Pull Your Stupid Head Up

What if I told you that doing one simple thing -- something that takes just a second -- could transform your image as a leader? It’s the same advice I heard my father yell hundreds of times at the stubborn horse he used to ride: “Pull your stupid head up”.

I recently coached my hundredth executive since starting my practice, and after reviewing all their development plans, the two most common needs they had were executive presence and being more future-focused. Both issues can be addressed by something as simple as adjusting their head and eye position during interactions.

I conducted numerous feedback interviews with their key stakeholders and recorded comments like, “He’s always looking down at his phone,” “In meetings she’s hunched over scribbling notes,” or “When he presents, he just reads with no eye contact.” To be fair, they were distracted by the minutiae of urgent issues, which pulled their heads and eyes downward. Together, we worked to elevate their gaze, projecting a leader who looks up, looks ahead, and shows they’re prepared for the next level.

My Dad and I both have new favorite horses, and they share a common trait -- they keep their heads up when being ridden, which projects bravado and enthusiasm for tackling the trail ahead – something our previous plodding nags lacked.

Leaders who fail to pull their heads up risk being swapped out for horses that do.