{"id":25070,"date":"2014-02-03T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-02-03T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/michaelhyatt.com\/?p=25070"},"modified":"2014-02-03T05:00:00","modified_gmt":"2014-02-03T11:00:00","slug":"5-reasons-you-should-smile-more-as-a-leader","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fullfocus.co\/5-reasons-you-should-smile-more-as-a-leader\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Reasons You Should Smile More as a Leader"},"content":{"rendered":"

Several years ago, when I was the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers<\/a>, I was presiding over our monthly business review meeting. One by one, each of our divisional managers would appear before the executive team and review their operating results for the previous month.<\/p>\n\n

At the first break, one of my business consultants who was attending pulled me aside.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you angry at someone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d I said, somewhat surprised.
\n
\n\u201cYou sure?\u201d she pressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely,\u201d I insisted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you might want to let your face know, because it looks like you are are ticked off! It\u2019s intimidating and shutting people down.\u201d<\/p>\n

I had no idea I was doing this. (I also loved the fact that she was willing to be so direct with me!)<\/p>\n

Fast forward two years. My booking agent, Brian Scheer<\/a>, told me that I don\u2019t smile enough when speaking from stage.<\/p>\n

Really?<\/em> I thought. That can\u2019t be right. I\u2019m sure I smile plenty.<\/em><\/p>\n

Then I reviewed some of my video footage. Sure enough, Brian was right. I didn\u2019t<\/em> smile enough. In fact, I was shocked at how little I smiled.<\/p>\n

He said, \u201cYou smile a lot in real life, but something happens when you step on stage. You get \u2026 well \u2026 intense.<\/em><\/p>\n

So for the past two years I have been working hard to smile more, both in real life and on stage. It hasn\u2019t been easy. I have had to work hard at being more aware.<\/p>\n

When I am speaking, Brian often stands in the back of the room, prompting me. If I am not smiling, he smiles big and points to the corners of his mouth. I am the only one who can see him, but it has helped immensely.<\/p>\n

Though I still have a ways to go, in reviewing my most recent videos, I can see I have made substantial improvement. My goal is to make it my default\u2014an unconscious behavior.<\/p>\n

This experience has made me realize how important smiling is to leadership. It can really does help us better achieve the outcomes we seek. It is important for at least five reasons.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. It helps others relax.<\/strong> When you scowl or look too intense, it creates a primal reaction in others. Their defenses go up. They become protective and guarded.\n

    This is the exact opposite<\/em> of what you want to happen if you are trying to influence them. A smile communicates that you are safe and can be trusted.<\/li>\n

  2. It draws people to you.<\/strong> Have you ever noticed how you are attracted to people who smile and laugh a lot? The positive energy is contagious. You instinctively smile in response.\n

    The simple fact is that people naturally want to be around people who are happy. If you want others to follow you, you can start by smiling more.<\/li>\n

  3. It enables you to connect.<\/strong> Smiling is one of the best, quickest ways to connect with anyone from any culture. Even if you don\u2019t speak the same language, a smile is universally appreciated.\n

    It opens the door, welcomes people into your world, and communicates acceptance. Even if people are frustrated or angry, a smile can often turn them around. In that moment you forge a connection.<\/li>\n

  4. It creates positive culture.<\/strong> If you want to change the culture of an organization<\/a>, change the behavior of its leaders. People naturally play \u201cfollow the leader.\u201d When leaders smile, everyone smiles.\n

    Smiles communicate that your organization is a happy place to work. And who doesn\u2019t want to work where people are smiling and happy?<\/li>\n

  5. It elevates your mood.<\/strong> This is one of the surprising benefits of smiling. I had no idea. It literally affects you at a biological level<\/a>, releasing endorphins and serotonins.\n

    Smiling has numerous physical and psychological benefits, including relieving stress, lowering your blood pressure, and boosting your immune system. And it\u2019s much cheaper and healthier than drugs.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Seriously, set a goal to smile more this year. Recruit an accountability partner. Set reminders. Whatever it takes. As a leader, it will help ensure you have a positive impact on the people you are leading.<\/p>\n

    Are you smiling enough as a leader? What can you do to improve?<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Several years ago, when I was the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, I was presiding over our monthly business review meeting. One by one, each of our divisional managers would appear before the executive team and review their operating results for the previous month. At the first break, one of my business consultants who was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":25071,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[272,1036,787,1037,251,1038],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n5 Reasons You Should Smile More as a Leader<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We may not think about it often, but smiling is a powerful leadership tool. 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