eight Reasons to Challenge “Those Who Can, Do; Those Who Can’t, Teach”

The idea that “those who can, do; those who can’t, teach” has been around a long time, but it is no truer today than it was when first stated. The line is widely attributed to George Bernard Shaw in his 1905 play “Man and Superman,” although some sources say that the idea actually flips an observation by Aristotle—“those that can, do; those that understand, teach”—on its head. While the context and intent of the original statement seemingly cannot be definitively established, in common usage it has been considered an insult to teachers and the profession of education.

As educators, we know that the statement is an inaccurate, stereotyped description of one of the most impactful, respect-deserving professions. Still, many—without evidence or understanding—accept the statement as true and use it to disparage educators when it could not be further from the truth. A more accurate, modified form of the statement might be: “Those who can, do; those who want to change the world, teach.” “Doing” can change today. Teaching changes tomorrow.

Anyone with significant teaching experience, anyone having lived with someone who teaches, or even someone who has a close relationship with a teacher knows that there is far more to teaching than meets the eye. Here are eight reasons why the statement, “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach” misses the mark:

First, teaching is not just possessing a technical skill. Obviously, teaching a concept or skill requires knowing it, but teaching is far more than simply speaking information. It involves a complex set of skills and processes. To be successful, teachers must demonstrate proficiency in explaining concepts and skills to learners with a variety of abilities and needs, diagnosing areas of confusion and supplying missing background knowledge, and assessing where learning has occurred and where additional attention and support is needed—all while being constantly “on” with a live audience.

Second, teaching requires well-developed interpersonal skills. While one might practice a technical or professional skill without constant and intense engagement with others, teachers are constantly interacting with learners, answering questions, providing feedback, clarifying concepts, and sharing strategies, all while responding to a variety of personalities. When working with young learners, the ability to form and maintain strong relationships is key to the learning process. This all, of course, occurs in addition to collaborating with team members and other school staff as well as students’ guardians and families.

Third, teaching requires more than motivating oneself to do something. Performing a technical task or process may require one to motivate him or herself, but teaching demands the ability to motivate others, including those who may not be inherently interested in what they are being asked to learn. Most professions are not expected to serve customers and clients who are not interested in their service or purchasing their product.

Fourth, teachers are accountable for students’ learning even when those students lack adequate background knowledge and readiness. Some students come to the classroom lacking key skills and background knowledge necessary for success at the current grade level and with the content and skills contained in the formal curriculum. Yet, teachers are expected to ensure that they meet preset, universal standards that assume student readiness and adequate background—and are accountable for whether students meet those standards. Few other professionals are held responsible for the success of clients who are not adequately prepared to engage in the services they provide.

Fifth, teaching increasingly involves bridging theory and application. Students today want to know how what they are asked to learn will be useful in their future and make their lives better. They want to understand the why of learning. Teachers need to know how to explain why in much more individualistic and diverse ways if they hope to succeed with students.

Sixth, teaching involves helping others learn how to learn. It is one thing to learn something ourselves; it is another to teach others how to learn for themselves. Helping students to learn how to learn is at least as important as the immediate information and content-related skills dictated by the curriculum. The learning skills that teachers nurture in students prepare them to continue to learn long after they leave their current teacher and complete their education.

Seventh, teaching requires the engagement and satisfaction of multiple categories of customers. Most services have an identified customer category to be satisfied. However, teachers must address the immediate customer—the student—while also meeting the expectations of parents and families. Unfortunately, what students may want is not always aligned with their families’ expectations. It also might be argued that supervisors, mandated curriculum, and state standards must also be satisfied as secondary customers for teachers’ work.

Eighth, teaching requires engagement with a diverse client base. Students in today’s schools aremore diverse than at any time in history. Service providers and manufacturers typically have some flexibility and choice in the clients or customers they serve. Teachers engage every learner who enters their classroom with the expectation that regardless of background, preparedness, interest, ability, or culture, they will learn. Successful teaching requires extreme flexibility, patience, and commitment, often beyond what is required in other professions.

Teachers and teaching deserve better. The next time you hear someone say, “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach,” feel free to correct them with, “Those who can, do; those who want to change the world, teach.”

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