Hi Monica,
I would definitely agree with you that “living in the moment” has some limits, especially for a leader who is expected to plan ahead for followers. Great leaders are frequently known for their presence and being in the moment. For this post, I will examine the CEO and Managing Directors of McKinsey & Company, Dominic Barton, and how he relies on the art of being present to effectively direct the company.
Being in charge of a multi-million dollar company, Dominic Barton has a jam-packed schedule of meetings all day long. He understands that each meeting deals with complex information and has large ramifications for the far-reaching decisions that must be made (Hougaard & Carter, 2017). As Hougaard and Carter (2017) state, “Under these conditions, being present moment to moment, meeting after meeting, is a challenge.” Evidently, this is not an easy task but in Barton’s leadership position, presence is not a choice: It is a necessity (Hougaard & Carter, 2017). Barton emphasizes why it is absolutely crucial for leaders to be present because “if you’re not focused, if you’re not present, it’s discouraging to the other people. They lose motivation. If you’re not present, I think you may as well not have the meeting. It can sometimes be difficult to do, but it’s always important (Hougaard & Carter, 2017).”
It is the responsibility of the leader to look beyond fears and anxieties of the future and problems of the past because as Osler indicates, it is a “waste of energy” (Watson, 1951: p.216). Presence is important to leadership because it builds trust with followers, and trust is the foundation of leadership. Presence shows that the leader cares about the employee that he or she is willing to give them undivided attention to listen to their perspective (Schawbel, 2016). This is no easy task. It takes an incredible amount of discipline for a leader to ignore the nagging feeling of the mind that is fixated on other challenges and concerns. But it is crucial if we want to effectively build trust and lead others.
It was really interesting to read your take on this Osler’s perspective since I also responded to his story.
Christina
References
Hougaard, R. & Carter, J. (2017, Dec 13). If You Aspire to be a Great Leader, Be Present. Retrieved on November 22, 2018, from https://hbr.org/2017/12/if-you-aspire-to-be-a-great-leader-be-present
Schawbel, D. (2016, Feb 16). Amy Cuddy: How Leaders Can Be More Present In The Workplace. Retrieved on November 23, 2018, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2016/02/16/amy-cuddy-how-leaders-can-be-more-present-in-the-workplace/#4f390295731c