What Executive Presence Really Means (and How to Play the Corporate Game) with Shari Chernack

What does executive presence actually mean and how do you navigate the corporate game without becoming someone you're not? In this episode of _Inside the Promotion Room_, Courtney O’Connell sits down with former Chief People Officer and transformation leader Shari Chernack to talk about the unwritten rules of career growth. They unpack executive presence, mentorship, imposter syndrome, tough feedback, corporate politics, career pivots, and why ambitious leaders need to learn how to read the room while staying true to who they are. Shari also shares a powerful reminder for anyone trying to move up: you own your career. Growth requires knowing when to stretch, when to adapt, and when discomfort is actually telling you to keep going. Timestamps 00:00 - Welcome and why Shari’s consulting background matters 01:03 - Growing up in New York and almost becoming a lawyer 02:45 - Early marketing roles and realizing the work was not the right fit 03:35 - First consulting role in e-learning and change communications 05:31 - The dot-com bust and the decision to go to business school 06:52 - Learning change management from the inside out 08:06 - Why Dell’s transformation pulled her back into in-house leadership 09:55 - Returning to consulting, then leading a turnaround internally 11:39 - The hardest career pivot and losing the comfort of infrastructure 14:05 - Becoming a chief people officer and learning the role in practice 16:31 - The gap between theory and lived leadership experience 17:26 - “You always know more than you think, and less than you think” 19:34 - Mentors, sponsors, and the value of tough love 21:58 - What actually drove her career success 24:23 - Hiring people who want to outgrow the seat 27:23 - Knowing when you need complementary strengths on your team 30:10 - Moving into adjacencies and growing through stretch roles 32:49 - How to choose the right company and culture for your season of life 34:37 - Large organizations versus smaller, scrappier environments 38:34 - Career adventurism and building breadth through variety 41:50 - Managing imposter syndrome with evidence and experience 45:43 - Using feedback and 360s to see your impact clearly 47:24 - Why blunt feedback can be useful when it is delivered well 54:16 - A more grounded take on executive presence 57:57 - The real “corporate game” and how to play it well 59:54 - Trade-offs, visibility, and learning to show up differently 63:11 - Re-reading The Five Dysfunctions of a Team 64:38 - Her forthcoming book Leadership Retreat and its core idea The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni https://link.amazon/B0bfVTmds