“Presence stems from believing in and trusting yourself – your real, honest feelings, values, and abilities. That’s important, because if you don’t trust yourself, how can others trust you?” – Amy Cuddy
To be an effective leader, we need to have presence. This is the ability to be fully yourself without holding back. Can you recall a time when this has been true for you? I remember a time when I was being interviewed by a company who was interested in hiring me for a coaching project. I spoke with a passion that came from deep within me. When I finished the meeting, I walked away filled with energy and joy, no matter the outcome. There was joy in being fully present and being myself. Months later, I did receive the contract for the project.
Now, this has not always been true of me. I have done interviews where I said all the right things and have lacked presence. This is an area of continual growth for me. So, how do we release our presence? We connect to presence through our body, mind and spirit. Here are some steps for empowering your presence:
Presence Through the Body
Amy Cuddy is a Harvard Business School professor and social psychologist, who has done research in the study of presence. She has found that expansive body postures help us to become more present and therefore feel more powerful. Have you ever watched the recent television show, Super Girl, or do you remember the classic pose of Wonder Woman? This is where we stand with our hands on our hips and our full body expanded. This is an example of a power pose. Her experiments have shown that by standing in a power pose for just two minutes, people reported increase confidence, being more willing to take risks and significant changes in their hormonal levels related to confidence and decreased anxiety. To learn more about Dr. Cuddy’s work, I recommend her book, Presence, and watching her TED talk.
I encourage you to be aware of your body and posture. When you are sitting at your desk at work, are you hunched over or sitting with your shoulders back? How much time are you spending bent over your phone? There are also various activities that we can engage in that expands our body, such as yoga. Before a big presentation, you could go in the bathroom stall and power pose. The key is being aware of your body in the moment. Maybe our parents did know what they were talking about when they reminded us to stand with good posture!
Presence Through the Mind
Our minds can also help to empower our presence. Yesterday, I had the privilege of hearing about the background of a strong leader as she shared her story with me. As she spoke I could feel the energy of her presence. She had been through some challenging circumstances in her life, even as a child. But these did not hold her back; she is resilient. It made me think and wonder about others who have also been through trying times, but have not been resilient. I realized a key to her success is her mindset. She has a positive perspective on life that also looks towards hope in the future. She was even able to recount memories of her positive outlook in the midst of her challenging childhood.
What tends to be the temperament of your outlook and perspective? I have found that a powerful tool that helps me to be present and then to release my presence is gratitude. When I think about what I am thankful for, it brings me to the moment and on what I do have. It is a place of clarity and peace. What helps you to have a positive outlook and to empower your presence?
Presence Through the Spirit
When I use the word, spirit, I am referring to the very essence of who you are. It is not about what you do, but about your very being. I find that when people tap into this essence, their presence is released in a powerful way. The story I shared about myself at the beginning of this article is an example of this from my own life. In fact, I will use recall of this memory to remind me of the power of letting my presence shine.
What can help you tap into your spirit, is knowing your strengths, passion and values. No one else in the world has the exact same makeup of talents and strengths like you do. You are unique. Knowing your strengths is an indicator of who you are made to be. Your passion is also your drive. It is your dreams. It motivates you. Passion brings life and is your spirit breathing into your presence. Your values are core to who you are. They are deeply held beliefs that guide your day to day behaviors. When you are living in alignment with your values, everything feels in sync and your presence flows. Do you know your strengths, passions and values? Remind yourself of them to empower your presence.
Let your presence shine! You are created with a purpose that is designed to have an impact. Engage your body, mind and spirit to lead well with your presence.