Good Vibrations: What’s Your Presence?
We all have a presence when we come into a room and that presence sends vibrations to those around us. We can’t control everything about what people feel about us, but we can become more mindful about how we enter and what is the focal point of our vibrations.
When a boss rushes hurriedly into her office while on a phone call and doesn’t make eye contact with the staff members along her path, vibrations are felt. When a spouse tunes out their partner during a dinner conversation or shuns a gesture of personal touch and intimacy, vibrations are felt. When a coach looks deeply into a player’s eyes and says, “I believe in you,” vibrations are felt. When a teacher expresses care and empathy for a student who is experiencing struggles at home, vibrations are felt.
In her enlightening book Contagious Culture, Anese Cavanaugh refers to this as vibrational energy. Moment by moment each day our presence is sending energy (good and sometimes bad) to those around us. She encourages all of us to ask ourselves these three questions as we enter situations:
- Is my presence hurting or helping the impact I want to have?
- Is my presence adding to or detracting from the quality of the energy in the room?
- Will my presence make others—and myself—feel better or worse?
If we know that our spirit and vibrations are contagious, what are you spreading? Are your vibrations aligned with the mission of your team and bringing out the best in those around you? Is your vibe enhancing the culture or detracting from it?
Aligning with other people begins with our willingness to take ownership for the presence we bring to the relationship and the energy we contribute. How we feel and the energy we share with those around us creates powerful momentum that is often hard to explain or identify. But the vibrations absolutely impact the outcome.
Jason Barger is the globally celebrated author of Step Back from the Baggage Claim, ReMember, and the newly released book Thermostat Cultures, as well as a coveted keynote speaker and leadership consultant. More importantly, he’s striving to be an above average father, husband, and friend.
Follow on Twitter @JasonVBarger and learn more at JasonVBarger.com
PS. If you liked this blog post, you may also like these!: