How to Show Executive Presence in Leadership Interviews (Without Faking It)
- Merve Kagitci Hokamp
- Jul 7
- 7 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Leadership interviews aren’t just about ticking boxes. They’re about signaling who you are and what you are capable of delivering.
Are you credible?
Strategic?
Ready to lead?
Or are you still talking like a mid-level IC hoping to get picked?
I work with talented leaders every week who have the experience, capability, and vision —but still undersell themselves in interviews. Not because they aren’t qualified. But because they haven't thought about how to show up like the executive they already are.
They walk in thinking they need to prove they're worthy of the role. So they over-explain every decision, apologize for gaps in their experience, and hedge every statement with qualifiers like "I think" or "I believe."
Wrong approach.
Senior leaders don't audition. They evaluate mutual fit.
There's a massive difference between confidence and arrogance, between owning your experience and overselling it. The best leadership candidates understand this distinction and use it to their advantage.
Here’s how to avoid that trap and step into the room (or Zoom) with executive presence and clarity.
The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything in the Interview Setting
Here's what separates senior executives from everyone else in interviews: they show up as problem-solvers, not job seekers.
Instead of "Please hire me," their energy says "Let's figure out if I'm the right person to solve your challenges."
This isn't about faking confidence you don't have. It's a strategy of shifting your frame from supplicant to consultant. You're there to understand their problems and demonstrate how your experience applies.
Sarah, a VP of Operations I coached, used to start interviews by listing her weaknesses. "I know I don't have direct experience in your industry, but..."
After we realized that she was undermining herself when trying to be modest and prove she can do the job, she flipped the script to how her transferable skills make her the perfect match for the role: "I've scaled operations teams through three major transformations. Walk me through the specific challenges you're facing, and I'll share how I've tackled similar situations"
Same background. Different energy. She went from getting rejected at final rounds to having companies compete for her.
Stop Talking Yourself Out of the Job
Research from Harvard Kennedy School found that women apply for jobs only when they meet 100% of qualifications, while men apply when they meet 60%.
While I may not have Harvard's data set, I see the same pattern in my coaching work —across gender. Even experienced male leaders often sabotage themselves in interviews by leading with what they don’t have. Instead of owning their strengths, they preemptively flag gaps that weren’t even questioned.
"I haven't managed a team this large before, but..."
"I don't have experience in your exact market, however..."
"This would be a stretch role for me, though..."
Stop. Every qualifier you add weakens your position.
Instead of focusing on gaps, focus on parallels. Instead of explaining why you might not be perfect, explain why your different background is actually an advantage.
Mark, a startup founder interviewing for his first corporate role, used to apologize for his "limited corporate experience." Now he positions it as an asset: "I've built systems from scratch under resource constraints. That perspective helps me identify inefficiencies that people embedded in existing processes might miss."
The Language of Leadership
Senior executives speak differently. They don't hedge, qualify, or minimize their impact.
Here's how to adjust your language:
Instead of: "I think I helped increase revenue..."
Say: "I increased revenue by 40% through three key initiatives."
Instead of: "We managed to improve the process..."
Say: "I redesigned the process, which reduced cycle time from six weeks to three."
Instead of: "I believe my approach would work here..."
Say: "Based on similar challenges I've solved, here's how I'd approach this."
Notice the difference?
You're not being arrogant.
You're being direct about your contributions and confident in your approach.
Answer the Question Behind the Interview Question
Leadership interviews aren't really about your CV.
They're about three core questions:
Can you handle the scope and complexity of this role?
Will other executives respect and follow you?
Can you make tough decisions under pressure?
Every question they ask is probing one of these areas. Your job is to demonstrate all three consistently.
When they ask about a challenging situation, don't just describe what happened. Show your thinking process, how you influenced others, and how you navigated competing priorities.
"We had six weeks to integrate two teams after an acquisition. I started by mapping out the critical dependencies and identifying the key relationships that needed to form. Then I structured a series of working sessions that forced collaboration around real deliverables, not just team-building exercises. The result was a fully integrated operation that exceeded our Q4 targets by 15%."
That answer demonstrates strategic thinking, people leadership, and results orientation in one story.
Handle Weaknesses Like a Pro
Here's how not to handle the weakness question: by listing actual weaknesses or giving the "I work too hard" non-answer.
Instead, talk about growth areas you're actively addressing or skills you're building. Make it forward-looking, not defensive.
"I'm strengthening my financial modeling skills. I understand P&L management and can read any financial statement, but I want to get more sophisticated with scenario planning and forecasting models. I've been working with our CFO on this and taking a corporate finance
course."
This shows self-awareness, initiative, and a commitment to continuous learning. All executive traits.
Ask Questions That Show You Get It
The questions you ask reveal how you think about leadership challenges. Most candidates ask about company culture or growth plans. Those are fine, but they're not executive-level questions.
Try these instead:
"What are the biggest execution risks you see for your strategy over the next 18 months?"
"How do you currently measure success for this role, and what would great look like in year one?"
"What's the biggest capability gap in the organization right now?"
"If I am to start tomorrow, what is the first problem I can help you solve?"
"What would exceeding expectations in this role look like six months from now—something that would make you say, ‘This hire was a game-changer’?"
These questions show you're thinking at the right altitude. You're not worried about vacation policies or reporting structures. You're focused on strategy, execution, organizational capability, that you are ready to hit the ground running and you won't settle for mediocre.
The Presence Factor
Executive presence shows up in composure, clarity, and timing — being at ease with silence, asking sharp questions, and speaking with purpose when it counts.
Practice pausing before you answer. Take a beat to think. Senior leaders don't rush to fill silence.
Your body language tells the story first. Sit back in your chair, not forward on the edge like you're waiting for permission to speak. Make eye contact when you're talking and when you're listening. Keep your hands visible and use deliberate gestures, not nervous fidgeting.
Control your energy. Junior candidates often bring manic energy — talking fast, jumping between topics, overselling every point. Senior leaders bring calm intensity. They're engaged but not desperate. Interested but not needy.
Listen like an executive. When they're explaining a challenge, don't just wait for your turn to talk. Ask clarifying questions that show you're processing at a strategic level: "How does that impact your customer retention?" or "What's driving the board's timeline on this?"
Handle pushback gracefully. If they challenge your approach or question your experience, don't get defensive. Lean in: "That's a fair point. Let me think about that differently..." Then either adjust your position or explain your reasoning more clearly.
Own the room without dominating it. This means being comfortable taking up space when you're speaking, but also knowing when to step back and let others talk. It's the difference between commanding attention and demanding it.
Don't lie or freak out. When you don't have direct experience with something, say so clearly: "I don't have direct experience with that, but here's how I'd approach learning about it." Then pivot to a related area where you do have expertise.
The goal isn't to seem perfect. It's to project confidence and calm.
The Follow-Up That Seals The Interview
Most candidates send generic thank-you emails. Executive-level candidates send strategic follow-ups.
Within 24 hours, send a note that includes:
A specific insight about their business challenge
A relevant example from your experience you didn't get to share
A thoughtful question that shows you're still thinking about their situation
"Thanks for the conversation yesterday. Your point about needing to balance growth with operational excellence resonated. I've been thinking about your Q2 scaling challenge, and I realized I didn't mention how we handled a similar situation at [previous company]. We created a dual-track system that let us maintain quality while increasing throughput by 60%. I'd love to explore whether that approach might work in your context."
This isn't brown-nosing. It's showing that you process information like a senior leader and think beyond the interview room.
The Reality Check
if you're interviewing for a leadership role, you already have relevant experience. You didn't get there by accident. The interview isn't about proving you're qualified — it's about demonstrating you can operate at the next level.
The strongest candidates don’t just recite achievements — they signal readiness. They show up with composure, clarity, and the strategic lens of someone who’s already solving executive problems, not hoping to get promoted into them.
If you’re preparing for a senior role, don’t rehearse like an applicant. Prepare like a peer.
Know your edge. Own your value. And walk in like you belong — because you do.
Hi, I’m Merve 👋
I work with ambitious leaders who want to show up with confidence, clarity, and control.
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