How you “show up” says everything about you, your business, and doing business with you.
Sick that day? People don’t care. Tired after the baby kept you up all night? People don’t care. Your powerpoint doesn’t work? Figure out a new solution.
Being a leader and a success in your business means you have to always deliver, no matter what. To be uber successful, you are always, a professional. You always deliver what they are expecting and even go above and beyond.
Using that example above that you are sick that day. Visualize this: You paid good money to attend a training where the presenter is known for being lively, vibrant, and packed with amazing content and information. You arrive excited, eager, and even slightly nervous for some reason. The presentation begins and out walks the speaker! Wow, you can’t wait! You are finally going to learn critical information that can change what you are doing! The speaker begins to speak and they start by saying, “I have to apologize as I’m feeling under the weather today. I normally come out with great energy and even dancing sometimes, but I hope you understand that I just couldn’t since I’m sick today. I’ll still teach you all the secrets you came for, but I appreciate you being here. (cough cough) ;)”
How would you feel? Like all the excitement, energy, and nervousness just went out the window. Wah waaah. Feeling like you are being jipped from the experience.
The attitude you display, the words you speak, the body language you exude and the scornful faces that you don’t think anybody else sees (but of course they do), all contribute to the value, or lack thereof, that you, as a leader, create for others.
Honestly, being a public speaker takes a lot of practice, training, and a thick skin. Typically, as much as it would be awesome and amazing to look out in the crowd and see a room packed full of people on the edge of their seats, leaning in, with big expressive smiles on their faces waiting to hear every word drip out of your mouth; it’s actually the complete opposite.
Audiences just don’t give good face. They look bored, annoyed, and even hold a smirk as if they are thinking, “I can do that better than you.”
No matter the reason, when you show up in front of your people, it’s game time. Whether it’s an onstage presentation, phone call, webinar, or face to face meeting, there are certain expectations a leader should uphold:
1. Dress the part. Dressing the role also places you into the right mental state. How you present yourself speaks volumes to the level of confidence you have and brings a level of belief and confidence to whom you are speaking with.
2. Play the role. The common perception of a leader is one that is outgoing, bold, confident and speaks well in public. If you’re in a leadership role and do not see yourself as any of the above, fix it. Start developing those skills through trainings and practice.
3. Be Honest and Direct. Trust is built when you don’t paint yourself into a corner with the twist and turns of your story. Be direct and honest. Deliver the information even if it’s not exactly what they may want to hear. Trust will grow stronger when you tell people the truth in the situation, which may not be what they want to hear. You can easily ruin trust and future business if you sell them on something that may not be the right fit.
4. Accept difficult questions. If you don’t know, then you don’t know. Skirting the issue or speaking around in generalities is a clear window showcasing poor confidence and increasing distrust. Sharing your knowledge is valuable but passing the right information to the right people can transform your position in authority. If you do not know the answer to the question, say it. If you can find out the answer and later get back to them, do it.
5. Just listen. Not everybody needs a solution or to be told what they should do. Sometimes, the best thing a leader can do is just listen to issues and challenges. This is a task that is sometimes hard for a leader, as they tend to feel they need to know it all or fix it all. Just be present in the conversation and show interest and sometimes empathy.
No matter where you go, make sure you show up with the right “leadership hat” on and maintain the delivery and performance that is expected of someone in your position.
A leader’s work is never done.