Welcome back to the Look and Sound of Leadership, an ongoing series of Executive Coaching

Tips designed to help you be perceived in the workplace the way you want to be perceived.

I'm Tom Henschel, your executive coach,

and today we're talking about the talkie executive.

Renee didn't like to complain.

A senior vice president in the finance division of her bank,

Renee had an orderly mind, a tidy office, and a positive outlook.

Even when managing problem performers, she exuded kindness

and warmth. Sunny and optimistic were words in her 360 degree feedback report.

But Renee had trouble maintaining her positivity when she talked about the new CEO, Jordan.

You know, she said, giving the table an emphatic slap of her hand. I used to think it was me. I used to think

he was so smart I just couldn't understand him. But the more I listened to him, it's not me. It's him. But the more I listen to him, it's not me. It's him. He doesn't make sense a lot of the time.

She leaned in conspiratorially saying, I find myself zoning out when he's talking not a good thing zoning out on your

CEO. I understood Renee's frustration. Jordan and I had talked briefly on the phone

about his goals for Renee's coaching.

He told me he wanted her to have more executive presence.

But by the end of our conversation, I wasn't at all clear what those words meant to him despite asking several

different ways. Now I asked Renee, do you know why you zone out? He does this stream

of consciousness thing. I swear I ask him one question he talks for like 10 minutes

Does he have a focus? I asked. How do you mean?

Is he lecturing? Is he sharing vision? Is he teaching some idea? What does he talk about?

Anything, she said, whatever comes into his head? It could be weather patterns in the Caribbean.

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