Have you ever known a leader whose mere physical presence in a room drew people to her? Perhaps that person’s physical stature or celebrity reputation caught your attention. Like a magnet you found yourself moving toward them to catch a better look, to shake their hand, or to hear them speak.
Leadership is sometimes equated with this type of magnetism, a kind of overpowering presence that makes followers swoon. Few of us who find ourselves in leadership positions know how to relate to this image. While we may secretly wish for more public recognition our personalities and behavioral styles seem polar opposites to these “bigger than life” leaders.
Don’t despair because that is not the type of presence I am referring to in the title for this week’s blog entry. Instead, I invite you to consider how your daily interactions with colleagues, employees, clients, and vendors offer many unique opportunities for your presence to have a real impact.
Today’s stressful workplace rarely provides respite from the pressure to perform and achieve bigger and better results. The satisfaction of a job well done offers little joy if there is no recognition for your contribution. Managers spend too little time with employees and may not appreciate the sacrifices made or engagement required to achieve these goals. Therein lies the problem.
As last week’s entry suggested we need leaders willing to live their values and serve those around them. If we treat others with love, care, and respect then our leadership role would be as a calming influence and a non-anxious presence. Instead of adding to the stress we could become the outlet to relieve it.
The world is ready for a new kind of leadership. We are tired of the old model that relies on fear and control to motivate behavior. We long for leaders that will stand with us, really listen, and tell us the truth. Each of us can be this type of leader, this new presence in the workplace.
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