For Black Men, Executive Presence is Not Neutral

Vision Leadership for Life Newsletter

Dominic George
June 14, 2025

For Black Men, Executive Presence is Not Neutral

The Lie of Neutrality: Let’s start with a myth: that executive presence is a neutral standard.

It’s not.
It never has been.

When people talk about executive presence, they often frame it as a fixed, objective quality: a clear way of talking, dressing, standing, leading. They talk about gravitas, polish, poise. But who decided what those things look like? Whose voice do we hear when the room quiets down to listen? Whose leadership style gets labeled as “visionary,” and whose gets called “too much,” “aggressive,” or “not a culture fit”?

If you're a Black man rising into leadership, you already know the answer.

Executive presence is a mirror that reflects dominant power, not a window into your potential. And that’s exactly why it needs to be examined, unpacked, and redefined.

Because for us, this isn't just about promotion.
It's about permission to lead, to speak, to exist.

And that makes executive presence not just a skill, but a strategy. One that can be reclaimed and rewritten.

The tightrope of leadership. If you’ve ever found yourself preparing for a presentation and asking, “How will this land?” or reviewing an email a dozen times to make sure it’s assertive, but not too assertive, you’re not alone.

For Black men in corporate and organizational spaces, executive presence often feels like a tightrope: one misstep, and you’re dismissed as either invisible or intimidating. Too casual? You’re seen as unprepared. Too passionate? You’re seen as threatening. Too quiet? You’re called disengaged.

This is not a performance issue.
This is a perception issue, rooted in bias.

I’ve worked with dozens of mid-level Black professionals who’ve done everything “right”: the degree, the track record, the internal promotion path. And still, they find themselves blocked, not by lack of skill or ambition, but by coded feedback like:

“You need to show more executive presence.”
“You’re not quite ready for the next level.”
“We’re looking for someone who fits our leadership culture.”

Translation: we’re not ready for you.

ADVICE TIP FOR BLACK MEN: Advice: Stop over-editing yourself to sound palatable or perfectly polished in every space.

Solution Shift:

Shift your focus from managing impressions to owning your authority. Speak from your values and experiences. Instead of worrying about sounding right, ask yourself if what you are saying is real, rooted, and relevant. Let your lived experience inform your leadership voice.

Additional Tip for Black Men: Stop code-switching and start code-setting.

Advice: Do not dilute your presence to fit an environment that was never built for you.

Solution Shift: Walk into every room with the mindset that you are the culture carrier, not the culture chaser. Set the tone through consistency, clarity, and calm conviction. Presence is not about volume. It is about clarity of vision and alignment with purpose. Lead like you belong there, because you do.

So What Is Executive Presence, Really?

At Vision Leadership for Life, we define executive presence as the ability to lead with clarity, conviction, and connection, without compromising who you are. It’s not about mimicking whiteness or masking your identity. It’s about amplifying your authenticity in spaces that may not be ready for it, but need it more than ever.

Let’s break this down:

Clarity is about being rooted in your values and vision. You don’t just speak well, you speak from a place of deep alignment with your purpose.
Conviction is about showing up with confidence that’s been earned, not because you’re trying to prove something, but because you’ve already proven it to yourself.
Connection is about building trust, not by performing sameness, but by leading in a way that others can feel, relate to, and respect.

This is what executive presence looks like when it’s owned, not borrowed.

Why This Matters Now More Than Ever

Corporate America and the nonprofit world, too has been on a DEI detox for the past year. After the promises of 2020, we’re watching reversals, rollbacks, and the return of business as usual. That makes the conversation about executive presence even more urgent. Because when systems revert, gatekeeping returns stronger.

And that’s why we cannot afford to conform.
We must be strategic. We must be bold. We must be seen.

Not as a risk, but as a revelation.

Because if executive presence is about commanding a room, let’s not forget, we’ve always commanded rooms. From pulpits to protests, from boardrooms to barbershops, our leadership has never lacked power. It’s only lacked proximity to decision-making tables that were never designed for us.

Until now.

Three Shifts to Redefine Executive Presence on Your Terms

Here are three mindset shifts I coach my clients through as they prepare to step into senior leadership and each one is designed to reclaim executive presence as a form of strategic authenticity, not assimilation.

1. From Impression to Impact

Instead of asking, “How do I come across?” start asking, “What do I want to leave behind?”

Executive presence isn’t about being liked. It’s about being trusted and trust is built through consistency, not charisma. Focus on being clear, not clever. Show people what changes when you lead the conversation.

2. From Code-Switching to Code-Setting

Stop shrinking. Start setting the tone.

Too often, we shift our language, volume, or body language to blend in. But presence isn’t about volume, it’s about vibration. Walk into rooms knowing that your presence sets culture, not just reflects it. People don’t follow perfection. They follow realness paired with results.

3. From Gatekeeping to Game-Changing

Instead of chasing the mold, break it.

You were never meant to be neutral. Your life, your background, your vision, that’s your executive edge. Start telling your story as a credential, not a caveat. The more visible your truth, the more power you build. Not just for you, but for the ones coming behind you.

The Executive Edge is in Your Story

When I launched Vision Leadership for LIFE, I knew the name had to speak to more than strategy. It had to speak to legacy.

Because I’ve walked the halls where leadership was whispered in the corners but never handed out in the open. I’ve sat in meetings where I was tasked with leading but not fully empowered. And I’ve coached men who’ve felt they had to choose between being excellent and being authentic.

But here’s the truth:
You don’t have to choose.

You can lead without losing yourself.
You can rise without retreating into someone else’s image.
You can be executive and be you, fully.

Not because executive presence is neutral.
But because it never was and you get to redefine it.

Take Action: Your Executive Presence Reclamation Plan

Let’s ground this in action. Here's a quick blueprint you can use this week:

Audit Your Presence

Ask 3 people in different roles (peer, supervisor, mentor) what stands out most about how you lead.
Listen for themes, then ask yourself: Are those aligned with how you want to be seen?

Craft Your Power Statement

Write a one-sentence statement that captures your executive presence: “I lead with ____, grounded in _____, to create _____.”
Example: I lead with calm conviction, grounded in my lived experience, to create clarity and momentum for teams navigating change.

Strategize One Bold Move

What’s one meeting, email, or conversation this week where you’ve been neutralizing yourself?
Rewrite the script. Show up differently. Decide in advance how your authentic presence will shape the outcome.

ADVICE TIP FOR BLACK MEN: Stop seeking permission and start practicing visibility.

The truth: Waiting to be recognized keeps you silent and sidelined.

Solution Shift:
Lead with intention and show up with visibility. Make your contributions undeniable by stating your ideas with clarity and showing results with transparency. Document your impact. Speak about your vision often. When people know what you stand for, they remember who you are.

Additional Tip for Black Men: Reject the mold and redefine the model.

Advice: Do not try to fit an outdated executive mold.

Solution Shift: Build a new leadership model anchored in your authenticity. Your story, your rhythm, your voice, these are not liabilities. They are leadership assets. When you lead from your truth, you give others permission to do the same. You shift culture by showing what excellence looks like in your skin, in your tone, and in your way.

Closing Thoughts:

In summary, your presence is political. Let’s not water it down: How you lead is political. How you show up is power.

Every time you walk into a room and lead from truth, you’re changing what leadership looks like. Every time you refuse to shrink, you’re teaching others what’s possible.

Executive presence is not about fitting in.
It’s about showing up and standing firm, because you’re not here to take up space.
You’re here to transform it.

And that’s not neutral.
That’s revolutionary.

That’s the new path forward.

Subscribe to the Vision Leadership for LIFE newsletter now for early access, if you want the insider guidebook before it drops, exclusive insights, and first access when pre-orders go live.

Fellas, your journey is both unique and powerful. If you’re ready to start leading from your authentic edge, then your on the roadmap for greatness. When you’re leading from within, you are not only advancing your career but also paving the way for future leaders.

Feel free to reach out for personalized coaching or share your success stories.

Your success is our shared triumph.

Real Talk: If you’re ready to:

Reclaim your voice in high-stakes spaces.
Lead with strategy, not survival.
Build a legacy that doesn’t require you to perform to belong.

You don’t have to lose yourself to lead. You just have to reclaim who you are, and lead from there.

Have a POWERFUL Day!

Dominic George

Founder, Vision Leadership for LIFE, LLC

Intellectual Property Notice:
© 2025 Vision Leadership for LIFE, LLC. All rights reserved.
The content, concepts, and original expressions in this newsletter are the exclusive intellectual property of Dominic George and Vision Leadership for LIFE, LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without prior written permission. This newsletter is intended for personal development and leadership growth. Respect the work. Honor the source.

The Authentic Edge™ framework and related materials are proprietary to Vision Leadership for LIFE, LLC.