In the movie, Braveheart, the rebel leader William Wallace says to Robert The Bruce, the eventual King of Scots, 

“What does that mean – to be noble? Your title gives you claim to the throne of our country, but men don’t follow titles, they follow courage!  Just lead them to freedom, and they'll follow you.”

Presence surpasses position.

I just ended a call with a CIO of a large firm. He was speaking with me about executive coaching opportunities through CIO Mastermind. I asked him what area he wanted to develop more. He said, “Executive presence.”

He then spoke of being in a room with a large number of fellow executives. He wasn’t identifying with imposter syndrome; he knew he belonged there. He was conscious of something else: How do you influence the influencers? 

Leaders lead leaders. I am devoting my January writing and the start of a new year to this one question: How do you lead leaders without stepping out of bounds?

You know it is a fine line you walk. You are a subordinate to some, a peer to others, and yet a leader to all. You are naturally invited to lead in some areas, and you must not be seen as leading in other areas. But you do. And you must. Especially as a technology leader.

Serve

My January articles will outline four strategies you employ to lead leaders. The first strategy is to serve others while being clear and unapologetic about your value. 

When we talk about executive presence, we are really addressing three arenas in which we relate to others:

• What can’t be contained in you
• What won’t be denied from you
• What you must handle with care

What Can’t Be Contained In You

You lead leaders through four attributes that naturally express themselves from you. No one can contain them or keep them from coming out.

1. Wisdom: Understanding is the knowledge of something; wisdom is the application of that knowledge. Wisdom knows what to do with what we have. Wisdom can’t help but show itself, and once shown, cannot be undone. It may be ignored, but it is not undone.
2. Experience: You gained much of your wisdom from experience. You are your experience; like wisdom, it shows itself and cannot be denied. And if you have an experience that I do not have, it is by its very presence all the more powerful.
3. Insight: Your wisdom and experience provide you with unique perspectives. You see differently than others, and how you see cannot be contained. It simply is. 
4. Expertise (especially in technology): Once you’ve learned something and become competent, it is yours. It cannot be taken from you or denied you. 

What Won’t Be Denied From You

You are able to do two things that people welcome and that sow influence: Bring affirmation and extend acceptance.

People are human before they are business. By their very nature, people want to know that they have meaning and that they belong (some might argue that these needs drive leaders more than others). 

Affirmation is expressing to another what is true of them and what that means to you. It is more than a compliment or praise. The focus is not just on what a person does well, but about the impact it has on you.

Acceptance is rooted in the idea of being welcomed. What is unique or different about a person has a place - a home in you. Think of it as helping others to see themselves and their value within a big picture. 

Leaders who lead leaders make it a practice to affirm other leaders and to accept what is unique about those leaders. 

What You Must Handle With Care

Your presence is felt in your wisdom, experience, insight and expertise; your presence is received in your affirmation and acceptance.

At times, you lead leaders by needing to align with them and assist them. These are two areas that are crucial and that are also land mines. 

Alignment is your opportunity to serve another leader by ensuring that you are working from the same information, same understanding and same degree of investment. 

Unfortunately, alignment usually occurs when problems arise. When that happens, alignment either gets lost in a perception of turf wars or gets misinterpreted as one wonders, “What’s your angle?”

Assistance is the ability to bring what another needs. Sadly, assistance can be unwelcomed. A person and people feel insecure, threatened or devalued when help is offered. 

Three Strategies To Serve Effectively

When it comes to communicating your wisdom, experience, insight and expertise, be careful with how you  Frame It. 

1. Keep it as relational as possible. Have you ever met someone who seemed to kick into professor or instructor mode? Don’t do that. In your head, remember, “We’re just talking.”
2. Tell as much story as possible. People love stories - not the rambling variety - but things you have learned and insights you have gained told in the context of story is disarming.
3. Make your remarks other-focused. Whatever remarks you bring are given with their success and potential in mind.

When it comes to affirmation and acceptance, Give It.

1. Give it intentionally. Leaders who lead leaders are attentive and consistent. I schedule my communication with other leaders, and then ask myself, “What do they need to hear from me now?”
2. Give it sincerely. 
3. Give it in a way that is welcomed by the other. Not everyone is comfortable with the many ways in which affirmation and acceptance can be expressed. The words we use, the gifts we give, the time we invest and the action we take are all subject to wisdom. 

When it comes to alignment and assistance, Offer It.

1. Prior to a problem arising.
2. In a way that seeks to serve their best interest and communicates mutual benefit. 

You must not shy away from the presence that you are. You are led. You also lead. And the true essence of a leader knows no bounds. Leadership surpasses titles, positions, org charts and degrees. One can aspire to leadership. One can learn leadership skills. But leadership is more; it simply is. 

Our commitment to you is to elevate and extend your influence. We have a number of ways in which we help leaders lead leaders. Start 2023 off right. Explore with us now.