You are the Contagion, How You Show Up is Everything

You are contagious. What culture are you creating with the energy, intention, and presence you bring to the party? How you show up matters.

We often abdicate the responsibility of organizational culture to the highest levels of leadership, perhaps thinking it rests with the CEO. If you are committed to taking control of your life, you have to assume responsibility for the impact you have on the culture around you.

Being Intentional

I love the book by Anese Cavanaugh, “Contagious Culture: Show Up, Set the Tone, and Intentionally Create an Organization That Thrives.” She has an empowering view:

You are creating culture every day through your intentions (or lack of intentions), energy, and presence. You’re creating the culture within your organization, with your team, with your clients, and in your meetings every day. You’re creating a culture within your family, with your friends, and at the dinner table every day. All of it is contagious. You are the contagion. This is good news. You have power and influence here!

— Anese Cavanaugh

How often do we pause before a meeting to set our intention, check our energy, and be mindful of our presence? I know, it’s hard to do when you are running from one meeting straight into another. But what if you knew this simple check would drive better outcomes, improved teamwork, and increased satisfaction?

5 Steps to Intentional Impact

One way to begin being intentional is to start with meetings. Take a look at your calendar and identify an important meeting you have coming up. Create an appointment on your schedule 10 minutes before the meeting, so you have time to set your intentions for the meeting.

During those 10 minutes, walk through these “Five Steps to Intentional Impact” Cavanaugh recommends for establishing a ritual or practice that will help to improve outcomes.

1. What are the outcomes I want to have from this meeting?
2. What emotional impact do I want to have?
3. To create these results and impact, how will I need to show up?
4. To show up the way I want, what must I believe about this person or situation?
5. What are the actions I’ll need to take to make this happen?

You are contagious. With the right intention, energy, and presence, you can create a positive environment and an inspired culture with each interaction you encounter.

You are the contagion, and that is fantastic news for everyone around you!

Please share your thoughts with me on this, and if you’ve found this helpful, share it with a colleague. Thanks!

Work well,

Adriana McLane

I help privately held distributors build strategy that holds up through growth, leadership transition, and what comes next. Fifteen years running Fulfilling Strategy — the last six spent deep inside distribution, working alongside the leadership of privately held distribution companies to build strategy that holds when a competitor moves in on your territory, when a President steps back, and when the next generation takes the lead. More about Adriana →