A Must-Read for HR Leaders: Nayelli's Image & Executive Presence Success Story
Coaching in the World of HR
On May 7th, I had the opportunity to attend the Thread HCM's 2025 HR & Workforce Management Showcase, thanks to an invitation from the incredible Maggie Ishak of Focal Point Coaching. The event brought together HR leaders, coaches, consultants, and workforce strategists to explore what’s next in people operations — and it did not disappoint.
I'm a coach and executive image consultant, and I participated in some of the deeper roundtable conversations, specifically the ones focused on coaching: when it’s needed, what type is most effective, and whether coaching should be reactive or proactive. Much of the conversation still centered around coaching as a remedial intervention — something to offer after a problem surfaces. But other ‘professional development’ coaching — particularly executive presence coaching — was also discussed as something that HR leaders want to have as a performance accelerator.
As HR leaders, you don't have to wait for an issue to arise, of course. Instead, you can equip your rising and current leadership teams with tools to amplify visibility, confidence, authority, and authenticity before stepping into higher-stakes roles. And, this article serves as a kind of case study to show that big impacts, like the ones my client experienced, can be achieved at scale.
Let me introduce you to Nayelli Cruz Freyre — and I invite you to imagine what might be possible if her story became the norm across your organization...
The Client Story: Capability Wasn’t the Issue
When Nayelli first reached out to me, she had recently transitioned from Ingenico’s Mexico City office to Atlanta. As an HR leader in a new market, she was preparing to pursue a significant promotion. By all external measures, she was ready: strong track record, strategic mindset and proven leadership. When we met, though, she voiced a hesitation that I’ve heard from many high-performing women: “I’m not sure I look the part.” “I want to be confident and approachable — and I don’t feel like I’m coming across that way.” In executive presence terms - her image ‘facet’ was in need of some tailoring for the American market.
Clothes and wardrobe are tricky ‘triggers’ for a lot of women in the corporate world. There are so many societal expectations of women (be pretty - but not sexy; be forceful, but not aggressive; be attractive, but don’t be seen to be trying to be attractive) - and this can set off a destructive chain reaction. ‘It’s not fair’ and ‘This shouldn’t matter’ are things I have heard more than one from clients. As I coach my clients, presence and appearance is a strategic tool for communication that shouldn’t be ‘thrown away’ because we think the visual aspect of us isn’t important. The fact is - it is.
Back to Nayelli. It’s not that she didn’t see that her image didn’t need tweaking for the US office, it’s that she didn’t know how to go about it. I was happy to help! Her wardrobe didn’t feel like it 'fit' the Atlanta business culture. And, as a petite woman in a male-dominated leadership space, she had, as it turns out, subconsciously adopted oversized suiting and high heels to project “presence” — and to ‘take up the same space’ as the men with whom she worked. Again, in executive presence terms, she was seeing her height as a deficit and she was showing up inauthentically.
She wasn’t showing up as the most powerful version of herself — and she wasn’t being seen clearly.
Nayelli's Transformation: Reclaiming Image as a Leadership Asset
With Nayelli, our work focused on aligning her personal style with the professional culture she was navigating - and incorporating her image 'authentically'. We translated her visual identity across both cultural and corporate contexts, ensuring she felt confident, polished, and true to herself.
We addressed her concerns about stature and presence, helping her shift away from trying to “take up space like the men” with oversized suits and sky-high heels, and instead embracing a style that was powerful, modern, and aligned with how she wanted to lead. The result wasn’t a makeover. It was a mindset shift — supported by a clear, actionable image strategy.
The Result: A Promotion — and Excitement for the Next Adventure
A few months after we completed our work together, Nayelli was promoted — the role she had set her sights on when we first began. Not only had the way she ‘showed up’ changed, but her confidence had, too. In a way, for me, it’s like being a language coach - giving my international clients the skills they need to thrive in this culture.
And, about eighteen months later, this past April, she reached out to schedule a call with me. This time, not for coaching, but to catch up - and to reflect on the work we did together. Nayelli wanted me to know that the image coaching, the wardrobe makeover, the executive presence work - it had a big impact on her - and her career. In her words: “I wouldn’t be where I am if I hadn’t done this work with you.” It was a powerful moment — and a reminder of the value, the ROI of recognizing that image is a significant part of executive presence - and that crafting a strong and authentic image can yield big results.
‘You’re a part of my journey - and I wanted to say thank you, Eileen.’
What If Your Whole Leadership Team Could Step Into Their Power Like This?
For you HR leaders reading this - imagine this kind of transformation happening for not just one of your leaders — but across your executive bench, your high-potential pipeline, or your leadership development cohorts. Imagine your organization’s next generation of leaders stepping into visibility with intention, presence, and polish. What if your executive team was visually aligned with your culture and leadership brand? What if every high-potential leader was equipped not only with business acumen, but with the clarity, confidence, and presence to represent your organization at the next level? This is the kind of strategic transformation that becomes possible when image & executive presence development moves from one-on-one coaching to a scalable team capability. It’s not just about appearance — it’s about performance, influence, and readiness.
What the Data Tells Us
Executive presence isn’t a vague concept — it’s measurable, and the research backs its impact. According to the Coqual (formerly CTI - the Center for Talent Innovation), a staggering 73% of a leader’s perceived executive presence is based on visual impression. That’s before a single word is spoken. This doesn’t mean we reduce leadership to appearances; rather, it highlights how critical first impressions, nonverbal cues, and visual alignment are in how others assess leadership potential. In high-stakes environments — whether you’re presenting to a board, leading a global team, or representing your company externally — how you show up visually can either reinforce your credibility or quietly undermine it.
When image is addressed intentionally, it becomes a tool of trust, clarity, and influence. And when that level of presence is cultivated across a team, the organizational impact is exponential.
HR Leaders: Let’s Talk
If you want your leaders to:
Step more confidently into executive visibility
Represent your brand with clarity and credibility
Show up ready — visually, verbally, and interpersonally
Then let’s make it happen.
Nayelli’s transformation was one powerful story. Your team’s transformation could be the next.
Eileen
#ExecutivePresence #HRLeadership #TalentDevelopment #ImageConsulting #WorkforceStrategy #FutureOfLeadership #VenusRising #CoachingAsDevelopment
