The Best Leadership Advice
I Almost Missed

As June comes to a close, so does my Leadership Lessons series.

Over the past month, I’ve explored leadership insights from quiet mornings, family game nights, unexpected disruptions, and even palm trees. If you missed any reflections, you can find them here.

But today’s reflection is different. It starts with advice I almost dismissed—until time and experience helped me see its value.

The Advice I Almost Ignored

Early in my career, I sat across from a Fortune 200 Financial Services CFO during an interview for a prestigious General Management Training Program. I was eager, ambitious, and ready for wisdom.

So I asked, “What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone who wants to grow as a leader?”

Without hesitation, he said: “Get in the office before your boss. Leave after he does.”

I nodded politely, but inside, I balked. Was that it? Just show up early and stay late?

It felt outdated. Performative, even hollow. After all, being physically present doesn’t automatically mean you’re making an impact.

Still, his words stuck with me. Years later, I saw the value in what he was trying to teach.

The Lesson Beneath the Surface

The advice wasn’t about the hours on the clock. It was about presence.

Not just being in the room but showing up with purpose, ownership, and a willingness to go the extra mile.

Now, when I reflect on that moment, a few key lessons stand out:

🔹 Not all advice resonates right away. Sometimes, wisdom needs time to take root.

🔹 Look beyond the packaging. Even outdated delivery can contain a useful truth.

🔹 You don’t have to take advice wholesale. Keep what’s helpful, toss what’s not, and layer in your own perspective.

My “yes and” version of this advice looks like this:

Yes, presence matters. And what really counts is how you use that presence—to listen, contribute, and focus on what moves the needle.

Why Presence Still Matters

According to Leadership Presence by the Ariel Group, presence is:“The ability to connect authentically with the thoughts and feelings of others in order to motivate and inspire them toward a desired outcome.”

That definition hit home. Because here’s what I’ve learned:

🔹 Leadership presence is about impact, not proximity.

🔹 Being seen matters, but how people experience you matters more.

🔹 Showing up is about ownership, not optics.

No matter where you lead—whether in an office, remotely, or on a stage—your ability to show up with intention, empathy, and clarity makes all the difference.

What Presence Looks Like Today

For me, presence means:

🔹 Prioritizing work that aligns with purpose and outcomes.

🔹 Staying attuned to what my team and clients need most.

🔹 Listening fully before responding.

🔹 Having the courage to speak up—and the wisdom to step back.

Presence isn’t about more hours. It’s about the right energy.

A Final Thought

The most significant insights often start as simple truths that challenge us to think deeper.

So, to the leader who once told me to “get in before your boss and leave after,” thank you. I took your advice. I reshaped it. And it still guides me today.

Let your presence speak louder than your title.

Let it be grounded in purpose and fueled by intention.

Because that’s the kind of leadership the world needs more of.