Build Executive Presence in a New C-Suite Role With These 5 Habits

Seventy-nine percent of C-suite respondents say the CEO is more likely to listen to the CFO than to other members of the C-suite, according to a Gartner survey.

As a New To Role executive, building trust with your CEO is key. Learn directly from your CFO by seeking opportunities to co-lead a strategic objective, or ask them the best way to earn more facetime with the CEO and board. You might also consider canvassing other CFOs from external peer networks.

Another key: Become fluent in finance. Learn to speak the board’s language: ROI, cost savings and revenue growth. Telling a compelling numbers story through balance sheets, income statements and cash flow builds fast credibility with the board and sets you apart from peers.

Gartner research reveals that 97% of CEOs expect executives to combine human and machine-related capabilities to improve their performance — but only 26% of surveyed C-suite executives say they are comfortable using AI.

To leverage AI’s benefits, start a C-suite community of practice focused on GenAI. Brainstorm, pilot and review AI-driven tasks together to build comfort and collaboration. Pilot projects such as forecasting financials, setting KPIs and conducting a market analysis. Then meet monthly or biweekly to maintain momentum. This cross-functional collaboration boosts both your relationships and productivity.

As enterprises grow, they increasingly prioritize social skills in C-suite recruitment. Set a socially savvy tone by adapting your language to your peers’ styles. This requires getting to know their styles well enough to discern what type of language will be most influential.

For example: A socially savvy communicator knows when to use “hedge” phrases (e.g., “I think we might be able to …” or “Perhaps we should …”) versus “definite” words (e.g., “We will …” or “Let’s …”) to make a stronger impression. Hedge words tend to land better with amiable or analytical leaders, while definite words are more effective with driver-type leaders.

Top-performing executives often act like “worthy rivals,” showing both fierce competitiveness and strong support for their C-suite peers. This healthy balance allows executives to drive each other toward achieving results for the enterprise and motivate one another.

As you become acquainted with your C-suite peers, demonstrate your openness to candid, constructive feedback by initiating 10-minute “truth sessions.” Choose a few colleagues and seek their impressions of you so far. Listen actively to the answers — then review and analyze the feedback to identify any blind spots and come up with a strategy for improvement.

This habit fosters an environment of mutual honesty, trust building and support that creates high psychological safety — a characteristic that is 20% more likely to be present in high-performing C-suites.

Like athletes, executives need a balanced schedule that includes time for rest and recovery. Yet many executives express discomfort with the idea of downtime. This can be especially challenging for New To Role execs who feel pressured to show their commitment.

Maximize your time and minimize potential time-draining activities by taking control of your calendar with intent. Block recurring downtime and mark it as out of office. Unplug regularly –– and direct your leadership team and their teams to do the same. Periodically audit long-standing, serial meetings. If a meeting purpose isn’t clear, challenge and recommend removing it.