Published on June 28, 2020
William Hickman
Why a Leader’s Presence is Important?
Have you ever attended an important event and waited patiently for the “Strategic Leader” to arrive? How did the dynamic of the room change with his/her arrival – positive or let’s get this meeting over with? Leaders are constantly observed whether on the job, in a community setting, or relaxing on vacation. Once you agree to step forward as a leader you are accepting the challenge to demonstrate presence, excellence, motivation, and the best qualities of your organization every day all day.
While everyone has good and bad days, a strategic leader owes his/her organization a pledge, a commitment, and the dedication to be fully present and conscience of their actions and the environment—you are never off the public stage. A strategic leader’s impact is felt across an organization to include positively or negatively impacting the daily lives of team members, customers’ satisfaction, supplier opportunities, and the community’s well-being. Never underestimate your presence and the impact a strategic leader has through personal actions, statements, or failures.
There are several characteristics to measure a strategic leader’s presence.
· Character. In selecting leaders, character comes first then competence. A leader’s values and the organization’s values must be aligned to produce an effective leader committed to building a successful organization, dignity and respect for the team members and the customers, and a commitment to improving the community.
· Clear Message – Vision. A leader’s presence must include a clear message aligned with the organization’s vision. A leader must communicate to all team members, the public, and other stake holders consistently without causing confusion.
· Genuine and Honest. A leader must show respect, understanding, and a true desire to know their team to include the strengths and weaknesses and a genuine desire for improvement for all team members.
· Professional Tone. A leader sets the tone for their organization that shapes the business’s culture, team productivity, willingness to learn and improve, and the leader development program. There is one measurement of a leader’s tone and the organization’s culture—are people working hard to join your team or are people looking for new opportunities to leave the team?
Strategic leadership isn’t easy. Once an individual becomes a strategic leader, whether in a business with fifty team members or running a large corporation, the leader must consciously shape an environment that remains aware of threats to the organization to include the organization’s reputation. A strategic leader has several techniques to shape their ability to influence the organization’s environment.
· Calmness. A strategic leader remains calm under pressure, but calmness does include a leader showing passion for the team and the organization. With calmness under pressure, a leader is positioned to receive information from diverse sources, control his/her emotions, and make quality, informed decisions.
· Confidence. With confidence, a leader conveys certainty that the organization will succeed with hard work and a commitment from the team. Confidence comes from sharing hardship, experiences and building resilience.
· Standards. Every organization establishes standards for business operations. Even the most innovative companies have standards that ensure creative thinking and an innovative environment is maintained to encourage free flowing of ideas across the team.
Never underestimate the importance of your presence, especially a strategic leader. Your daily impact on your team has long term consequences, and with a positive presence, the impact will exponentially lead to organizational improvement and future success.
Enjoy your time as a leader. Every day, embrace the challenges, enjoy the opportunities, and focus on your team and the business’s success.
William Hickman is a Senior Advisor at Compass Executives Group