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.”
Your Leadership Skills Aren’t the Problem
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.
.png)

