I was watching Top Chef one night (one of my favorite shows!) when I realized that emerging leaders have quite a bit in common with these “Top Chefs.”
If you’ve never seen it, it is a program where chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs. The winner gets a TV show of their own.
Aren’t emerging leaders competing in a similar way for leadership positions? They may not get a TV show, but they are rewarded with high visibility within their organization and industry—often advancing into key leadership positions, speaking to large audiences, and giving media interviews.
On Top Chef, each competitor is given a challenge with a short period of time to complete and present their creation. Emerging leaders are also faced with challenges every day. How they handle those challenges truly conveys their leadership abilities.
The chefs are judged, of course, on the creativity of the food, the taste, and the presentation. But to win a TV show they, like leaders, are also judged based on their Visual Presence.
- Are they confident?
- Do they have the personality to connect with the audience?
- Are they memorable?
- Are they consistent in the quality of the food they prepare?
Top chefs and leaders need to have confidence in their abilities in order to persevere in stressful situations. Confidence is projected in body language and facial expression. They project calm under fire.
Also, they connect with others by displaying a personality that is approachable, yet authoritative—approachable to staff, but also able to set boundaries and focus on what is important. Otherwise, they would never get anything accomplished!
Finally, both need to be memorable, consistent, authentic, and appropriate for the culture of the organization they represent.
Success is built on how you show up—confident, memorable, consistent, and able to connect appropriately with others. In other words, displaying Visual Presence, as Top Chefs and successful leaders do.
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