I’ve been in hundreds of conference rooms. I’ve been in plenty of board rooms. By far the nicest one I’ve spent time in, for quality and features, is on the campus of an oil supermajor in Houston.
This conference room, brand new for the months we were frequently in it, has everything: 20 foot glass walls that can be electronically frosted at the push of a button, a boardroom table with seats for 40 people, integrated catering, big leather swivel chairs, a nice view out the window, and oversized screen arrays to handle the most pointlessly complex PowerPoint. There is also a podium in front of the screen for speakers, but no one ever used it.
Rarely were there actually 40 people in the room, so the normal 15-ish executives (and us, the hired help) would cluster in the seats towards the center of the massive table. Logistically it would have made more sense to aggregate in the front, but the screen was so large that it was uncomfortable to be close to it.
Owing to this odd utilization of the space, everyone always sat during meetings.
If you’ve met senior oil executives, you understand three things:
They are all engineers, lawyers, or both (and thus sure they are smarter than you);
They are unfailingly polite but extremely pointed in communication style; and
None of them got to their level by being patient.
My first day with this company included witnessing the annihilation of a senior partner by a group of clients during a presentation. On a topic about which the partner had literally written a book. The partner was well versed in the subject matter, but his presentation style was Socratic and amiable: he lost the room quickly and the presentation became 60 minutes of devil’s advocacy by the clients. He was picked apart.
Months later, for reasons, our team brought another partner to the oversized board room to discuss a different topic. Having worked with this partner previously, I was fairly certain she would suffer the same fate as the other partner. She looks like she could be a young grandmother, refers to people as ‘bubala’, and does not aggressively project her voice. Also an expert in her field, the mismatch would be stylistic.
That day, probably 25 of the seats were taken. In the hours prior to presenting, our guest partner chose not to sit at the table, but rather in a chair along a side wall (where staff might sit during leadership meetings). She spoke frequently, each time requiring half the room to turn their chairs and the other half to move their head to see between the high-backed seats.
When it was her turn to present, she turned off the projection screen, stood up, and began speaking while standing immediately behind the senior-most client executive’s chair. This required him to half-turn and look up. She then preceded to speak for the next thirty minutes while slowly moving around the table, causing everyone to track her as she rotated.
Here is a cat video to illustrate:
There are plenty of situations where that style might not have been well received, but let me tell you: she owned that room so hard. She established authority through her presence and forced a room of executives, in their own headquarters, to engage with her on her own terms.
It was very impressive.
It was not accidental. She figured out what presence was required to own that room. There were many factors, but standing up, specifically, set her apart physically and figuratively. An action stronger than words.
ADP 6-22, 3-3, PDF page 55
More often than not, demonstrating a professional image of authority includes standing up.
Our childhood experience includes years of modeled behavior equating standing up with authority and expertise: teachers in front of a room, coaches standing above kids sitting the grass, religious/faith figures speaking to a group, etc.
If you are sitting, the person standing is in charge. When you are standing, you are in charge.
Stand up. Move around. Engage with space. Create presence.
This week, borrow with pride and find a reason to stand up. Practice establishing your presence in a manner beyond your words. How do you act when everyone is looking?
Get Familiar With: Command Presence
The three critical leader attributes for the US Army: character, presence, intellect. Who you are (character) and what you do (presence and intellect).
Demonstrating presence is more than just showing up and being seen, although both are important. The actions, words, and the manner in which leaders carry themselves should convey confidence, competence, and a positive example for others to emulate. Presence represents who leaders are and what they stand for. … Remembering that most subordinates want their leaders to be successful is important. When they sense that their leaders are genuine, honest, and willing to learn by putting themselves into positions where they might risk a little embarrassment learning a new skill, their level of respect for a leader increases. Leaders able to do what they ask others to do, who can ‘walk the talk,’ generate a positive reputation that contributes to their effective presence around Soldiers.
ADP 6-22, 3-1, PDF page 52
How do you act when everyone is looking? How do you create presence? What does it mean to be authentically intellectual? Are you comfortable with how you project, present, and show up? When you are in charge, how do people know it?
The Guided Discovery for this week will examine the US Army’s critical leader attributes of presence and intellect, what command presence truly is, and what being in charge looks like.
Learn More: Suggested Reading
ADP 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession
Pages 3-1 through 4-5 based on printed document (PDF pages 53-61)
Discussing the US Army’s second and third critical attributes: presence and intellect
Always be asking: 1. What is the connection with my leadership development? 2. How does this change my thinking on management? 3. How does this influence planning for life? 4. What can I borrow with pride to use this week?
One of your best Tuesday articles !