Executive Education Insights: Jim Roach, executive director for the TCU Neeley Executive Education program, explains the value of authentic executive presence through the use of two key skills - humility and curiosity.
May 01, 2025
By Jim Roach
Executive Director for TCU Neeley Executive Education
Truly great leaders have the ability to show up well in important moments. Today’s disruptive world provides even more opportunities than ever before for leaders at all levels to show up well in moments that matter—moments where leaders can provide guidance, support or perspective for their teams and organizations.
This ability to show up well in key moments is what we call executive presence. We know it when we see and experience it. You can tell when someone truly cares, and when the conversation feels authentic. They are open and inquisitive. They seem confident, have a command of the topic, and can convey its context and importance.
As a result, we lean in to the moment. We feel engaged, more willing to participate in the discussion, and more open to collaborating on potential outcomes. Authentic presence truly differentiates leaders and deepens their ability to connect and make an impact.
Executive presence is the ability to:
- Create meaningful connections.
- Inspire trust and confidence.
- Convey a compelling perspective.
Executive presence is absolutely grounded in authenticity. It’s built upon the values and beliefs you actually put in to practice. And like a number of other important leadership capabilities, executive presence is amplified by several key leadership mindsets. Two leadership mindsets that can amplify it are humility and curiosity.
As C.S. Lewis said, “humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” This mindset signals two crucial ideas. First, that you care about more than just yourself. Second, that you’re open and willing to learn. Both allow you to create stronger connections with others and establish a foundation of trust and meaningful communication.
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook once said “I’ve gone from believing that if you ask questions, it meant you’re fundamentally not smart, to believing that the more you ask, the more curious you are, the smarter you’ll get.” While I believe this is true, curiosity has an even more powerful effect. It signals that you care about something that is clearly important to your audience. It opens the door to a dialogue – to explore where their interests, values and priorities intersect with yours. Along the way, it helps create shared meaning and a common language around mutual interests and goals.
Here are three quick ways you can enhance your humility and curiosity. These mindsets will help you strengthen workplace connections and show up more powerfully in the moments that matter.
Here are three quick ways you can enhance your humility and curiosity.
These mindsets will help you strengthen workplace connections and show up more powerfully in the moments that matter.
- Figure Out Why You are Interested Up Front. Being service-oriented leads you-as it should-to exploring the concerns, values and priorities of your audience for many essential reasons. Counterintuitively, it may be just as important to reflect on those same things for yourself. Doing so allows you to bring positive energy, curiosity and authenticity to the moment – something your audience can feel. While you may not lead with these self-focused thoughts, identifying them will enhance the all of the other suggestions here.
- Practice Active Listening. One of the greatest gifts you can give to those around you is your undivided attention. Some of the best leaders I’ve encountered had an outstanding ability to make people feel valued and heard – without distractions or interruptions. Be present, focus on the moment and listen for understanding first.
- Listen More than you Speak. Leadership is about enabling the success of others. How you do that presents a tremendous opportunity. Helping others explore ideas, create approaches and learn their own lessons not only achieves results – it builds capabilities. Consider your current balance of listening versus speaking, or in many cases, just plain “telling.” Shifting this balance is a powerful way to help others grow while accomplishing shared goals. It also reinforces the message that you hear them, value them and are there to support them.
Humility and curiosity are two mindsets that serve leaders well in a variety of situations. They are especially powerful for communication and executive presence. For most leaders, these are already strengths. But we’re all challenged by something – whether it’s a new situation, a challenging person, or the daunting task of leading in to an uncertain future.
Where are the situations for you as a leader where enhancing your curiosity and humility can produce better outcomes for your team?
