If you want to find a model for powerful presence. Look no further than George Washington. It is said that the mere sight of Washington would inspire his troops. The intensity of his eyes says it all. What about you? How can you project your presence regardless of organizational level?
As the leader, you are the heartbeat of organizational culture. Without strong leadership presence, your organization’s culture will define itself into some low-performing state in which no one is happy. The culture of any organization mirrors the character of the man or woman at the top. If the leader is driven, focused, and results oriented, the organization will exhibit the same characteristics. If the leader takes prudent risks, is not afraid to fail, and displays the confidence to course correct, then the organization will likely be more entrepreneurial and aggressive.
In contrast, if the leader is reticent and vacillates at the first sign of difficulty, has trouble sticking to a plan, and doesn’t accept sound advice when course corrections are in order, then the organization will take on a passive wait-and-see culture. Even worse, if the leader displays a habit of punishing failure, he’ll soon be making all the decisions himself because none of his subordinates will want to take any risks.
A reward of leadership is the opportunity to put your stamp on an organization as you work toward the attainment of common goals. For better or worse, intentionally or unintentionally, the personality of the leader is injected into all levels of the organization. That’s why you should develop a conscious plan to infuse your team with the desired positive culture. As the leader, you must work tirelessly to project your core vision downward and across your entire organization through consistent and frequent communication. When your team starts to echo back your vision through their feedback and actions, you know you’ve succeeded in establishing your presence.
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