If you think you can lead a team to success, consider the behaviors you should avoid. Signage is a matter of executive presence. Communicate that you have what is required. That is the quality that attracts people, job offers, promotions and opportunities to you. But doing it wrong can drive people away.
Here are some behaviors you should avoid:
- Not having emotional intelligence.
If you want to lose an election, pretend to be dead with people’s emotions. Mitt Romney, an American businessman and politician, said things like 43% of the population are losers, that shows a man in a bubble who has no idea how people live.
Being so insensitive, you can get to your place of work, as with racist or sexist language. Those are reliable ways to see you as they cannot trust you.
- Check your phone continuously.
Having projection capability requires you to look as if you are in the room, not distracted by your cell phone. We realized that constantly reviewing your devices adds a lot of resentment among bosses and is a black sign for those who do not have the courtesy to focus.
It is not enough to know the facts; you must have the body language to be present. Since the body language is one of the most used forms of communication, being attentive and alert to your colleagues is the easiest way to demonstrate your ability to do your duties.
- See you physically weak.
It is best if you look as if you exercise regularly and that is more important than the size of your waist. It is a matter of signaling: showing that you can take care of your body shows that you can take care of any responsibility that is put towards you. It is the same for men and women whether you are 28 or 40.
- Get into sexual scandals.
Extramarital games are career killers because they put people’s questions to the test, and their ability to guide. If people are going to entrust you with power, you need to reflect trust. For this reason, sexual impropriety has a prize as a career killer.
- Do not have spontaneity.
To indicate that you are capable, you need to show that you have a great knowledge of your subject area. Spontaneity is a natural consequence of that understanding.
The solution is to be really prepared, so you can improvise when you are overwhelmed. You need to know exactly what you are going to say to make it work even though you are very nervous.
You must point out that you are capable, to show that you have an executive presence, it is like a duck sliding in the water. On the surface, it seems to be relaxed, but if you look underneath, it is kicking hard.