What Shows Up When You Walk into the Room?

Wherever you go, there you are.  – Jon Kabat Zinn

You have an inseparable presence that others experience.  It's who you really are... who you are in your best moments. 

We all get to see it when you’re out in public, as often that’s when you’re near your best.   With friends. 

My friend, Coach Sheila, teaches and coaches on this.  In coaching language, it’s often called your ‘essence’, or ‘best self’.  

And this is related to your leadership too.

In my experience most leaders learn ‘textbook’ leadership… what I mean is like a great reel or book on leadership and then forgetting to note on your daytimer how you’ll action it.  It’s not a terrible thing…it just doesn’t have a high success rate.  It’s the knowledge-action gap.

Execution is everything. 

Great leadership starts with self-leadership.  How you show up.   How intentional you are at practicing bringing your ‘best self’ into the room.   Strengthening that skill like a muscle, through consistent reps.

Your team, family, clients, friends, and community experience who you are, not what leadership book you read.

Leadership effectiveness is an inside-out game.

And it starts with reflective questions like these:

1. When you're at your best, what qualities do people consistently experience from you?

   
   

2. How often does that version of you show up each day? (%, best guess)

   
   

3. What % would you like that to be next week?

   
   

4. What is a simple way you could remind yourself to bring more of your best self into your leadership, relationships, and/or work next week?

I'm coaching this awesome guy right now who used to play pro sports. Family man. Business leader. Self-deprecating... like, big time. He doesn't give himself nearly enough credit for how amazing a guy he is. And that's changing.

Sometimes all we need is a little belief breathed into us consistently enough to light the match that's been waiting to be lit.  Early on, we discovered together how he can access his best self much more consistently.   And he’s embracing the practice.  Doing the work.

He's well on his way to working through his challenges because he's reminded himself what it feels like to show up fully for himself. And when we do that, it raises the ceiling on how we're able to show up for others too.

Powerful.

Every room you enter changes the moment you walk in.

The question is... what energy and message are you bringing with you?

And what do you want it to be more of?

Lead the way by leading yourself first.