The most important leadership choice of the day is choosing how you show up.
Don’t react to people and circumstance. Respond from intention.
Show up:
How you show up determines where you end up.
- Show up complaining – encounter negativity.
- Show up closed to suggestions – receive resistance.
- Show up open to possibility – experience potential.
Choose one word that best captures how you want to show up today.
- Courageous.
- Open.
- Curious.
- Compassionate.
- Selfless.
- Optimistic.
- Grateful.
- Practical.
- Relational.
- Friendly.
- Connecting.
- Future-focused.
- Interested.
- Responsive.
- Candid.
- Other-centric.
Behavior:
Determine one or two behaviors that best express the way you want to show up.
- Grateful. End every conversation with a word of gratitude.
- Interested. “Tell me more.”
- Future-focused. “Where does this take us?”
- Relational. “What’s going on for you?”
“Show up” partner:
Tell someone how you’re showing up today. Ask them for encouragement and feedback during the day.
Suppose today’s word is interested.
Seek feedback:
- What did you see me doing that expressed interest?
- When am I least interested?
- When am I most interested?
- How might I improve my expressions of interest?
You go further with others. Isolation is discouraging.
Lonely leaders make choices to be on their own.
Reflect:
Reflect on your practice at the end of the day.
- How did you show interest during the day? (insert your word.)
- What does lack of interest say about you?
- When were you best at showing interest?
- How might you be better next time?
Choose:
Choose the way you want to show up tomorrow when you go to bed tonight.
- Review the above list or make your own.
- Confirm your intention when you get up in the morning.
- Determine one or two behaviors that best express your intention.
- Declare your intention to your “show up” partner.
Repeat for a week and evaluate the practice.
What word best expresses the way you want to show up today?
What one or two behaviors best express your intention?