In over 160 conversations with extraordinary leaders across continents and research from over the centuries, from ancient generals to today’s CEOs, one truth emerged louder than any other:
Great leadership isn’t about being in the moment. It’s about living beyond it.
I call this the Woven Presence. That invisible yet unbreakable fabric of influence that keeps teams performing at their peak even when the leader is on leave, off-site, or long retired.
As we approach the summer break here in Australia, many executives are about to do something dangerous: switch off completely. The inbox goes quiet, the laptop stays shut, and we tell ourselves, “The team’s got this.”
But here’s the question only the best leaders ask: Have I woven myself deeply enough into the culture that my absence strengthens, not weakens the rhythm?
The Secret of Lasting Situational Influence
The finest leaders I’ve studied don’t micromanage. They don’t send 11 PM emails. They don’t need to.
Instead, they deliberately weave five threads into their organisation’s DNA:
1. Clarity of Purpose: Not a poster on a wall, but a shared heartbeat everyone feels.
2. Uncompromising Values: The non-negotiables that become peer-enforced, not boss-enforced.
3. Consistent Presence: Walking the floor, curious, human, predictable in their integrity.
4. Daily Micro-Behaviours: The tone in meetings, the way they handle tension, the questions they ask.
5. Radical Trust: Giving autonomy before it feels safe, because the weave is already strong.
When these threads tighten, something magical happens.
The leader becomes unnecessary in the best possible way.
I’ve seen it in a global mining company where frontline teams made million-dollar decisions flawlessly while the CEO was on sabbatical.
I’ve seen it in elite military units where junior officers led through chaos using language and judgment indistinguishable from their commander because the commander had embedded himself into their instincts.
The Autopilot Myth
Here’s what keeps me up at night: most leaders think culture is “set and forget.” They hit a good quarter, see the team firing, and think, “Job done. Time to coast.” Every single leader I interviewed who reached that crossroads got burned. Culture atrophies faster than muscle. Standards drift in whispers, not announcements. One skipped value in a high-stakes meeting becomes the new normal within weeks.
The best leaders treat sustaining the weave like breathing. They use simple daily rituals. My favourite is the “hot wash”: “What did we do well today? What could I do better tomorrow?”
Two questions, asked relentlessly, that keep the rhythm alive.
Your Summer Challenge
This holiday season, don’t just unplug. Pressure-test your weave.
Before you close the laptop, ask yourself:
- If I vanished for 8 weeks, would decisions still reflect our values?
- Do my senior leaders speak with my voice when I’m not there or their own agenda?
- When tension hits in January, will the team self-correct… or wait for me to fix it?
If the honest answer unsettles you, use this break strategically.
Don’t just rest. Reflect. Recalibrate. Return stronger.
Because here’s the paradox of the Woven Presence:
The leaders who truly “switch off” over summer are the ones who never actually left.
They’re in the language their teams use in crisis.
They’re in the calm voice that says, “This is how we do things here.”
They’re in the junior leader who stands firm on a value because someone once stood firm for them.
The Ultimate Leadership Legacy
The most humbling discovery from my research?
The greatest leaders don’t want statues. They want redundancy.
They want to walk into a room and realise nobody changed their behaviour because the culture no longer needs them to hold it together.
That’s not abandonment.
That’s transcendence.
This summer, weave deeper.
Not with more emails or town halls.
But with fierce clarity about who you are, relentless consistency in how you show up, and the courage to trust before it feels safe.
Because when you return in 2026, the ultimate compliment won’t be “We missed you.” It’ll be: “We didn’t even notice you were gone.” And that, my fellow leaders, is when you know the weave is unbreakable. #Leadership #ExecutivePresence #Culture #WovenPresence #SummerReflection
Responses