Examples of Present Leadership
Being present is now viewed as a key trait needed to be a successful leader, and there are plenty of Present Leaders that have inspired people over the years.
An excellent example of a present leader is Cisco SVP Gabrielle Thompson, who says staff need presence and time from their leaders, not solutions. By listening actively to her team, she creates a space that enables them to solve their problems.
Another inspiring example is Doug Conant, Campbell’s Soup CEO, who famously got to know most of his staff on a personal level and famously sent them 30,000 handwritten notes during his time at the helm.
Self awareness is widely cited as a key leadership determinant of success. Research studies demonstrate the benefits of self-awareness in leaders, and how important it is to be able to manage our thoughts and emotions.
There has been focus on assisting leaders manage their emotions in recent years, and now there is also a need to manage our thoughts. If you’ve ever found yourself ‘living in your head’ or finding it difficult to manage stress because of negative thoughts you’ll know what this is all about.
Imposter syndrome is another classic example of when leaders are impeded by unhelpful thoughts. Present leaders like Atlassian’s Mike Canon-Brookes have spoken about this publicly, and instead of letting his thoughts get in his way, he uses it to his advantage :
“…my thoughts [on imposter syndrome] are an opportunity for introspection into my own experiences. I've tried to learn to harness them as a force for good”.
Mike Canon-Brookes, Co-Founder Atlassian
Thought management lies at the heart of being a present leader, and is the key to ensuring you don’t let unhelpful thoughts dictate your actions. It enables you to be more mindful, stay present, and experience the world in front of you instead of living in your head.
Thoughts can trigger stressful emotions, and without managing these thoughts effectively they can become a significant challenge to performing at our best as a leader.
Being aware of our thoughts and managing them is an important aspect of being a Present Leader, so that we can engage with people effectively and know how our thoughts and emotions impact others around us.
There are other benefits of presence in leadership, including :
more effective decision making
ability to manage stress
engaging communication
staying calm under pressure
Introducing “Thought Management”
Being present at work can be difficult, especially if your role is complex or stressful. It can feel like there’s no other alternative than to push through. If not managed effectively, stress can lead to increased anxiety, overwhelm, anger and even spill over into your personal life.
Thankfully, there is another way.
The thoughts you have at work - and there are thousands every day - contribute significantly to the stress you feel. The good news is that there are simple techniques using Thought Management that are supported by extensive research, to help you become a more present leader, reduce stress and increase your performance.
By being more mindful and aware of the role your thoughts play in the way you respond to situations, engage with people and handle stress, gives you the foundations to take more control of your challenging work conditions.
Before you know it you’ll be tapping into the magic that can happen when you don’t let thoughts get in your way.
There is a simple framework built on extensive evidence based research, called the ‘Thought Management Window’. The model demonstrates the path from being completely unaware of your thoughts, to then being able to detach from the harmful thoughts, and continue developing to a place where you are a fully present leader, grounded and free from the impact of unhelpful thoughts.
Thought Management Window
On this site you’ll learn more about the importance of being aware of your thoughts, and how to detach from them so you are free to be the most present leader you can be.
There’s also a blog called ‘Just a Thought’ which will cover these areas from an array of different angles, and can be delivered direct to your inbox. By subscribing in the grey box below, you’ll get a daily thought provoking blog post and also stay updated on new materials and resources, including insights from the upcoming new book ‘The Present Leader Playbook’ which will be launched soon.