Posted on Jun 14, 2013

The Power of Presence

When one enters into the presence of a king or queen, men bow and women curtsy. It’s respectful. It’s polite. It’s also expected.

A king or queen is also fully aware of the power they wield. With a single word, an army of servants could be deployed. With a simple shift of their eyes or tilt of their head one or more individuals could be escorted away. With a warm smile or a kind gesture of the hand, the approval of a request may be granted.

To command such power, all that is required is his or her presence.

As a differentiating value, Presence means showing solidarity by being there; or effective poise that creates unity. In the case of royalty, their very presence is the symbol of solidarity that unites a nation.

Thankfully, the power of presence also works with non-royalty.

Just Being There

In a marriage, the simple presence of one’s spouse can provide more value than anything else. Just ‘being there’ can mean more to a spouse than any gift, act of kindness, or words of affirmation. It’s a symbol of unity. It means you’re not alone.

The same is true about the presence of parents in their children’s lives. Just ‘being there’ matters. No gifts. No jumping in to fix problems or teaching how things work. No words of correction or affirmation are needed. The simple presence of a mother and father possesses as much power as any king and queen (maybe more).

It also works for anyone who wants to make a difference in their community. Just ‘being there’ means you care. It’s the beginning of leadership. This can include showing up at key events, connecting with other leaders, and positively influencing the direction of policies to the benefit of the community. Even in one-on-one or small group meetings, a leader’s passion for their purpose is best experienced in their presence.

Leading with Presence

As a husband or wife, parent, and/or leader in your community, how are you using your presence to make a difference? Are you trying to demonstrate your support to your spouse? Are you trying to build confidence into your children? Are you trying to lead change in your community to the benefit of future generations?

Learning from royalty, here are three ways to leverage the power of your presence to lead forward.

Clarity of Purpose. Remain focused on key objectives. Don’t allow anything to sidetrack you.
Integrity of Principles. Know your fundamental values, and never waiver. If you ever break them, acknowledge your mistake, apologize, and re-commit to your stated principles.
Unity of People. Look for commonalities that bring everyone together. Focus your energy on building agreement on issues that matter and will make a difference.

For royalty, and the rest of us, there will always be problems to fix, challenges to face, and issues to resolve. However, leaders know how to leverage the power of their presence to add value to others.