Have you ever seen someone walk into a room and you are instantly drawn to them? Is it their clothes or shoes or something less tangible that instantly attracts you to them? That something is called presence.

What is Personal Presence?

When we ‘sense’ someone like that in a split second, it is actually more about their personal presence and the energy we pick up from them. Authentic/positive personal presence draws us in. It’s about the way they carry themselves, the way they walk and the positive impact they have on other people. Personal presence is actually a state of being and when mastered, it can allow you to tap into your higher choices, reduce fears and greatly influence the people around you. Personal presence is actually a state of being and when mastered, it can allow you to tap into your higher choices, reduce fears and greatly influence the people around you

Having presence isn’t about being the loudest person in the room or the one with the biggest ego or charisma. It’s simply about being present and engaged in the moment, bringing your highest energy and self into a situation and being truly authentic. You can also have presence simply by the way you choose to listen to another person, or how attentive you are during a meeting.

So how do you tap into this key skill of personal presence, particularly in the work place?

Here are my top tips for building Personal Presence:

Manage your mind/body balance

Start by creating balance in your internal world. This will give you the opportunity to get yourself in the peak performance zone and to be in the present moment. A simple technique which may assist you in becoming present is to try ‘Balanced breathing’. You can do this at any time by using a balanced inhale/exhale breathing cycle- simply inhaling for 6 seconds and then exhaling for 6 seconds. If you do this regularly for a few minutes at a time, it will help to bring your nervous system into balance. An additional benefit of doing this is that it allows you to tap into good decision making and use all the resources available within your head, heart and gut brains.

Regularly ask yourself the question ‘How do I show up every day?’

How are you feeling when you show up at work? Do you feel energised looking forward to a new day or are you tired and plugged into negativity? When you speak to your clients and colleagues are you just going through the motions or are you really connecting with them? If your mind is filled with ‘chit chatter’ when you speak to others, you are not living in the present moment.

Remember, your presence is about what other people experience when they spend time with you. Do you leave people feeling good after connecting with you? If not, have a think about what you need to change so that other people feel great about each experience they have with you.

Nurture your network

Think about the relationships you have with other people in your organisation. Are they in a good state or do they need a little nourishing? Do you need to take a little more time to make a few deposits in your network bank account or do you already have a great balance of contacts who you can call upon for help and support? Do people feel the value and contribution of your presence, or do you end up only contacting them when you need their help?

Live in the moment, be mindful and present

Aim to live in the present moment by focusing your attention on only one thing at a time. Try not to let your mind worry about the past or ‘what may happen’ as this will only lead to stress and overwhelm. Give yourself permission to do one thing at a time rather than consistently trying to multitask.

Learn to work with your energy.

To work effectively with your energy, you need to be aware of what drains your energy and what elevates your energy or strengthens you. By taking the time to identify this, you can choose to put the majority of your efforts into your strengths and leverage these into your work. This will result in you feeling and being far more present and productive.

After identifying what drains your energy, take steps to mitigate any areas of weaknesses by adding resources to these tasks such as systems, processes and also calling in an expert with those strengths if required.take steps to mitigate any areas of weaknesses by adding resources to these tasks such as systems, processes and also calling in an expert with those strengths if required

Stacey Ashley

Stacey Ashley is a coach and speaker who excel in the fields of leadership development and executive coaching. Stacey is passionate about leading and facilitating great change, enabling people to be their best and to become true leaders. She is also a Professional mBIT and The Science of Happiness at Work Certified Coach and Coach Trainer. To find out more about Stacey, please see http://www.ashleyconsulting.com.au/