How Presence Drives Performance
Most mid-career professionals I coach are surprisingly bad at assessing their own success in real time.
They tend to focus negatively on what they’ve been prevented from doing, what they haven’t done well enough, and what they still need to do.
It’s as if there’s some buzzing neon sign over their heads saying:
You’re not good enough yet.
You’re not good enough yet.
But this kind of negative motivation is terribly old school, and not in the cool way, because it takes us out of the present and prevents us from seeing how much we already have.
STAY PRESENT TO YOUR SUCCESS
While negativity bias is a natural tendency and critical thinking is a core leadership skill, failing to acknowledge what you already have can actually tank your performance over time.
To stay engaged and be more effective at work, you must be willing to stay present and acknowledge the successes happening right now:
The commitment and determination you and your team are bringing
The partnership and support you are all receiving
The tough conversations you are bravely initiating
The insights you are collecting and applying
The opportunities that are presently unfolding
The small and big wins you are already experiencing
Such a present and positive approach not only amplifies positive social engagement, it helps you and everyone you interact with stay focused on what you’re actively gaining
…rather than what you could end up losing.
So, as you prepare your team for the year ahead, give positive motivation a try.
Sit still, observe your team, and jot down some notes about everything you already have, and then imagine what it would be like to replace that buzzy old neon sign above your head with new words like:
We are showing up for one another.
We are learning through new challenges.
We are succeeding despite uncertainty.
…to make your success isn’t just possible, it’s probable.
