Presence
The definition of presence used here is "the bearing, carriage, or air of a person: A noteworthy quality of poise and effectiveness: The fact or condition of being present.
There are countless benefits for all of us in being fully present in the moment. Allowing ourselves to be distracted by thoughts of yesterday, or worries about tomorrow, steals the only time we actually have...this moment. Time is something created to help us better manage the moments we have. It allows us to schedule meetings, appointments, and create a universally recognized framework in order to coordinate our days with others. However, time itself is relative and fleeting. We cannot act in any time but the present moment. It is the only time that we are able to influence directly. We cannot change the past, and we can only plan for the future but too many variables separate us from now and what will come. Only the present moment is ours.
Great leaders are able to keep themselves present in the moment. They recognize the power of being completely in the moment. When you are completely present you are able to be intentional instead of reactive. This is the difference between leaders and everyone else.
*Know what outcome you hope to accomplish before any interaction with others.
*Be conscious of your mood and how your body language, speech, and tone will be received. These things can determine the outcome of your interactions with others.
*Be aware of the other people or person's state of being and be intentional in your reaction to them. Knowing someone is upset, in a good mood, distracted, etc can help you determine if there is a possibility of miscommunication and work to remove that.
*Intentionally use a different tone or approach with someone to let them know there is something more important or different about this situation. Speaking in a more somber tone allows other people to understand the conversation is serious. Speaking in an excited tone lets them know something is different.
*When you find yourself distracted, stop and redirect your thoughts to what matters now. In the book "Essentialism" by Greg McKeown he discusses a story about a coach that uses the word win in a unique way to inspire his team to stay in the moment. He taught his team to always ask "What's Important Now?" In that way his team was able to play to their best ability instead of just being reactive.
Presentation
Prestation sets the mood, tone, and delivery of the conversation. It is important to be intentional when presenting an issue or concern, a change, or just general information to your team. Politicians are probably one of the easiest examples of presentation going well or poorly. Two politicians can present the same issue in different ways to evoke different reactions. They take the facts and add wording that creates emotion and gets reactions.
Leaders can use this skill to inspire and engage their team. A few things to remember:
*Timing is important, but do not lose the opportunity to present something important because you were waiting on "perfect" timing.
*Always bring possible solutions when presenting a problem. Do not present a problem as someone else's to fix. Take ownership of the issue and work together to resolve it.
*If possible, resolve the issue then present how you resolved it.
*Beware "hot" words. Avoid words that create negative feelings and can put a negative spin or a feeling of blame on a situation.
*Leave out personal commentary. Stick to the facts.
*Be sure you present matters in the appropriate setting. Do not discuss sensitive issues in front of others.
*If there is an emotional situation:
a. Wait until you have given yourself time to process your emotions if possible.
b. Allow others time to process emotions.
c. If you cannot allow time for emotions to be processed, acknowledge that there are emotions involved. This does not discredit your stance. Screaming you are not upset, when clearly you are will, however, discredit you.
*Use body language and tone of voice to clue others into what you are thinking. Smiling can ease concerns if the topic is serious, but you want them to know everything is okay.
*Present the whole picture, not just the angle that suits your agenda. Be transparent and honest about the pros and cons if you want to build trust with your team.
*Allow your team to see your emotion when you want them to see you are part of the team and their victories and failures matter to you.
*Always be intentional.
Scriptures
James 1:19-20 Isaiah 26:3 Philippians 4:11 Psalm 78:72 2 Timothy 2:15
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