In this episode, we explore the power of quiet leadership and how it can transform organizations and teams. Discover the subtle yet impactful ways that leaders can inspire and guide without raising their voices. Join us as we delve into the art of leading with empathy, listening, and thoughtful decision-making. Whether you're a seasoned leader or just starting your journey, this episode offers valuable insights into the strength of leading softly. Tune in to learn how to sit softly on the throne and make a lasting impact.

Transcript:

Welcome to the humble throne, where leadership isn't loud and power isn't performative. I'm Todd Robatin, and today we take our seat. Not with noise, not with ego, but with intention. This is episode one, sitting softly on the throne. Let me start with a story. A few years ago, I was sitting in a meeting and the person in charge, title, authority, ⁓ accolades, positions galore, they walk into the room. They said very little. They asked a few thoughtful questions and then quietly just listened. No fanfare, no power play, and yet the entire room shifted because we could feel it. Presence without performance and that moment stayed with me because it reminded me that real leadership isn't always what we say but it's how we show up and that's what today is about the quiet kind of power the kind of power that doesn't need to be seen to be felt the kind of power that builds respect among individuals and makes everyone feel heard and appreciated not lost and forgot. Let's talk about the paradox of power. How do we lead with conviction while staying soft? ⁓ How do we hold authority without holding onto ego? The truth is it's not easy, especially in a world that ⁓ rewards volume, visibility, and velocity. But here's the truth. ⁓ Soft does not mean weak. Quiet doesn't mean passive. Stillness doesn't mean absence. In fact, some of the strongest leaders I've ever met in my life, in my career, in my community are the ones who speak last or don't even speak at all. Those that listen longer and who lead from behind. So let's break it down. Positions, they get handed to you. The presence, ⁓ that's earned. That's something of value. You can't just give out like candy to children at a fair. Titles, sure, they can open doors and they look great on resumes, but presence, ⁓ that opens hearts and builds real trust. ⁓ And presence isn't just about being in the room physically. It's how you hold yourself and lift up others in the room with you. It's the difference between commanding attention and cultivating trust and respect. I want to introduce you to a phrase that I believe has real power. It's two simple words, humble truths. Just simple reminders for leading with humility. And here are our first three. Number one, power doesn't always announce itself. Sometimes the most powerful person in the room is the one who says the least but listens the most. Maybe they're the leader that sits on the end and takes notes the entire time, asks a few intuitive questions throughout, ⁓ really just absorbs all of the knowledge and expertise in the room so that they can then summarize everything they've heard and build out a plan to lead with strength with everyone's input in mind. That is true power. Number two, influence grows in stillness. When we slow down, we create space for others, for insight, for clarity, for innovation. It means really taking those times when we're on a call or we're in a meeting and there's that weird awkward silence that we all hate. It kind of creates that tension in the room that nobody really likes, something kind of like this. And you think, okay, something should be there, right? It creates that weird ⁓ space that something has to fill it. But really what it means is as a leader, you sit back and allow others to have a seat at the table, to have a voice, ⁓ to bring some innovation, some creative thoughts, and that creates influence because you're giving them a leg up. You're...