What is 'leadership presence'?

In simple terms, it is the quality of being awake and aware, or 'present' in each moment. This practice of awareness is also known as ‘mindfulness’, and has a number of proven benefits.

Mindfulness can boost your sense of wellbeing by increasing your memory, focus, ability to negotiate and resolve conflicts, and analytical ability.  Leadership presence can help you to better serve your clients and customers by allowing you to work more collaboratively and fostering better decision-making.

Other proven benefits of mindfulness include reduced cholesterol, blood pressure, and muscle tension as well as improved alertness and attention to detail, an enhanced ability to cope with stress, relate to other people, and handle conflict in a calm and humane manner, and a more stable and steady mind. The medical journals are packed with articles attesting to the proven benefits of 'mindfulness'.

Mindfulness is most effectively practiced through what’s called insight meditation.  When you think of 'meditation', what images come to mind?  I am talking about the simple act of sitting still and allowing yourself to open your awareness to the ‘self’ behind your everyday personality...that is, your human 'beingness'.

Meditation is a simple way to reconnect with your inner authority or 'voice of leadership', the simplicity of who you really are, beyond all the daily dramas, stresses, and ambitions of life. It is a way to create an open invitation each day for authentic inspiration to 'drop in' and visit.

So, do you want to give it a try? Here’s a simple mindfulness meditation practice you can begin with:

Focus attention on your heart area and observe the subtle motion of the rise and fall of your breath. It can be helpful to inwardly say to yourself. ‘in’ and ‘out’ as you experience the gentle inflow and outflow of your breath.

If you find yourself distracted by some other pain or irritation, merely notice it and name it. For instance, if you notice your jaw feels tight, you say inwardly, ‘clenching, holding, tightening”, simply acknowledging each experience as it arises.

You might feel your back aching, and you silently name the feeling... ‘aching, aching, pulling, pulling, burning, burning, tightening, tightening, etc.  What you will notice is that your dominant sensation will continually shift. The focus of your attention can stay with your dominant sensation, and when that fades away or shifts, gently return your attention to the breath, ‘in and out’. You might then, for example, become aware of someone rustling a paper, so you inwardly say to yourself, ‘rustling, rustling’.

It's important to notice while meditating that the one doing all this observing, ie. YOU, does not change. You, the observer, is always the same...it's your thoughts and sensations that constantly shift, not you.

As you continue this process, even for as briefly as for five minutes, a sense of peace and clarity may begin to come into your awareness, even in the midst of personal dramas and outside stresses.

It is from this quiet, peaceful space that your most inspired 'voice of leadership' or intuition will make itself heard.

Throughout the day, practice noticing yourself, that you behind all of the surface activity, the observer, the one that never changes, the you that is solid, steady, and sure. This is your place of 'leadership presence'. This is the self that will guide you to more on purpose activities and healthy relationships. This is the self which will lead you to your own personal version of success.

Sally’s upcoming courses in Auckland are:
The Art of Powerful Presentations: 17th November and Interpersonal Excellence on 10th November see www.sallymabelle.com/events for details.

Article by Sally Mabelle, The Voice of Leadership Specialist:inspiring clear, confident, and connected communication. www.sallymabelle.com

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