I was asked many times to train or keynote for business executives from all over the world. About “Attentional Leadership”. One of my favorite subjects that I developed and research about for almost two decades.
One of my principal objectives has been to share with the participants how nonverbal communications can be used to enhance interpersonal communications, build powerful connections, change perceptions and create immediate business results.
There are in principle ten powerful ways that attentional leaders can effectively influence others and contribute enormously to the instant growth of the business. Learn to use them and implement in your business and see an instant growth of clients and revenue.
- To Communicate Effectively
We heard many times the sentence:’ it is all about communication’. Indeed, Attentional Leaders know how to communicate effectively and practice it again and again. This single skill will help you connect with others and expand and grow your business with speed. Communication is all about giving authentic attention.
- To Use the Right Gestures
Gestures help people to articulate and illustrate their point while communicating with others. Attentional Leaders know to use the right gestures, while respecting the listener, inspire them and sharing a powerful message. The gestures of Attentional Leaders are broad, smooth, frequent, and dramatic. Gestures are an effective tool that facilitate effective communications and which can be endearing when used effectively.
- To See and to be Seen
Effective Attentional leaders at all levels recognize that it is the people of the company that makes that company successful. Being with them and among them inspires them. After all, many employees are faithfully there because of their loyalty to that specific person.
From my own personal experience, Attentional leaders are seen, not just heard. Did you ever work for a company that the boss never left their office and go to talk and check with their people? Sometimes a friendly hello is all that is needed.
- To be Heard
Try to think for a minute – which voice more enticed you, high voice or a deep voice? Research shows, time after time, that Attentional Leaders use a more deeper voice to connect with others. You want to be heard as a person that care, and with empathy.
- To Connect with the Eyes
Attentional leaders do not avoid looking directly at the eyes of others. Steady eye contact definitely shows real interest in the other person and is an act of giving sincere attention. With eye contact, Attentional leaders can show real interest and care, and they can focus singularly on each person.
- To be Respectful
Respect to other people and good manners are a form of nonverbal communication and when we are in the presence of a respectful person, it is almost instantly attractive and rewarding. When a person has no respect to others it overwhelms what we think of him.
It takes little effort to exercise respect and good manners; we are all appreciate them in other people, and when attentional leaders use them right and with authenticity they can in an instant impress and even inspire others around them.
- To be Engaging
From my experience internationally and interacting with many leaders, I observed that Attentional leaders know how to enter to a room and in instant engage everyone in the room with their eyes and the way they physically interact with the people in the room. They know how to use their eyes and their physical presence to connect with the room and make every person be aware of their positive present.
- To Feel and Touch
Some of you may not agree with that point, but I dearly believe that Attentional Leaders should learn to use the right touch of the other person to communicate a real caring message. Even nowadays Attentional Leaders employ touch, cross-borders, cross-cultures. Sometimes a small touch, e.g. a handshake, touch on the other person shoulder or arm, can communicate deeper and stronger message than mere words.
- To Learn to Smile
I mentioned this point in many of my posts before, to show it’s importance and value in connecting with other people!. You want to become Attentional Leader than learn to smile from your heart! Attentional Leaders smile in every opportunity they have. A real joyful and confidence smile. They smile to be social, to compliment, to greet, to diffuse tension, and to acknowledge others.
- To Act Fast
If you care about another person, you will act swiftly to help them. Acting fast is a definitely a real character of an Attentional Leader. In my opinion, procrastinating and taking long time to react transfer a negative message to the other person.
If you know that the other person you care about is waiting for your decision, won’t you move fast? That will definitely create more motivation and devotion by the other person and help in the quality of the connection.
You see to become a real Attentional Leaders you need to follow very specific successful habits of successful Attentional Leaders both verbally and nonverbally. Influence as Attentional Leader doesn’t cost money, but it does take consistent efforts.
Which of the above habits you already practicing very well? And which way you will start working on in the coming 30 days and make it into your new habit? Please share.
“Itzik is an International Speaker, Bestselling Author, Business Mentor & Attorney-at-law. The Global Leading Authority on Business Development, Business Networking, Referrals & Relationship Capital & Founder of THE SWITCH® and THE SWITCH HUB®”
