Why Presence Is the Most Underrated Leadership Skill

Leadership Principles: Safety, Clarity, and Empowerment — and the Presence That Binds Them

Leadership isn’t about being in charge. It’s about being present.

When I think about my core leadership principles, I think of a boat. A boat needs to be safe first. You’re navigating the sea, and there can be storms. The crew must be secure. Then, it needs to be clear where the boat is heading and why. And finally, it needs power to reach that destination.

These three principles — safety, clarity, and empowerment — are the heart of leadership. But the invisible thread that holds them together? Presence.

Why Safety Is More Than a Buzzword

Psychological safety is the foundation of every effective team. Google’s Project Aristotle found it to be the single most important factor for team success. But it’s more than just a performance booster; it’s about integrity, dignity, and trust.

When people feel psychologically safe, they speak up, challenge ideas, ask questions, and admit mistakes. But safety is rare. We often show up in masks, guarded by coping mechanisms. The opposite of safety is fear. Fear shows up as arrogance, silence, people pleasing, authoritarianism, or manipulation. True leadership dissolves these with consistent behavior rooted in empathy and self-awareness.

Creating psychological safety takes more than intent — it takes inner work. You can’t help others feel safe if you don’t feel safe in yourself.

Clarity Is a Shared Destination

Direction matters. If you’re heading the wrong way, effort becomes waste.

But clarity isn’t just about having a vision. It’s about shared vision. It’s about alignment.

Clear communication answers the core questions: Where are we going? Why are we going there? How do we get there? What can I do to help?

Communication and storytelling are ancient tools of coordination. As Yuval Noah Harari points out in Sapiens, storytelling enabled human collaboration at scale. Today, leadership demands that same level of clarity in narrative: open, honest, and shared understanding.

Empowerment Starts With You

Every human has incredible creative potential. Empowerment means unlocking it.

But many things get in the way: fear of failure, lack of autonomy, unclear goals, or even past trauma. Leadership can dismantle those blocks. But only if it has already dismantled its own.

Empowerment starts with self-empowerment. Leading by example. Embracing failure as a teacher. Encouraging experimentation. Making space for initiative. When people feel empowered, they do more than contribute — they innovate.

Presence: The Invisible Skill of Great Leaders

So how do you build safety, clarity, and empowerment?

You practice presence.

Not as charisma. Not as aura. But as full engagement in the moment. A quiet force. A steady attention. Presence means being aware of what’s happening inside and around you without judgment. It means tuning into what’s unsaid as much as what’s spoken.

Presence comes from inner work. It involves shadow work, ego awareness, emotional intelligence. It’s the spiritual foundation of leadership. When a leader is present, others feel seen. When a leader listens without ego, others speak truthfully. When a leader acts without fear, others take risks.

Presence isn’t loud. It doesn’t dominate. But it changes everything.

Final Thought

What would happen if we all led with presence first?

If this resonates with you, I’d love to hear how you experience presence in your own leadership journey.