Leadership Presence

man looking out window as an image of a leader looking for leadership skills

What Leaders Were Actually Searching for in 2025

And What It Tells Us About Where Leadership Skills Are Headed Over the past year, thousands of leaders came to this site looking for help on leadership skills. Not tips. Not hacks. But judgment — how to think, how to choose, and how to lead when the stakes are real. That matters. Because when you look closely at what people are reading, sharing, and spending time with, you start to see something clearer than trends. You see the questions leaders…

Read More
A Leadership Framework for Leadership Skills, Motivation and a Culture of Performance

Why Leadership Feels Harder Than It Should — and Leadership Skills that Actually Help

A Leadership Skills Framework that Works as a System to Improve Results without Force or Pressure Leadership skills work together as a system to achieve the results your organization needs, and that every leader needs to be more effective. These skills build on one another and create a system for improving motivation, engagement, and performance. If one of your leadership skills is undeveloped, the whole system weakens. Leadership rarely fails because people don’t care or aren’t trying hard enough. More…

Read More
Confident leader in naval uniform standing at attention, embodying calm, steady leadership presence.

How Leadership Presence Brings Your Values to Life — Especially on the Hard Days

Leadership presence is tested when pressure rises, emotions run high, and people look to you for steadiness. Key Takeaways When things are calm, leadership presence is easy. Most leaders show up as their best selves. Values feel clear. Decisions feel rational. Teams feel steady. But leadership isn’t measured by the easy days. Who you are as a leader—and how others see you and respond—is defined by how you handle the hard stuff. Leadership presence is what allows you to live…

Read More
Person journaling beside a winter window, reflecting on personal leadership values.

A Simple Exercise to Define Your Signature Leadership Values

Leaders make their biggest leaps when they plan who they want to be when things get hard — and dedicate themselves to those values. Key Takeaways Why defining leadership values matters: Leadership presence isn’t charisma, confidence, or polish. It’s the steadiness that comes from knowing what you stand for and being able to return to those values in the moments that matter most. Your values shape the culture your team experiences every day — how people communicate, raise concerns, solve…

Read More
Bright north star shining in a clear night sky, symbolizing clarity and direction in leadership.

Why Every Leader Needs a Signature Leadership Style (and Why Values Are Your North Star)

When things get tough, great leaders lead from values and get results. Skills like managing deadlines, resolving conflict, running meetings, and inspiring teams all matter. But the leaders people remember — the ones who build trust, inspire commitment, and deliver results — anchor those skills in something deeper. They lead with a signature leadership style, shaped by a small set of values that guide their hardest decisions. In unpredictable times, values become a north star. They steady you, strengthen your…

Read More

Lisa D. Foster, Ph.D. ACC  is an independent coach. As an Associate Certified Coach by the International Coaching Federation, Lisa honors and abides by the ICF Code of Ethics.  All coaching sessions and consultations are confidential.

Privacy Policy

Subscribe to learn more