Leadership Presence Part 1

Each of us is an architect of our leadership.

I once asked a CEO, “what makes a good leader?” His response was, “You know one when you see one.” While that was not the answer I was hoping for; I think there is some truth in what he said. I call it presence. “We convince by our presence,” said the poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson.

I’ve been enamored with the notion of leadership presence for some time. It’s not about a fancy title or having a specific role. It is so much more. It is trust, honesty, authenticity, inspiration and self-awareness.

In the book, “Presence, An Exploration of Profound Change in People, Organizations, and Society,” authors Flowers, Jaworski, Scharmer, and Senge talk about having the capacity to suspend our old ways of seeing things. “Seeing freshly starts with stopping our habitual ways of thinking and perceiving.” (p.29) This requires that we engage in some inner work. In order to do this, we need to pause and reflect on our intentions and actions. Leadership coaching benefits those seeking to tap into their leadership potential.

Today, more than ever, we need leaders who are willing to be authentic in their intention and purpose so that their presence inspires and calls forth the common good for all.

Contact me at sls@gracious-space.com to help you architect your leadership presence.

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