Being present

One of the most important elements of leadership is presence - personifying a purpose and relating it to others. If we let our emotional intelligence judge for us, it's actually something that is relatively easy to discern. Look at anyone who aspires to or is engaged in leadership and ask yourself, "Is what I'm observing authentic and compelling?"

David Marchese, a writer for the NY Times, asked the famous musician and humanitarian, Yo-Yo Ma, about how he thought about the settings where he plays. His response is instructive for any form of engagement with others, and especially for those who seek to offer leadership.

As a performer, my job is to make the listener the most important person in the room. The only way to avoid burnout is to care about where you are. Being present. Caring. You're working with living material. That goes back to memory. The living material is only living if it is memorable. Not only that it's memorable but that you pass it on. That is what I'm thinking about with every single interaction. Whether it's a kid, someone on the street, in a concert hall or with you, David. It's the same thing: How to be present. Because if you're not?