Michael knew he was ready for director level but couldn't convince anyone else. Twelve years of experience, consistently strong reviews, but passed over three times for promotion. His manager's feedback? He needed more "executive presence."

I sat with him after that third rejection. "What does that even mean?" he asked.

After working with hundreds of mid-career professionals, I can tell you: executive presence isn't about confidence, it's about how clearly you communicate your thinking. Michael could execute brilliantly but struggled to show his strategic mind. He talked about the details when leaders needed to understand the bigger picture.

Speaking Different Languages

Here's what I've noticed: people at different levels talk about work differently. If you're doing the work, you naturally focus on what you did, how you did it, what tools you used. But leaders focus on impact: what problem got solved, why it mattered, what changed.

Most of us keep using execution language even when we're talking to executives. We describe our process instead of our strategic thinking. And then we wonder why they don't see us as "leadership material."

A Simple Way to Reframe Your Work

Here's the approach that changed everything for Michael. Instead of talking about what you did, follow this pattern:

What business problem existed → How you thought about solving it → What actually changed

Let me show you the difference:

Before: "I analyzed sales data and created reports for the leadership team."

After: "Revenue was declining in our largest market segment. I dug into the data to understand why, developed a new targeting strategy based on what I found, and we recovered 15% growth within two quarters."

Same work. Completely different story.

Breaking Down the Three Parts

Start with the business problem Don't start with "I was asked to..." Start with what was actually at stake for the company. "Revenue was declining" or "The product launch was at risk" or "Customer satisfaction had dropped to 72%."

This shows you understand what matters to the business, not just your task list.

Explain your thinking This is where most people just list actions. Instead, share why you chose that approach. What did you see that others might have missed? What was your hypothesis?

This demonstrates how you think strategically, not just what you can execute.

Show what actually changed Connect your work to real business outcomes. Not "completed the project" but "recovered 15% growth" or "launched on time with 95% stakeholder satisfaction."

Help people understand what would have been different without your contribution.

What to Watch Out For

The task list trap: "I managed three projects, attended five meetings, created two presentations." This might be accurate, but it sounds like activity, not impact.

Being too humble: "The team did great work." True, but you also need to be clear about your specific role and thinking.

Too many details: Leaders don't need to know every step. They need to understand your strategic reasoning and the outcome.

A Practice Framework

For anything you want to talk about, e.g., a performance review, a networking conversation, an interview, ask yourself:

• What business problem did this solve?
• Why did I approach it this way?
• What actually changed?
• How does this connect to what the company cares about?

What Happened with Michael

We worked together to reframe five of his key accomplishments using this approach. In his next promotion conversation, instead of listing what he'd done, he shared stories about how he thought through challenges and created change.

He was promoted to Director of Operations within six months. Forty thousand dollar salary increase. Leading a team of 15.

Here's what he told me: "They weren't doubting I could do the work. They just couldn't see how I thought about problems. Once I learned to show them that, everything changed."

Try This

Pick one thing you're proud of from the last few months. Rewrite how you'd describe it:

1. What business challenge existed?
2. How did you think about solving it?
3. What actually changed?

Practice telling this story in about 90 seconds. Focus on showing your thinking, not just listing your actions.

Your work is valuable. Your strategic thinking is what makes you ready for more. The difference is learning to help people see both.