Often, as kids, we manifest our presence by rising our hand “Present! I’m here!” or by visiting our friends! As teenagers, this presence which is rather explorative, shaped by a desire to not miss out on anything and by a thirst to be everywhere, creating worried parents out of our shinning absence. Today, as an adult and leader, how does this presence manifest itself? Which one do you consciously wish to have? How is it lived at work and, more specifically, in a post-pandemic context?
What is your starting point? Your automatic reflexes, your usual “pandemic” way of thinking and your current perspectives favor the emergence of beliefs and the expression of your personal values. In some cases, they can cloud, even impair, your presence as a leader as well as support it! They may also polarise debates. Here are some examples of starting points: – “I do not understand my employees who do not want to come back. We used to work in the office, 100% of the time, before.” – “I’m disappointed by the reaction of some employees. I’ve invested so much to create a work environment that is pleasant and collaborative, in addition to all my efforts to facilitate this new transition.” – “Why return to the office, I am so much more productive at home. My team is now used to working virtually.” Multiple ways of being present Presence can be physical or virtual. It can now be expressed by a day at the office or while teleworking. It can even be categorised (1. Mandatory presence at the office, 2. Presence according to the position occupied, 3. Presence according to the needs of the team…). It asserts itself during a conversation, a meeting, a lunch, a break, or an alignment. Presence is ABOVE ALL UNIQUE and takes many forms, since it matches the current needs of the individual (employees and leader), the team (operations) and the organisation (culture). Some avenues worth exploring to ensure a presence – Which mental space do I favor? Presence may be a mental space we create which is without judgment, particular expectations nor hidden intentions, and with no hyper active mental state. – Which state do I wish to achieve? Presence may also be a state in which we are totally linked to what is here and now. We accept to reduce the pace. The past and the future take a back seat, as only the present moment counts. We accept with openness what is happening at this moment with a fresh look, as a young child would do. – Which human connection do I wish to have, to create? Presence may be a human connection too. It is at the heart of dialogues and inclusion. We thus acknowledge that the person, the team, the organisation in front of us is unique and experience its own odyssey. We listen. We welcome their reactions with empathy. We encourage curiosity in order to better understand them instead of quickly or automatically drawing our own conclusions. We favor an authentic and benevolent attitude because such an attitude encourages people to dare to speak and creates space for learning. What do you wish to do now? You may all make the conscious choice of offering this gift: a simple, authentic and human presence for each of your employees, for your team and for your organisation at a post-pandemic return to work. The simple act of identifying and acknowledging your beliefs and personal values is a first step to being present. Afterwards, all will not be perfect… the important thing is to take action and to connect! If some of you wish to share their experience on the impact of their post-pandemic presence as leader, we would be very happy to hear from you. You may write to us at info@hodyssevolution.com. Our team wishes you beautiful reconnections and a happy end of summer!← BACK