Yesterday I left the house with 2 pairs of sunglasses, one on the brim of my cap, one on my face. I drove across town, leashed up the dog, and started on one of my favorite walking loops in Napa. I was about ¾ of a mile into it when I discovered I had both pairs of glasses with me.
Over-preparedness?
Super bright sun?
Was I going to share my 2nd pair with the dog?
No to all.
I was simply not present. I had put a pair on the rim of my cap as I was putting shoes on, checking emails, putting dishes in the dishwasher (who knows what else – can’t remember because ya’ know…not present!), and the second pair on my face as I eventually walked out the door.
Presence is vital to our relationships, in work, and with ourselves.
So often at work, we are moving fast, getting things done, knocking down the to-do list. And yet – your active attendance to what is happening in the moment can be crucial for your own success, for helping people feel heard, and ultimately, success at work.
Consider your last team meeting when you were presenting, or leading a discussion. How engaged was your audience? Were they multi-tasking on their phone or other device, or did you have their full attention? Whatever was happening - how did this make you feel?
Now, consider the reverse – how often are you "somewhere else" as someone else is speaking? It seems like a great idea at the time – "If I just get this last thing done, then I can completely tune in." But the moment may be lost – that person presenting can feel your lack of presence, and depending on your role in the organization, this could have a devastating effect on them.
Your presence to others and yourself is critical. If you are making the time to do something, anything, be fully there, in the moment. If you can’t, consider rescheduling your commitment until you can.
In the case of the dual sunglasses, there was really no harm, other than perhaps my ego, as I looked pretty silly.
With others, however – the stakes are higher.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
Check out the podcast this week as Sherry and I talk about a Mid-Year Reset to the commitments we made at the beginning of the year. You’ll get to hear the amazing Sherry Essig coach me in the moment as one of my themes for the year is presence.
Clearly, I am still a work in progress 😊
