Cultivating Leadership Presence

Whether you stepped into it reluctantly or you know you were born to lead, as an entrepreneur, you’re a leader of some sort now. No—really, you are! If you are someone who was born to lead, cultivating leadership presence might be second nature to you. In fact, you don’t have to think about cultivating it because it’s completely natural to you. 

But the problem is, we aren’t all comfortable with this role. You set out to be an entrepreneur after all, not a leader! The thing is, there’s virtually always some overlap between these two terms. 

In some cases, entrepreneurs lack the innate presence the greatest leaders are known for. Maybe they aren’t as confident, charismatic, or bold as they think leaders should be. But all hope is not lost! 

What is a Leader?

If you ask me, and I think you will agree, a great leader exemplifies honesty, integrity, emotional intelligence, and soulful ambition…among other things. Confidence and charisma are great, but they aren’t everything. 

And if you were to ask your friends or family members if these words can be used to describe you, I bet they would say yes. 

But what about the team you lead? What kind of leadership presence would they say you have?

Why Leadership Presence Matters

Whether it’s a team of two or two thousand, the way you lead and your leadership presence will have a ripple effect throughout your entire organization.

In fact, the way you lead sets the tone for all of the operations in your organization.

Here’s what I mean.

• Do you lead with honesty and integrity? Then your team is more likely to act with honesty and integrity themselves
• Are you a leader who prioritizes personal growth and development? Then your team will not only reap the rewards of these efforts, but they’re likely to do the same
• Does your leadership style involve creating a flexible work environment and one that prioritizes self-care? For starters, you’ll attract team members who also value these things, along with team members who appreciate this style of workplace
• Do you connect authentically with your employees and customers? Not only will your customers pick up on this authenticity, but your team members will too!
• Are you a leader who tries to be engaging, inspiring, and motivating? Then you’re more likely to lead a team who feels engaged, inspired, and motivated!

Cultivating Leadership Presence

Now you know why cultivating leadership presence is so important, it’s time to talk about how.

So, I have a little challenge for you.

I want you to grab a pen and paper. Begin to reflect on what leadership means to you. What are the qualities a great leader should exemplify? Get very clear on the items in this list. Be specific in regards to the industry you operate in and the type of team you lead. 

Then, take one item and choose an actionable step for that item that will help you cultivate that presence.

Looking at the examples we just covered, let’s say you list that a great leader focuses on their own emotional intelligence. This is something you want to cultivate in yourself to become a better leader. 

As for an actionable step, one example would be reading a book on emotional intelligence. Maybe watching a YouTube video about developing emotional intelligence (here’s a great one to start).

Although it’s a simple step, every step matters on your journey to being the leader you want to be. 

So, tell me, what step are you going to take today to cultivate your leadership presence and become the kind of leader you want to be? 

Get in touch and let me know! Or, if you want more guidance and coaching on your entrepreneurial journey, take a look at the different ways to work with me, including my Soulful Leadership group coaching course (you won’t want to miss it!).