“Spiritual leadership is the power to change the atmosphere by one’s presence.”
J. Oswald Sanders
How do you think about your presence? What are some examples when you have “changed the atmosphere?”
For me, these are some ways in which you can “change the atmosphere”. As you read these, consider if you have experienced these kind of interventions and how they impacted the atmosphere or mood:
1. Giving voice to what others are thinking but they’re afraid to say
2. Propping up someone on the team whose value or contribution has been overlooked
3. Inviting people who are quiet or who have a different perspective to speak up
4. Expressing something that goes against the consensus or the Groupthink
5. Voicing appreciation when someone else expresses an unpopular idea
6. Bringing people’s attention to the dynamics in the group or team, without blaming, and asking, “How can we improve the way we’re interacting so that we all feel included, heard or valued?”
7. Asking people in a meeting: “What’s really important here?”
8. Being able to sit in silence in a difficult moment; not needing to respond or to fix it
I recently received this heart-warming feedback about my ability to “change the atmosphere”:
“I have so appreciated your partnership, in particular your observations that help us step back and shift from ‘I’ to ‘we.’ ”
That felt very affirming, and aligned to my intention and impact.
So, what’s the #presence and impact that you want to have? How do you embody that?
If you’re interested in improving your ability to change the atmosphere or to have more impact – or helping your team engage in conversations that matter, let’s talk!
TRANSFORMATIVE COACHING 