One of my top competencies of leadership is the ability to engage effectively with others. Engagement means to keep or occupy one’s attention. From my experience, there are three leadership types of expressed engagement:
- Reciprocity- the leader interacts with and incorporates other’s ideas or suggestions
- Response- the leader listens and responds to other’s ideas or suggestions
- Presence- the leader does not interact but carries a tangible energy noticeable by others
In each of the three types, palpable energy exists. It may not always be expressed verbally, but there is an undercurrent of intense energy exuding from the leader. The way the leader chooses to express the energy around others results in one of the three types of engagement. My goal is to grow in the area of reciprocity engagement. I have a natural engaging presence, and I can respond well to others, but it’s time to reciprocate!
What type of leadership engagement do you express, and how can you enhance it?