'Presence' perfect

Book review of Present Company: Cultivating Cultures of High Performance in Teams and Organizations

The quality of “being present” is a difficult proposition for many of us. It is common in our daily lives to mentally drift off from the here and now. Residual negative energy following a domestic argument could linger in the office, for example, or thoughts as mundane as paying a pending electricity bill could creep in during an important meeting; worse yet, you may end up answering frantic office calls or worrying about a presentation instead of soaking in the enjoyment of a get-together or a long-awaited holiday. Those of us who think we are “being present” in the moment do little more than just focus on one particular thing.

So what constitutes true “presence” and how do we nurture this habit of mind? What does it take to create a culture that fosters it? Present Company tells it all, with the authors explaining the perks of “presence” and the perils of “nonpresence” through well-chosen examples. It turns out that “presence” is a skill set cultivable through a conscious process and can have a lasting impact on every facet of our lives. It is described as “the capacity to embrace our internal mental and emotional dynamics, while keeping us connected and related to the life surrounding us”. As opposed to this, people stick to individual positions in an environment of “nonpresence” and fail to see the opportunities that lie in authentic connection.

“In a team or organization, the culture exists somewhere between what is intended by the leaders and what unintentionally shows up. The Present Company process allows for this gap to be identified, behaviors transformed, and the culture to evolve through a conscious alignment to a future-state of high performance,” writes Michael.

The book introduces us to the four “powers of presence”, the specific behaviours that can together build a “culture of presence”: Induction, Awareness, Authenticity, and Connection, in that order. The nuances of each are discussed in separate chapters, and there is a self-assessment scale as well.

Present Company: Cultivating Cultures of High Performance in Teams and Organizations

Author: Timothy Dukes & Michael Landers

Publisher: Conscious Capitalism Press 

Pages: 140; Price: Rs 1,744

Induction is the intentional preparation that helps one enter a moment with the right mindset; the Power of Awareness allows for simultaneous recognition of mutual perceptions; Authenticity is about being vulnerable — choosing to lay bare one’s flaws; and Connection at a deeper level is what all of these lead to. The culture of “presence” that emerges when these powers converge invariably leads to better engagement and high performance.   

No goal, as we know, is ever the ultimate for high-functioning teams. This is true in this context too. Once a culture of “presence” takes shape, the goal shifts to sustaining what has been painstakingly built. Transitions from one moment or activity to the next are handled mindfully, and the cycle continues — of consistent inductions, sparking awareness, demanding authenticity, and forging deep connection. If any of these is missed, the desired outcomes will remain elusive — sustainability will be limited if there is no induction, potential will be diminished if there is no awareness, and so on.

The narrative occasionally follows an abstract tenor and abounds in statements such as “what we refuse to acknowledge today, we inherit tomorrow” and “the self is better at hiding than you will ever be at finding it”. But it must be said that the authors display a unique synergy of thought throughout. One picks up the thread from where the other has left off, bringing in insights garnered from their respective areas of expertise. Timothy Dukes is a veteran psychotherapist and leadership adviser; Michael Landers is founder of a consulting firm offering innovative solutions for those working in the multicultural marketplace.

The duo dispels the notion that the onus of creating a present culture is on just one person — the leader. They explain why each team member should contribute responsibly to the process, using the imagery of a forest to make their point. Just as it takes a forest to create a microclimate suitable for the growth of an individual tree, it takes a collective to create the culture and microclimate suitable for the growth and sustenance of an individual leader, the team, and the organisation. Such an embedded ecosystem — which draws strength from the interconnections of its people — would especially come in handy in volatile times such as the one triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic.

As the authors say in the introduction, what brought them together is their commitment to help leaders take better decisions in service of their teams, organisations, families and so on. The book, however, holds value outside of this perspective too, such as in relationships beyond the workplace. Present Company leaves us looking back, reflecting, and questioning our entrenched behaviour — and that could well be the first step towards sparking awareness and embracing change.