Module 3/4 26 min
Presence in leading, and preventing burnout
Step 1 / 4·Presence: the cheapest gift a leader can give
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Learning objectives — after this module you will:
- Practise presence in important conversations
- Lead meetings in a way that holds the group's attention
- Recognise and address early signs of burnout
Learn ~8 min
Presence: the cheapest gift a leader can give
Understand the impact of genuine presence.
People always sense when you're not really there. The glance at the screen, the slightly off-beat reply, having to repeat what was just said — all of it sends a clear message: this matters less than whatever is in my head.
Worth noting: presence costs no extra time. A ten-minute conversation where you're genuinely there is worth far more than thirty minutes of half-listening while handling other work — and takes less time.
Four concrete practices
- PUT THE DEVICE OUT OF REACH, not just face-down — a phone's mere presence on the table lowers conversation quality
- SET AN INTENTION BEFORE ENTERING: 'for these 20 minutes, my only job is to understand what they're dealing with'
- LISTEN FULLY BEFORE COMPOSING A REPLY — if you're drafting an answer in your head, you've stopped listening
- CLOSE BY CONFIRMING: 'so I've got this right, what worries you most is…' — it both checks and shows you truly heard
Key takeaway: Presence costs no extra time and saves some; device away, set an intention, listen fully before composing.