When the boss walks into the meeting, the temperature changes.
I’m sure you’ve felt that over the course of your career. But have you thought about the impact that your presence now has in the gatherings you attend?
And I’m not just talking about your physical presence. Sure, when your body shows up in the room (or your face shows up on the virtual call), your entrance sends a message. And you send another message when you show up mentally – or don’t – and people can see whether you are paying attention to the conversation. And you send yet another message in the active or passive nature of your presence – in the frequency and timing of your verbal contributions to the conversation.
People will draw conclusions about the importance of a topic by your presence and participation. They will also draw conclusions about your trust of the other participants by the frequency, timing, and content of your contributions – both verbal and non-verbal.
When we think about communication skills for leaders, it’s easy to think about writing memos and giving presentations. But some of the most powerful communication you can have may result simply from your presence.
If you’d like a thinking partner to help you evaluate or improve the way you communicate with your presence, let’s talk. Visit stevedwire.com/talk to start the conversation.
Leave a Reply