Like a compass that always points towards a magnetic field, people always tend to follow a magnetic leader. The most successful organizations across the globe have an internal compass that they call a magnetic leader who everyone naturally wants to associate with.
Workplaces are often reflective of their leaders. Take Michael Scott from The Office, for example, His energy to bond with his employees on a personal level made his workplace closer than a family. Though sometimes inappropriate, he had a magnetism of his own allowing even leaders above him to respect him. His energy influenced people around him to act in ways productive to each person involved.
Although there could be many people at the workplace who guide as well as influence employees, there’s generally that one person in the organization who oozes personal magnetism, which not only attracts and engages but also retains people. It is this personal magnetism that energizes everyone in the organization to bring their best to work, every single day.
Here are 3 things that might be stopping you from being a magnetic leader:
Translating Passionate Into Being Overly Serious
People gravitate toward leaders who are passionate. That said, being too passionate could come across as being smug or too serious, or even disinterested in everything other than work. A magnetic leader knows how to balance their passion for work with their ability to spread cheer. These are energetic leaders who know how to have meaningful interactions with their coworkers and most importantly, laugh heartily in a conversation. The short amounts of valuable social time that they get within their work schedule, they utilize by energizing people with their cheerful spontaneity. They even remember what people said to them last week, showing how both people and work are equally important to them.
Glancing at Phone, Every Now and Then
There is hardly anything as irritating as answering a phone call or a message in the middle of a conversation. It goes on to show how disinterested and non-committed you are. Even a quick glance at your phone is proof enough that you are not fully focussed on the matter, on the talk at hand. Conversations are all about building a sense of likeability with the other person. The easiest way to pay attention to the other person during a conversation is to be present at the moment and listen to them with full enthusiasm. This way, you will find the conversations becoming not just more effective and energizing, but enjoyable as well.
Confusing Humble Bragging with Magnetism
The only thing worse than self-deprecation is using self-deprecating humor to mask a constant barrage of bragging. Take, for example, the editor working at a newspaper who makes fun of how long she takes to read before writing a piece when she really wants to draw attention to how well-researched her writings are, or a co-worker who keeps joking about his body even as he exercises regularly when he just wants everyone to know he goes to the gym. Such leaders are disillusioned about both themselves and others. While they think they are charming people, exhibiting a great example of personal magnetism through their brand of humor, they fail to see how everyone else can see right through their antics. To energize is to put the spotlight on others, to make others feel like VIPs, rather than fake-reprimanding or pretending to belittle yourself.
Impact on Leadership
Star Mindset
To influence the energy of the people around you, you need to master yours first. A higher awareness of self and the emotional atmosphere around you is important to begin with. Being able to energise the self with a positive and curious attitude should be sustainable as well. Only then can you learn to put your team in the spotlight and help them be their best when at work. Being energized yourself, you can help your employees have more freedom to be creative, be more enthusiastic, and carry that enthusiasm all day long.
3 Immediately Applicable Action Steps
Creating Star leadership is, at its very core, about nurturing Personal Magnetism. If you are looking for executive presence training or here I’m sharing some easy tips to follow, here are some that will gently coax you into being the magnetic leader you really are.
- Daily, in addition to your skillset also bring your energy, enthusiasm, and eagerness to work. And one easy way is to every time you get a chance, laugh whole-heartedly.
- Next time you’re in a meeting, don’t forget to turn your phone off.
- Next time you’re having a conversation with your team, try to encourage them to step up, tell their stories, and contribute their ideas.
Summary:
Personal magnetism is a state of leadership that evolves over time. What makes Star Leaders invest in their own development, in working on improving themselves every day, is their understanding of the power of personal magnetism and how it can be a game-changer when it comes to attracting not only employees but profits as well. #BeTheSTAR