The Power of Presence As a Trait and How to Hire For It
“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone and think.” — Blaise Pascal
In part one of this series, published in The Mission, I wrote about a culture of high performance and how to hire for it.
The general thesis, backed by research from peak performance coach, PHD and best-selling author, Dr. David Logan, was based on his Culture Map below.
It says that striving for people who behave with ‘innocent wonderment’ have the habits to benevolently carry a team and work together at the highest levels.
In part 2, I’ll talk about the power of being present, and how it leads to behaving with innocent wonderment — which ultimately leads to high performing people and a high performing organization.
Here’s a quick refresher of Dr. Logan’s Culture Map
Power of Presence and Why It Leads to Wonder
“[Being] present is the ability to connect with an inspire others.” — Author of the Power of Presence and a top 25 largest women owned business owner in Washington DC Kristi Hedges
Being present is being 100% conscious, aware, and aligned with what’s happening in a current moment.
Most importantly while we live and work, it’s not resisting (stress) what’s happening which so many of us subtly let ourselves get lost in.
Letting go and surrendering should be practiced often and meditation is a great exercise to build and hone this skill. I’ve been practicing an hour a day and have watched my presence and performance skyrocket.
People who are good at being present are less likely to be distracted — and not being distracted requires discipline.
Present people are disciplined. Naturally because being present is discipline itself.
Most importantly, it requires control of where one invests their attention which is ultra valuable today.
Most people don’t protect their attention as if their life depended on it. Do that moving forward and watch your performance at work and life chance.
In today’s notification driven attention economy, presence is king.
Though human intelligence is being replaced for higher and higher skilled jobs, human brainpower and deep work has never been more needed and powerful.
Creativity and good ideas implemented quickly is all that’s going to matter soon.
I’ll never forget a former colleague, the CEO of my last company, who is the most masterful owner of his attention and present person I’ve ever come across. One evening around 7pm on a Friday evening, I saw him in the office and came up behind him.
With his back to me, I called his name and he continued to remain focused on the screen. After about ten seconds, he shifted his focus to me, again with 100% presence. Not a shred of distraction, past or presence in this guys mind. That man went on to sell the company that started at $0 and zero customers to $15 million in revenue and thousands of customers for $50 million. He needed no outside venture capital.
Not shocking this person is one of the most voracious learners I know and could sit alone pondering things for hours and could happily hangout ‘working’ at the office until midnight.
To him he was just learning and wondering — and was a guy you always wanted around.
Masters of Presence
Present people dive in to things head on.
They’re driven by ‘how’ they do what they do, not what they do.
They let the moment to moment chips fall where they may.
“It’s always on the line” — Josh Waitzkin
Trying to control big events or high points or important meetings at work isn’t the strategy to “show up and perform your best”.
Think as though you’re in the big moment, meeting, event, speaking gig always.
That’s the difference between a top performer and a mediocre one. Create the environment around you to rise to the occassion and surround yourself with the people who will bring it out of you. The one’s who remind you of your future self.
I live this way and go all in at all times. For example, I’m trying to work on my frame control in my conversations — setting the tone and leading the conversation by leading the frame, not allowing myself to be led by the other persons frame. I apply this to everything from communicating with colleagues to communicating with women.
Being fully present in the moment is the key to ownership of the frame, and going all in to each conversation. I try and imagine my old boss, the $50 million CEO, he sat there while I talked to him for ten seconds. He came out owning the frame and winning my respect.
Presence wins again
Here’s Josh Waitzkin, my favorite passage of all time: both on the power of presence in a competitive setting but of course applies to our work lives as well (apologies for the small lettering):
My personal test for how well I’m performing in a given moment is based on the quality and serenity of that moment.
Am I rushed and loopy (I am all the time)? Or am I in flow and effortless (I’m getting better).
Am I resisting what’s happening or am I connected to it.
Effortlessness is when the magic comes out.
I do everything I can to create an environment that’s conducive to this state.
Naturally, when I embrace the challenge of being present, I embrace solitude. When I embrace solitude, it leaves plenty of room for wonder and a love for learning.
Presence and wonder make life worth living for me, and I hope they help do the same for you.
“The quality of your consciousness at this moment is what shapes the future.” — Eckart Tolle from best-selling book, The Power of Now
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