Leadership is a critical aspect of any organization or group. A leader’s presence can significantly impact the success (or failure) of a team and organization at large. It is not just about authority but the ability to inspire and influence others positively. Leadership presence can be defined as the way someone conducts themselves, behavior, and communication style. In this blog, we will discuss the importance of establishing accountability, leading by example, and what it means to be a leader, no matter your title as it pertains to developing and maintaining a professional leadership presence.
A leader who takes responsibility for their actions, decisions, and the overall performance demonstrates credibility and builds trust. As we’ve mentioned before, building relationships and trust is a major component in a healthy workplace culture. When accountability is in play, it sets the stage for actions and decisions to become the blueprint for others to follow. Many are recognizing that the ability to both uphold accountability is becoming lost amongst today’s leaders. If there is no accountability mechanism in place, things quickly fall apart. You may notice things “slipping through the cracks” such as, missed deadlines and unfinished work, which can spill over into these larger challenges:
- Low team morale
- Poor performance
- Micromanagement
- Low job satisfaction
- High turnover
- Low employee engagement</span
- Unclear project and task priorities
To avoid these risks, clear and concise communication must be established in the onset. Consistent messaging helps to drive active listening and opens the floor for feedback as necessary. Let’s face it, having a lack of accountability comes at a high cost and no company should want to pay the price. However, before looking at accountability across a team, evaluation of your leadership presence is required..
Simply put, when someone leads by example they let their actions—and not words—do the talking. Whether they hold a traditional leadership position, does not matter as much as emulating qualities that others notice and feel compelled to model themselves. Leadership presence isn’t a one-off skill, it’s a way of being present, vulnerable and open.
In the field today, we’ve noticed the dwindle in the approach of “showing up”, and a big contributing factor is the increase in remote and hybrid work. Due to the lack of routine, it’s no secret that the showing virtually requires a different level of preparation than showing up in person. That’s not to say that those who work from home are not able to establish a leadership presence; it’s just going to be intentional in deploying different methods and level of effort. For example, if you’re constantly showing up late to meetings, eventually that will begin to create a culture that disregards time. On the other hand, if you’re constantly working with minimal boundaries and balance, you could also send the message that the expectation is to put forth extra effort and hours, which could eventually lead to burn out. The takeaway here is to be mindful of how you are not just leading your team, but also yourself. When’s the last time you set intentions about how you show up?
All in all, effective leadership does not exist without leadership presence; and should not be an afterthought. In addition to inspiring and motivating team members, you are cultivating a culture that includes positivity and respect. After reading this, we encourage you to think about changes you can make today that will build upon enhancing your leadership presence, what that looks like for you, your team, and the overall impact to the organization. We challenge you to lead with Confidence, Credibility, and Commitment.
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DB Latimore Professional Services Group, provides services that are tailored to the needs of an organization by utilizing our exclusive Productivity Powered by P.E.O.P.L.E.® framework. We provide leadership development that aligns with strategy by cultivating employee value — driving productivity that educates and empowers workforce longevity.
Make a change in your strategic approach to developing leaders for operational success.We encourage you to take action now! Engage with us today and allow our team to access and understand your environment to develop a customized plan for your organization. Schedule your consultation today.