Ep 120: Increase Your Executive Presence with Melissa Maher

Executive presence is not about being the loudest, most charismatic, or most senior person in the room. It is about projecting confidence, gravitas, decisiveness, warmth, and poise under pressure.In this episode of Prospecting On Purpose®, Sara Murray sits down with Melissa Maher, executive leadership advisor, strategic consultant, speaker, and founder and CEO of Pinnacle Enterprises Group. Before launching her firm, Melissa spent two decades in senior leadership roles, including serving as Chief Marketing Officer at Expedia Group.Melissa shares practical insights from her bestselling book, Holding Your Own: Speaking, Acting, and Winning in the Business World, to help professionals strengthen their presence, communication, visibility, and influence.Whether you are leading a global team, preparing for a high-stakes meeting, building your personal brand, or trying to influence without a formal title, this conversation offers clear strategies you can begin using immediately.Click here to watch a video of this episode.What You’ll Learn:🔹 What executive presence really means and why it is not reserved for extroverts or senior leaders🔹 How preparation, pacing, pauses, and body language can help you appear and feel more confident🔹 Why personal branding is a strategic necessity, not bragging🔹 Simple ways to increase your visibility without becoming the loudest person in the room🔹 How to manage stakeholders above, beside, and below you🔹 Why concise communication strengthens your credibility and influence🔹 How excessive apologizing can diminish your presence and what to say instead🔹 Ways to improve your executive presence during virtual meetings and Zoom calls🔹 How to influence others, build advocates, and create opportunities without having a leadership title🔹 Why negotiation should feel more like a dance than a battleKey Takeaways:🎯 Enter important meetings knowing the three main points you need to communicate.💡 Use the power of the pause. Slowing your pace can make you appear more confident, prepared, and composed.🚀 Visibility creates opportunity. Start small by asking a question during a town hall, volunteering to present, sharing a point of view on LinkedIn, or accepting a stretch assignment.🤝 Build and maintain a support network before you need something from it.Melissa also explains why executive presence is a collection of learnable skills. You do not need to change your personality, become louder, or wait for a promotion to begin strengthening your influence.Connect with Melissa Maher:📘 Holding Your Own: https://holdingyourownbook.com/🌐 Pinnacle Enterprises Group: https://pinnacleenterprisesgroup.com/💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamaher/Connect with Sara:🌐 Website: https://www.saramurray.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saramurraysalesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramurraysales/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saramurraysales/#ProspectingOnPurpose #ExecutivePresence #MelissaMaher #LeadershipDevelopment #PersonalBranding #CommunicationSkills #WomenInLeadership #CareerGrowth