The Situation:
Senior management felt Jim did not have executive presence. In fact, they did not want him to be included in meetings with the C suite. Jim was very casual in meetings. He slouched in a chair; his shirts were never quite tucked in, and his responses tended to ramble and never seemed to answer the questions.
The Solution:
Jim had to practice sitting up straight meaning his back had to make contact with the back of the chair. The reason he slouched in his chair was because he was tall. He had to make sure the chair level was set at the right height for his size so he could easily sit up straight.
Secondly, he started to write down answers to serve as a map for verbal responses to questions. He began to practice with the closing (end result) and solicited feedback by asking: are there any questions to my thoughts on this matter? Jim practiced these skills in all meetings with the folks who reported to him and in personal settings so it would become natural. Also, he now only buys shirts for tall men so they stay tucked in.
The Outcome:
Jim’s manager now regularly asks him to attend C suite meetings even having Jim fill in for him when he cannot attend. Jim is now being considered as a viable candidate to be the next Director of the group.
“Much unhappiness has come into the world because of bewilderment and things left unsaid.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky