Leading Through Quiet Conviction
The fatal flaw of leadership programs? Treating facilitators as leaders or guides, when seasoned executives need space to lead themselves.
Senior executives don’t need another “leader” in the room; they need space to exchange insights, explore openly, and challenge each other without someone steering the way.
That’s where “Radically Empowering Presence” comes in—a break with the old model, replacing control with trust in the team’s own wisdom and strength.
The need for this break become clear in tense moments—when disagreements surface, silence falls heavy, or momentum stalls. These are the times facilitators feel the pressure to take charge, but it’s precisely when they should resist.
I remember one such moment. An executive team was deep in their execution plan when mistrust surfaced. Some worried that committing to a plan would make them too accountable; others questioned the workshop’s value. The energy grew tense. The HR leader pushed me to step in, saying the team was “stuck” and “losing focus.” Even the CEO glanced my way, waiting for me to take control.
I could have asked guiding questions or initiated a sharing round to ease the tension. But I knew that intervening would undo the internal work they’d already done. In that moment, I had to confront my own beliefs: Did I truly trust this team to work through their own roadblocks?
The pressure to “rescue” a tense room can be overwhelming. Clients expect us to “fix” things, with an unspoken belief that if conflict lingers, we’ve somehow failed.
That’s when we slip into trainer mode—directing the conversation, giving answers, or structuring exercises to “add value.” But each time we step in, we’re sending a subtle message: we don’t trust you to handle this on your own.
The solution to this dilemma is to root out all instances of facilitation being in any way a form of leadership or guidance.
Senior, midlife executives don’t need facilitators to lead and guide them. They can do that themselves. We’re simply hosts, creating a space that sets the stage for their experience and wisdom to emerge—a space where leaders bring their full selves to the forefront.
Where traditional facilitation reinforces control, Radically Empowering Presence releases authority—a shift from managing the group to trusting fully in their ability to lead themselves.
Next time you’re with a team of senior executives, can you find the courage to step back and trust them—especially when the room feels on the brink of chaos?
When tension mounts and every instinct urges you to intervene, will you hold back and let them find their own path?
That choice could mean the difference between real growth and reinforcing dependence.