Omni-Dimensional Leadership™
Being Present... Physically
Work From Home Note: While the pandemic changed how much we're present with our people, the principle remains the same. Now, more than ever, our teams need us as leaders to be "present" as much as possible. Reachable, accessible, approachable, and responsive. What creative ways can you think of to be "visible" virtually today?
There's a lot of talk these days about being present. Present in the moment, not being distracted, fully invested in what’s going on in each conversation…
However, with leadership comes an even more fundamental idea: Being present physically.
As a leader of people at any level, we need to be around our people as much as possible. This may sound old fashioned, but without physical presence it’s impossible to do some of the most basic tasks of leadership.
With today's focus on mobility, remote work, and flexible work schedules, this issue has become more challenging. While technology has made our lives easier, too much physical distance from our people can limit our effectiveness as leaders.
Our physical presence is important. The presence of a leader creates a sense of protection, it allows for accessibility, and it improves awareness of issues and challenges. For instance, facial expressions and other non-verbals simply cannot be discovered or addressed when not observed in person.
As leaders, we need to be present whenever possible. For many leaders, especially those that lean toward introversion, analysis, and fact-orientation, there is comfort in our numbers, reports, and quiet work in our offices. If this is you, resist the temptation to isolate yourself to avoid interpersonal interaction! Be intentional and make time to be truly with your people.
We need to be visible, available, accessible, and ready to do the things of leadership when needed.
