The young and dynamic Abhishek had grown in the corporate ladder very quickly. He was not only intelligent but also considered as a domain expert in his organisation. He was eyeing to get on to a C-suite position in his organization. However, for the past five years he had not progressed ahead in his career.

Upset about it, he decided to speak to his CEO and the HR Head on his further growth and promotion.

Both of them shared similar views on Abhishek. They acknowledged his domain knowledge and that he was hard working. However, both of them said he lacked the X factor needed to become a C-suite leader.

What was the X Factor they were referring to, wondered Abhishek.

He was told the X Factor they meant was the way he carried himself, the way he spoke, the way he dressed, the way he behaved etc. In short he was told that he lacked Leadership Presence.

Abhishek was disappointed to note his shortcomings. However, as his CEO was an empathetic leader, decided that Abhishek will work with a leadership Coach to improve his leadership presence.

The coach enlightened Abhishek about these aspects.   

What is leadership presence?

It is the personality, character & traits of a leader that others trust, respect & value because of the commitment, confidence & charisma exhibited.

What makes it important to have a good leadership presence?

When a person has a good Leadership presence, they command respect, trust and have the ability to get things done faster. This leads to higher productivity, better employee morale, being a people magnet, establishes rapport, thereby leading to lower attrition. Thus it aids career growth and progression.

What are the pillars of leadership presence?

• How your character is – No one would like to deal with a person who is snobbish, arrogant or aggressive. One who exhibits politeness, kindness and care is preferred and respected better. Having humility enables better leadership presence. 

• How you show up – This refers to both the physical appearance as well as being prompt for meeting, having a tidy work place, exhibiting listening skills etc. This aspect highlights the visual impact of leadership presence.

• How is your body language – A person who is slouching or keeps hand on the head, lacking eye contact during conversations, does not give a firm hand shake or tapping of the feet etc. represents a poor body language. In comparison a person whose body language reflects confidence is said to have better leadership presence.

• How you communicate – Rude, curt, impolite, usage of foul language, etc. diminishes the leadership presence quotient. In contrast someone who uses pleasant words, is appreciative and tactful while speaking will have a better leadership presence.

• How is your expertise – The higher the level of domain expertise a person exhibits, the higher their authority. Having authority and being considered as a subject matter expert enhances the leadership presence manifold. However, one must be careful not to overly flaunt their expertise as the person may be construed as a show off. At the same time, by not speaking about their domain knowledge, is not the right thing to do. One must know how to strike a fine balance between the two in order to build their leadership presence.

What needs to be avoided?

By working with the Coach, Abhishek became aware of his blind spots. He began to understand why his CEO felt he lacked leadership presence. His awareness levels about his behaviour enhanced and he realised the following about himself. 

• He was a poor listener would get easily distracted when someone was speaking with him.
• He never cared about the way he looked especially with uncombed hair or unshaven look. He was not well groomed.
• During team meetings he came late, took the limelight, never gave others an opportunity to speak, made sexist remarks, cracked insensitive jokes and appeared restless. 
• He seldom smiled or greeted his co-workers, leave alone helping them when required.
• He lacked the ability to get things done because of his poor rapport with colleagues.

With heightened awareness now and the importance of leadership presence, Abhishek has started to work on improving his leadership presence. Abhishek is grateful to his CEO for enabling him to work with a Leadership Coach and become a better leader. He is waiting to make his dream come true of being a C-suite leader in his organisation shortly.  

You can connect with Sangeeta Shankaran Sumesh Click Here

A fourteen-year-old child who needs help with her mental health was one of the very early clients I had the chance to coach.  Even though I was nervous, coaching helped her make friends, focus on what she loved instead of what her folks wanted her to do, and get over being alone.

After that, I found out that every two out of the five coaching clients had different levels of mental health issues and needed to change the way they thought.  This made me learn more about mental health and wellness as a coach.

Mental health mostly refers to the health of our brains and our emotional stability. Mental wellness, on the other hand, is a more general term that includes all the things that make us feel good about how we’re doing in general.

Mental health problems have gotten worse around the world, and COVID-19 has made them even worse. According to a recent study from Deloitte, 15% of the global mental health burden is due to the high number of mental illnesses in India. There are big differences in how people are treated for mental illnesses, mostly because of the stigma that still surrounds them.

Therapy is the gold standard for mental health treatment. Sometimes therapy is unavailable, or we hesitate to approach because of location, finances, or social stigma attached to it. Thankfully, there are things you can do to improve your mental health without the above concern.

Self-healing is one technique any individual can use in the early stages when symptoms occur. It’s not replacing traditional therapy with a professional, but it can supplement your mental health efforts. When you don’t have immediate access to therapy, this self-help strategy is best advocated for those with moderate symptoms that don’t affect their daily tasks.

Journaling: Write down your thoughts and feelings, and reflecting on them can help you identify negative thoughts and behavior patterns. Once you’re aware, you can take meaningful steps toward making changes.

Stay connected to others: Connect with people experiencing similar things. Studies show that connecting to others can provide a sense of meaning and purpose and decrease loneliness. Group therapy or support groups are typically led by a mental health professional or group leader and can be low-cost or free. Whether it be friends, family, or strangers, sharing your feelings and experiences is essential.

Practicing mindfulness and meditation: Mindfulness Meditation helps you become more attuned to what you’re feeling and thinking, which allows you to manage your thoughts and emotions more effectively rather than becoming overwhelmed by them. Mindfulness can help you manage symptoms of anxiety and other mental health disorders by helping you understand and cope with what you’re feeling. Studies show that meditation can help reduce stress, alleviate symptoms of depression or anxiety, and help you sleep.

Few other practical tips to improve your mental health without therapy are exercise, go outside and soak up in the sun, prioritize your sleep, take a step back from social media, improve social skills, exhibit Gratitude, good Nutrition, & set small achievable goals.

Coaches need to know the difference between mental health problems that aren’t clinical and those that are. Having this knowledge gives the coaches the ability to work in a variety of mental health coaching settings.  

In brief, mental health coaches facilitate inner communication with the intention of fostering self-integration and the process of recovery. Over time, external communication (with others) originates from a more genuine and harmonious position.

I greatly benefited from the Institute of Coaching’s mental health literacy program for coaches in cooperation with Mc Clean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate. I learned that coaches may help clients early in symptoms and work alongside therapy.

You can connect with Sreeram Chellappa- Click Here