Some leaders are blessed with “gravitas.” They can command a room or an audience by their very presence. People naturally turn to them and tune in to them whenever they are present. I admire their natural and God gifted abilities to influence others with charm, good people skills, compelling personality, and natural born leadership ability. What these type of leaders have cannot be bought and cannot be learned or developed. However, any leader, and you must not be a “natural born leader” in order to lead, can develop their own abilities and increase their ability to influence and motivate others. I’m still working on it and perhaps you are too. Therefore, here are some thoughts that I encourage you to apply as you consider what happens when a leader enters the room.
- The leader is ordinarily on time. I say ordinarily because there are exceptions to everything. Sometimes there is a necessary meeting before the meeting or a unexpected urgent matter calls for their attention. If they have charge of the meeting you will notice that someone is there in their stead and everything is prepared so that once they arrive there is no further delay. The leader will offer an apology and explanation. However, their late arrival is the exception and not the rule. Why? Because a true leader can be counted on and that is modeled by arriving at the agreed upon time.
- The leader greets everyone personally if possible. Again you will note the caveat of “if possible.” A gathering of six or eight people and a gathering of six hundred people are not the same. In the first instance, all in attendance will be personally engaged. In a larger setting the leader will seek to engage as many people as possible before and after the event.
- The leader projects energy and optimism. He or she may not even feel like being there. He may be tired, frustrated, or fighting a cold, but will not tip his or her hand. This energy and optimism does not mean that he is not serious but as a leader, he is there to help find the way forward and confidently helps everyone present to know there are alternatives and hope for the future.
- The leader is prepared. Preparation may mean providing an agenda, having pre-determined questions, having studied in advance to offer answers to questions or concerns, or preparing a message to deliver. While a leader learns to be extemporaneous, he or she is known for being well prepared.
- The leader is focused on the people in the room and not electronic devices. I do not object to the possession or use of electronic devices in meetings but you will notice that leaders may use them as a tool but not as a distraction. Their focus is on the people inside the room rather than those outside of it for the duration of the gathering.
- The leader leaves when they must but never appears to be in a hurry. People have schedules to keep and leaders are no exception. The leader will tend to linger when possible to continue personal interaction with those in attendance but sometimes has to move along to other obligations. He or she will make their way to the exit and though they may be in a hurry will avoid giving the appearance that they are anxious to depart.
I want to add one other note for the Christian leader. Let’s pray for one another for God’s anointing on our lives. My desire is that He would place on me a supernatural and spiritual drawing that makes my leadership, wisdom, and guidance fruitful and compelling to others, not for my own elevation, but that I might be used mightily of God for His Kingdom purposes. How about you?