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January 8th, 2014 | 6:00 am 14 Tips For Developing “Leadership Presence” filed under Expert Answers By John Keyser Quite frequently in my leadership consulting and coaching practice, I am asked about “leadership presence”, specifically how to increase our “executive presence” or “board room presence”. Coincidently, many of the men and women who bring this up are people whom I believe already do, in fact, have significant leadership presence. This may not be surprising as we all have some degree of insecurity, that inner voice in our mind that often whispers negative

”, specifically how to increase our “executive presence” or “board room pre

4 senses of character-based leadership

Sense of mission:

Without accomplishment, there is no need for a leader. Leadership implies motion. Motion without direction is wasted.

In Times of Success  Cocky leaders use the word, me, to describe the reason for the team's success.

Confident leaders see no use in the word, me, to describe reasons for success.

You will hear constant praise for the team as they describe how everyone worked together to make it happen. You will hear no overtones of 'Me' because the leader will be constantly praising the strengths and contributions of every member that played an integral part of the team's success. 

Seize the moment by being alert and available

People who have something to say, but not the nerve to say it, are often compelled to find opportunities to get closer to the bright lights of power and pose seemingly innocuous questions.

• Expose people’s fears

We like our leaders to be confident, clear, in control. We take comfort from leaders who have a vision, who are insightful, who know where they are going.

We are not nearly as comfortable with ambiguity. Ambiguity is uncertain. We do not know what is going to happen with ambiguity.

We are not reassured when leaders are ambiguous. We trust them less.

What if, though, we could find a way to do what Buddhist teacher Thubten Chodron describes as a process of "Removing Our Buttons?" She writes:

"Rather than acting according to our habitual pattern of blaming others for our anger, we can note that our buttons are being pushed depends on two factors: other's actions and our having buttons. If we remove our buttons, there won't be anything for others to push."

According to Thubten Chodron, our removal of these buttons is simply removing our "automatic and habitual responses that so often get us tangled in cycles of anger and conflict with others."

Look at your to-do list and ask, “What are the things on here that can only be accomplished by me?

 That becomes your to-do list, and everything else gets delegated.  You know who can handle what.  When those tasks are delegated appropriately, they will be done promptly and efficiently.  You may even find they’re done better than you would have done them–especially if you believe enthusiastic buy-in and positive reception by the people they’re intended for are important.

You are surrounded by people that want to help (and want to help you!).