Women in LeadershipExecutive Presence for Women: Commanding the Room with Authenticity
Executive presence is described constantly and taught rarely, and the advice women receive is often to be more of something and less of something else at the same time. This course breaks it into components that can be practised. Delegates work through gravitas and what it actually consists of in a meeting: holding a position, admitting what you do not know without apology, and being the person who says the difficult thing. Communication follows, including pace, pausing, and the qualifiers that undercut a point before it lands. Appearance is covered briefly and practically rather than as a lecture on clothing. Presence in the specific situations that test it is practised: being challenged, being interrupted, presenting to a board, and walking into a room where you are not expected. The course closes on presence over video and on sustaining it without performing.
Course objectives
- Break executive presence into components that can be practised
- Hold a position under challenge and admit uncertainty without apology
- Use pace and pausing, and remove qualifiers that undercut a point
- Handle interruption and being talked over
- Present to a board and answer questions under scrutiny
- Enter a room where you are not expected and establish standing
- Sustain presence over video and without performing
Who should attend
- Women preparing for panel interviews, board presentations, or promotion boards
- Senior professionals whose expertise is not matched by perceived presence
- Women representing their organisation at conferences and public forums
- Client facing consultants, lawyers, and advisors
- Executives preparing for media, investor, or high visibility engagements
Course outline
- 01Described constantly, taught rarely
- 02Gravitas and what it consists of
- 03Holding a position and admitting uncertainty
- 04Communication, pace and pausing
- 05Qualifiers that undercut a point
- 06Appearance, briefly and practically
- 07Challenge, interruption and the board room
- 08Presence over video and sustaining it
Scheduled sessions
| Dates | Venue | Format | Price | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 to 23 October 2026 | Online | Online | R6,500 per delegate | Register Now |
| 4 to 6 November 2026 | Windhoek, Namibia | Classroom | R14,950 per delegate | Register Now |
| 3 to 5 February 2027 | Lusaka, Zambia | Classroom | USD 995 per delegate | Register Now |
| 8 to 10 February 2027 | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Classroom | USD 995 per delegate | Register Now |