Welcome to issue #002 of The Activated Leader. Each week, I send frameworks that help leaders activate their authentic presence and navigate change with confidence. If you're ready to stop proving you belong and start naturally belonging, you're in the right place.
People think leadership presence means being the loudest voice in the room. But I think that's completely backwards.
Real presence isn't about taking up space. It's about creating space for what matters most.
I know talented leaders who think they need to perform their way to respect. They amplify their voice, dominate conversations, and exhaust themselves trying to prove they belong. They're undeniably capable, but they're burning out from being someone they're not.
And this matters. Because in leadership, performance creates followers, while presence creates influence.
When someone says, "I need to be more commanding to get respect...", their mind starts looking for ways to be louder, bigger, more aggressive. But their wisdom asks, "What if the room is waiting for me to be myself?"
Since authenticity builds trust, your greatest influence comes when you stop performing and start being. We don't celebrate the leaders who naturally draw people in. We don't give awards for making others feel heard. There's no trophy for creating psychological safety. Yet these quiet acts of presence often drive the biggest results.
Influence from presence helps form the foundation of your impact. Authority is like building a reputation. The more you force it, the more fragile it becomes. But if you ground it in authenticity, it becomes unshakeable.
This is why you see articles about "charismatic leaders" who lose their teams the moment things get difficult. They commanded attention, but they never built real connection.
High performance might make you visible, but authentic presence makes you irreplaceable.
In leadership, you're rewarded for building genuine influence, but you're punished far more severely for manufacturing fake authority. One quarter of performing can undermine years of relationship building.
I'm not being idealistic. I'm being strategic.
There's a formula for authentic presence. It starts with Grounding - knowing who you are and what you stand for. Once you're clear on that, you move to Connecting - listening more than you speak and making others feel seen.
Then comes Contributing - adding value without needing credit. And finally Elevating - lifting the conversation and the people around you to their highest potential.
When you master this progression? You don't need to command attention. The room naturally turns to you because you've created the conditions for breakthrough.
The most influential leaders I know aren't always the most dynamic speakers. They just refuse to be anyone other than themselves when it matters.
So maybe you should focus less on being impressive and more on being present.
Because how far you lead isn't determined by how commanding you appear.
It'll be determined by how authentic you choose to be.
What's your take on today's topic? Have you noticed the difference between leaders who command attention versus those who naturally draw people in? What does authentic presence look like in your leadership context? Share your insights or ask a question that moves the conversation forward.
Ready to develop your authentic leadership presence but need some help?
Join the waitlist for the activated leader group coaching co-hort starting soon here.
