How You Present Yourself Is Key To Having Others Follow Your Decisions

Whether in person or remote, your presentation is everything

Photo by Antonio Janeski on Unsplash

Leadership is about teamwork and the players on the team. It is not about the leader. I know, this sounds counterintuitive and the opposite of what is taught about leadership.

However, as a leader, the capacity to make effective, sound decisions is about the impact on your team.

The better your decision-making, the better your team and individual players will be. As a result, the better your organization will be.

Of course, you know this. The problem is how do you make effective decisions?

Let’s first specify what work environment you’re operating in. If your team is physically present, everything factors into your decision-making and the perception your team has of you.

Remember, your physical presence in the form of your body language and hand gestures all influence others looking to you to make decisions.

If you’re leading a remote team, while you may be visible, your tone and language are more important. Regardless of where you are, your engagement will either bring others aboard or lose them. Oh, don’t stare blankly at the camera either.

If you lead a hybrid work environment, all these rules apply.

Your team is always following you. How you expect others to present themselves starts with your behavior.

This is hard to remember. Especially if you have long believed and practiced the hierarchy of boss talk, employees listen.

In today’s environments, regardless of being physically present, remote, or both, it’s about collaboration rather than dictation. We all know you as the leader have the final say. You’re the final decision maker. However, you will make better decisions with better ideas and information.

Better ideas and information come from collaboration. Presenting yourself in a genuine, engaging manner will yield results beyond your expectations.

Be human, be open, listen. Open your arms, stand calmly and welcoming. Your team will appreciate it and you will get the input you need.