Be “present.”  Be in the moment; be here right now, all in. Give it 100% of your attention. Be laser- focused.

In other words, where ever you are, whatever you are doing, give it your full attention.  Not half-hearted acknowledgement. Not multi-tasking. Full attention.  As Jim Elliot said, “Wherever you are, be all there.”

Are you on the phone with a client? Be focused on the client conversation, not skimming your emails or reading that report.

Are you meeting with a direct report?  Look them in the eye, listen to what they have to say, ask questions to clarify and confirm what you have heard.  Don’t be looking at your emails as they pop up on your screen.  Don’t interrupt the conversation to take that phone call.

Are you at a customer’s location?  Give them your full attention.  Don’t be checking your phone for emails, texts or other interruptions.

Are you in a business meeting with your peers?  Leave your phone in your pocket!

How about at the dinner table with your family – where’s your phone?  A recent news story highlighted how frustrated our children are with moms and dads glued to their phones.  A June 2015 study by AVG Technologies surveyed more than 6,000 children, ages 8 to 13, from Brazil, Australia, Canada, France, The United Kingdom, Germany, The Czech Republic and the United States. The survey discovered that 32 percent of children felt unimportant when their moms and dads were distracted by their phones. The kids said they had to compete with technology for their parents' attention, and 28 percent of mothers and fathers agreed with this observation.  Kids are saying that they don’t matter. (www.parenting.com, breaking news)

Your intent may be to multi-task.  It’s hard to stay on top of all that’s going on. I get it.  But let me tell you what others are thinking about your multi-tasking: just like the kids in the study, they are thinking that they are not important to you.  That whatever is distracting you has greater priority than they do. That you don’t care about them.  That your behavior is disrespectful.  Did you get that?  Your behavior communicates disrespect. 

I challenge you, “Wherever you are, be all there.”