| So, what is presence?
 According to author and entrepreneur, Achim Nowak, presence is often a code word for hard to quantify attributes like confidence, authority, enthusiasm and gravitas.
 Gautam Mukunda, assistant professor at Harvard Business School, calls presence "a force in the room" that can help persuade others when rational arguments and logic don't work. He believes that presence makes leaders better.
When someone with presence walks into a room, people take notice. When they speak, people listen. When they offer advice, it is considered, trusted, respected and followed. Think President Bill Clinton, or GE Executive Jack Welch, who both attract others by the dynamic force of their personalities. They inspire, motivate and literally get people up on their feet and moving.
 Communications guru, Deborah Tannen discovered that CEOs were heavily persuaded by someone who exuded confidence and strong personal conviction. Leaders like Gandhi, albeit introverted and analytical, exhibited presence through personal conviction, commitment and modeling.
 Jaye Smith, president and CEO of New York-based Breakwater Consulting, describes presence as a trait that attracts others and makes them want to follow. Smith acknowledges that the charismatic component of presence can be demonstrated in many different ways. Leaders, like Steve Jobs, exude presence by the sheer nature of their brilliance, creativity and accomplishments.
 Pernille Spiers-Lopez, former President of IKEA North America, recalls working for leaders who were not particularly enthusiastic or outgoing. Over time, they established their presence through their strong commitment, focused thinking and the ability to achieve superior results. These leaders remained authentically true to themselves and didn't try to adopt someone else's style. They relied on a close ally (usually a strong #2 person) who could do the motivating and cheerleading for them.
A leader's presence attracts and influences others. But experts agree, presence only works when depth, belief and authenticity lie behind it. You can't fake presence, but you can work to strengthen it. Effective leaders intentionally focus their thinking on how they need to come across and work at being authentic and relevant.
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