“You don’t lead people. You lead with them.”

The old model of leadership — one built on control, hierarchy, and distance — is breaking down. What’s emerging in its place is something far more powerful and sustainable:

Leadership as Relationship.

At its core, leadership isn’t a solo act. It’s not about issuing directives from a distance. It’s about building trust up close — through connection, presence, and shared purpose.

You don’t lead from behind a desk.  You lead in the moments when someone needs to be seen, heard, or supported.  As I learned many years ago through my experiences as a grower of crops:

Absentee farming does not work.  Neither does absentee leadership.

People don’t follow you because of your title. They follow because they believe you’re with them — guiding with a steady hand, working alongside them and genuinely caring about them.  That’s how you win their hearts and minds, not just their hands and feet.

In Leadership Worthy, I wrote that leadership begins when we don’t try to impress and instead choose to invest in:

• Listening;
• Learning what resources, information and training is needed by team members;
• Relationships that make us better.

Ultimately, people won’t recall the exact words you said. However, they’ll never forget how you made them feel in the moments that mattered.

Leadership Cultivation Prompt

Who in your circle needs to feel your presence more than your position this week?
Reach out. Show up. Be present in the moment.  Let them know you’re with them..

Want to dig deeper?
Listen to a 30-minute audio conversation exploring the content in Leadership Worthy – How Leaders Are Made: https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/6d861592-5b4d-490b-b1be-f74ca98fabe3/audio

Tempus Maximize!