Gone are the days when professionals produce results solely on the basis of their technical know-how.
With today’s business landscape, we now live in a world where our ideas, products, and services will have to be pitched, and will need to compete with several industry counterparts.
To produce results, one must command the attention and respect of his audience. One must develop the right presence that will differentiate one from the competition.
What are signs of a good and commanding presence?
How can one develop presence?
Presence: More than Dressing
In the past, developing a commanding presence was equated with power dressing and grooming. It meant a good hairstyle, a well-ironed suit, and a good voice. While these are still very much valid, presence nowadays includes something more substantial. It now entails communicates great confidence. It also includes the respect one gives to others and to the event or occasion he is attending.
Communicating Clearly
Real presence should always translate into influence. Influence enables more people to appreciate and follow you, in what you expect and what you want to happen. Hence, regardless of one’s level in the organization, one will need to communicate clearly and strategically.
Empathy
To influence people, communicating clearly must also be elevated to the level of empathy. One must be able to show a real interest in the welfare of others, and even putting one’s self in his neighbors’ shoes. By relating to the feelings and experience of others, and by flexing to consider the challenges of other people, professionals are able to accomplish more through and with other people. Of course, one will need to find the right balance between producing results the business unit needs and caring for the welfare of people.
Emotional Intelligence
In order to ensure empathy, one must be practice greater emotional intelligence. Hence, the saying goes, “EQ is more important than IQ.”
Practicing good EQ entails a capacity to understand one’s own emotions together with the emotions of other people — and being able to communicate with the necessary maturity even during difficult or stressful moments.
This requires professionals to be fully aware of their own selves, and being able to deal with strong emotions and impulses. Professionals must be adaptable to uncertainty and change. Studies have shown that a leader’s emotions affect 50 to 70% of the workplace climate. In turn, the kind of workplace climate affects 20 to 30% of company performance.
Authenticity
Authenticity completes the character of a person. When one shows respect to others, is genuine and honest, professionals gain the trust and loyalty of others.
Learn how to increase presence and influence today, and professionals will see faster results in all their professional transactions.
Filed Under Communication, Leadership & Management
