Page 57 - Lighting Magazine November 2018

about. Furthermore, she stated that educational quali cations are not necessarily the deciding fac- tor when appointing executive management as 57 percent of all college graduates are female as are 63 percent of those who earn Master’s degrees. It all comes down to Executive Presence.
McCloud has pinpointed three key compo- nents: Gravitas, Communication, and Appearance. Gravitas is de ned as exuding con dence and grace under re. It involves “acting decisively, showing integrity, demonstrating emotional intelligence, projecting vision, and burnishing reputation,” she recounted.
Communication involves both verbal and non- verbal a ributes and requires strong speaking skills as well as the ability to command a room and read an audience.
And while 2018 has been a banner year for wom- en ge ing recognized for their intellectual merits, Appearance plays a part in a female’s career success. “Yes, it ma ers,” McCloud remarked. “Appearance” is not de ned as beauty, but rather exhibiting good grooming and a polished look devoid of distracting ta oos and piercings.
“Be prepared, speak up, and be present.”
“Read, study, and learn continuously,” McCloud advised the audience when it comes to standing out in your eld. “Be prepared, speak up, and be present. Look for opportunities and aim to be an expert thought leader,” she commented. One of the ways McCloud suggested lighting retailers accom- plish this is to write blogs about lighting design and techniques for the public to read on the company’s website.
When it comes to taking part in formal meet- ings, she told the crowd to raise the volume. “As women, [biologically] our voices don’t have as much resonance as a man’s does. If we were to measure volume as 1 to 10 with 10 being the loudest, I sug- gest speaking at an 8. People will stop listening if they can’t hear you,” she warned. Above all else, “stay on point.”
McCloud credited the 24th U.S. National Secu- rity Advisor Susan Rice with the following advice: “Amplify other women’s ideas.” If, during a formal meeting, a woman’s sound idea isn’t given a second thought while a man who echoes that same sug- gestion in the meeting is widely applauded, Rice reportedly devised a strategy. Before the meet- ing, she would ask other women who were slated to a end the meeting to emphasize her idea(s) by repeating them and giving proper a ribution. Hear- ing the same thought twice gives the notion more credence.
When speaking, do not use words that “weaken” your message, McCloud said. “Avoid [ ller] words such as “sort of” or “kind of” and “just.” If you need help honing your speech, she recommended the app Like So. “It listens to your speech, looks for ller words, and gives you a grade,” she explained. There are also “alert” functions that remind one to prac- tice the speech days ahead of time.
Like it or not, visual impressions mean a lot — and it doesn’t stop with the rst introduction. “This is how people perceive you: 53 percent is body language, 38 percent is your vocal delivery, and 7 percent is the content of your message/your words.
McCloud’s advice is to continually be aware of your body language: “Stand and sit tall. Move with purpose,” she noted. “Gestures should be kept in the area ranging from your shoulders to your hips.”
For sharpening your vocal delivery, “use your phone to record yourself and practice your eleva- tor speech until it becomes natural,” she suggested. Keep the 3 Ps in mind — Prepare, Practice, and (be) Present. 
Sharon Delaney McCloud
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