Over the past two weeks, I did a social experiment: every high-performing leader I spoke with — the ones hitting targets, leading teams, and checking all the boxes — I asked one simple question:
"Are you happy?"
95% said no. Not “no, but I’ll get there once this quarter ends.” Not “no, but I have so much to be grateful for.” Just… no.
And most admitted: “I don’t even have time to think about why I’m not happy. I just have to get through to 2026.”
You know how to run meetings, give feedback, manage up, and delegate. You’ve done the trainings, read the books, maybe even hired coaches. Yet, after 23 years of working with leaders, here’s the truth: skills alone aren’t enough. Presence is what makes your leadership magnetic.
You can have the best framework in the world, but if you’re exhausted and disconnected when you enter a meeting, your team feels it. People follow leaders they want to follow—not those they have to. The difference? It’s in the being, not the doing.
High-performing leaders are often trapped in doing:
Your LinkedIn looks great. Your targets are on track. But your presence — what actually inspires trust and engagement — is gone.
In a recent Energy of Leadership session, we did a simple exercise. Rate yourself 1–10 on:
How happy are you right now?
How present do you feel in your life?
How authentic are you being?
How effective do you feel?
What’s your desire to change?
Notice the patterns. Your happiness, presence, authenticity, and effectiveness are all connected. And your desire to change only matters if you’re willing to do the work.
The being of your leadership matters more than the doing. You don’t need hours on a mountaintop — just intentional moments:
These moments take 30 seconds. They transform your presence, your team’s trust, and your influence.
When we slow down to honor the being instead of pushing through the doing, breakthroughs happen:
Imagine entering 2026 fully grounded, present, and influential.
Join Command Your Presence: A 4-Week Cohort Experience
We’re focusing on YOU. A small, intimate program to shift from doing more to being more:
Investment: $1,111
Enrollment closes: November 19, 2025
Program starts: November 20, 2025
Learn more and save your seat → activechoices.com/presence