Everyone has met someone who projects an aura of warmth and authenticity that inspires that loyalty to follow you everywhere. They seem to have the ability to make everyone they meet feel comfortable and at ease. When they speak, people listen. They are attractive, genuine and confident. Because they easily connect with others, people like and trust them and enjoy working with them. These people have what we call leadership presence.
So how do people develop leadership presence, and why is it so important in today’s economy? We live in a world of two minutes. We have the first minute to show people who we are and the second minute to establish credibility. How we present ourselves affects how we are perceived so much, that it will boost our careers and affect our earning potential. Leadership presence allows you to cultivate respect, build trust, and create genuine relationships. And in today’s competitive economy, creating and maintaining authentic Relationships is what success in business is all about.
The good news is that it is not something that a privileged few are born with. In fact, it is an active achievement and everyone qualifies. The only prerequisite is a commitment to take yourself and others to a higher level.
The following six steps will provide you with a roadmap to help you get there:
1. Be genuine
Success in business today is about making genuine connections with people, building relationships, and always striving to do the right thing. People with leadership presence know who they are, what they stand for, and what their values are. By living their lives in alignment with their values, they build respect for themselves and, in turn, earn the respect of others. In a world where human connection is waning, those people who lead from their core will find themselves in a league of their own. And your customers and co-workers will reward you with their loyalty.
2. Lead from a place of compassion and respect
People who project executive presence know that respect and compassion are the keys to creating genuine relationships. They also know that these values are directly related to great results and outstanding results. Through experience, they have come to recognize that barriers to communication are often due to a lack of compassion and respect. As such, they know what respect means and understand the subtleties of respect. They care about their people and their customers.
These people have learned that everyone is worthy of respect and they treat everyone equally. They have found that when people feel respected, which is a basic human need, they are able to respond to others in the same way. They realize that respect is the glue that holds people, relationships, and businesses together. Those with leadership presence understand this and consistently think of respect as a verb to put into action. These leaders are kind, considerate, and genuine and inspire others to emulate them. In turn, they are rewarded with people who go the extra mile for them because they know they would do the same for them.
3. Make yourself memorable: learn to manage first impressions
Take a moment to think of someone you know who projects a leadership presence. When they walk into a room, do heads turn in your direction? Do they dress with style and distinction? Do their facial expressions make them approachable? At a networking function, when you engage people in conversation, do you make that person feel like they’re the only person in the room? That person will most likely always leave a positive and lasting impression, and knowing how to handle first impressions plays a vital role in a person’s continued success.
So how important is it? According to a study conducted by Dr. Albert Mehrabian of the University of California, Los Angeles, in a first impression scenario, 55 percent of the conclusions drawn about an individual are based on nonverbal communication (dress, language, etc.). body and facial expression). expressions), 38 percent are based on the vocal image (the sound of the voice) and only 7 percent on the spoken words.
The enlightened person realizes that in order to make a positive first impression, they must step out from behind the technology and truly connect with others. Human connection can only occur when people hear the sound of someone’s voice, look someone in the eye, or shake someone’s hand. So it’s worth making that phone call or meeting with an employee, customer, or prospect in person. The people who do can simply create a genuine relationship and accomplish more, in the process.
4. Communicate with impact
Although everyone communicates differently, people with a leadership presence are aware of their communication style and constantly strive to improve it. And they are wise in doing so. According to senior executives surveyed by the Conference Board of Canada, excellent communication skills are among the most valued of all employees.
To this end, numerous studies have been conducted to assess the impact of credibility on communication effectiveness. Those studies have concluded that there are five main qualities that everyone looks for in a credible communicator: competence, composition, character, likeability and being outgoing. A person’s ability to hone their message and project these qualities has a profound impact on their credibility and presence.
It’s important to note that the main reason business people communicate is to share information in order to create a call to action. If they want to communicate with impact, people with leadership presence are mindful of the words they choose and the style in which they are spoken. They realize that their voice is often the first impression people will have of them. It is what defines them and facilitates human connection. To strengthen that connection, they project their voice with confidence, energy, and enthusiasm. When they speak, their words paint a thousand pictures, and by using colorful adjectives and descriptive phrases, their ideas come to life.
And finally, great communicators are active, attentive listeners who spend much more time asking questions than talking. They are fully present when they converse with others and raise the self-esteem of others through their silence, their affection and their attention.
5. Develop etiquette and business protocol
People with leadership presence have the unique ability to make others feel comfortable and at ease. They are aware of the nuances of proper etiquette and business protocol. Many of the rules that apply to entertaining guests at home also apply to entertaining clients at work. This includes everything from a proper greeting, a strong handshake, making small talk, or dining like a diplomat. Developing their skills in all of these areas builds professional self-confidence and, in turn, allows them to focus on the business at hand. After all, they are ambassadors for your company and the way they present themselves in a variety of business situations will say a lot about the company as a whole.
6. Fight for balance in life
So finally, what is that elusive quality that we see but cannot define when we meet someone with leadership presence? It is often called charisma, that unique quality that comes from knowing and honoring yourself and projecting that to others. This rare quality can only be nurtured and developed by living a balanced life. By taking care of themselves, eating well, exercising, and spending time with the people and things that are most important to them, they not only feel good about who they are, but also develop self-respect and increase their self-esteem . This is what fuels a positive self-image and allows a genuine leader to shine.
At the end of the day, leadership presence is really about being the kind of human being that others want to emulate. It’s about humility and authenticity and projecting who you are, from the inside out. It is about living life in accordance with one’s values and showing others what one stands for. By putting these leadership qualities into practice, people will not only create genuine relationships, they will reap rewards that exceed their highest expectations.
And all of that adds up to a better bottom line.
By Kimberley Richardson