Cobalt Red

Posts and Provocations

  • Is being present the same as having presence?

    I was asked this by a recent client.

    I think not.

    Senior leaders often assume they’re the same and much is spoken about executive presence. What is that about?

    Being present at its best – is awareness. It may be what you experience. But it feels rather passive and not what is really expected of senior leaders. You can be present without having presence – attentive but not influential and sometimes maybe that is enough.

    Having presence is impact. It’s what others what others experience because of you.

    For me someone with presence

    Projects confidence

    Has authority and demonstrates leadership

    Has expertise or knowledge

    Shows emotional intelligence

    Inspires trust

    Is influential

    Conventional wisdom says first be present before developing presence. I think it may be dependent on the context.

    The leaders who cultivate both become the ones who command attention, lead but don’t dominate.

    Calm. Clear. Compelling. Listened to. Respected.

    Leadership in action

  • courage is acknowledging the fear but doing it anyway

    Courage is being afraid but being strong enough and resourceful enough to do it anyway.

    I see it in senior women and men who know what they want to say… but wait. Who know the direction they need to take… but pause. Who delay the conversation that needs to be had… but avoid the interaction.

    It’s all about refusing to let doubt make decisions on your behalf. It is about having the confidence in your thoughts and ideas.

    Having the courage to speak isn’t easy but it’s the moment you stop feeling uncertain, start feeling your presence and value.

    How long do we have to wait for stuff to be certain. In business nothing is ever 100% sure. But we often wait for clarity before we act.

    And if you remain silent, what are you consenting to?

    The moment you commit and open your mouth – not perfectly, not loudly, just honestly – something shifts in you and in the room.

    If you’re standing on a threshold today, ask yourself: What small act of boldness would change the energy of the moment?

    Sometimes no decision is worse than a bad decision.
    Sometimes the magic is in the decision to stop waiting.

  • do you use your voice?

    Madeleine Albright:
    “It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to lose it.”

    You have a voice. Are you actually using it?

    The senior women and men I work with often obsess over what to say, but almost never think about how it is said.

    How does it land? What is the impact and outcome are you striving for?

    Linguistic style – your default way of speaking – is the way that shapes how people experience you:

    Do you speak with clarity or do you hedge?
    Do you pause with intention or ramble to fill space?
    Do you choose words that land… or words that dilute or confuse?
    Do you use humour, metaphor, story – or do you use corporate-bingo speak?

    Your voice is already telling people who you are – whether you meant it to or not. So how are you going to use it?

    Because your voice determines:
    Whether people trust you
    Whether they follow you
    Whether they feel safe speaking up around you
    Whether your ideas light a spark or chuck a bucket of cold water

    So if you’ve worked hard to develop your voice, don’t just “use” it.
    Use it boldly.
    Use it with intention and purpose.
    Use it in a way that makes people sit up and take notice.

    Otherwise, what was the point of finding it?
    How are you using your voice – really?

  • I’m not a bookie but….but even I know, if you don’t try, there’s a 100% chance it won’t happen.

    Easy to forget that sometimes.

    It’s that niggling voice that says – what makes you think you can do that.

    That voice that sits somewhere at the back of the head, sneering from the sidelines.

    Guess what? Time to put it is its rightful box and kick it into the stratosphere where it belongs.

    This has nothing to do with capability, authenticity or expertise.

    But here is what it is about….

    Trying is already an act of courage.

    It’s choosing possibility over the safety of staying in the status quo.

    It’s you backing yourself, even if your confidence hasn’t fully arrived yet.

    You don’t need certainty to begin. You just need to give yourself a chance maybe a nudge.

    Leaders don’t move forward because they’re fearless.

    They move because they refuse to let inaction define the outcome.

    Trying is all about trusting yourself. Speaking up is about being present.

    I would love to hear your story when you felt like this, and still you screwed up your courage to give it a go.

    Go on- you’ve got this.

  • I don’t often quote Confucius, in fact I have never quoted the Chinese philosopher before, but this seemed appropriate;

    “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.” – Confucius

    What holds senior leaders, women and men, back in organisations?  

    A lack of skill, ambition, or readiness? No, they’re held back by systems that benefit from them staying in the current position. Well guess what – work life is not a meritocracy.

    Let’s be honest does this sound at all familiar?

    Many workplaces run on the unpaid labour of people’s work diplomacy, the stuff that greases the wheels of business, quiet communications and behind‑the‑scenes leadership and fix-it mentality. It’s efficient – until those same people decide they have done enough and something must change.

    They see the gaps in decision‑making. They see the politics that reward visibility over value. They see the double standards that expect them to be endlessly competent but selectively courageous.

    And I believe we also see this:

    Staying silent serves the system, not their leadership.

    Seeing what is right but not having the courage to name it.

    Leadership at this level, in this context requires courage:

    • Challenging the norms that keep them in the “supporting role”
    • Taking strategic risks instead of being the safe pair of hands and being known for that
    • Choosing ambition without apology or justification. Their career is theirs.

    This isn’t about being difficult.

    It’s not about being labelled as aggressive.

    It’s about being done with systems that rely on compliance.

    It maybe not being liked- you have your family and friends for that.

    Because many senior people already know what is right.

    The real shift happens when they stop protecting the system – and start protecting their future and speaking up for that.

    You’ve got this.

  • Show up not show off

    Meet my Great Aunt Gladys

    She was a tiny woman with curls wound so tightly to her head they looked like they’d been installed with industrial strength glue. Joy was not her default setting. Her default tone was criticism and snippiness.

    Every Christmas, we had to go and visit. For a 6‑year‑old Linda, it was a visit laden with expectations- perhaps a tad Victorian- be seen and not heard. Not my favourite thing at Christmas! No wonder.  

    One year, I couldn’t sit still any longer. I leapt up to practise my dance behind her sofa – pure childish exuberance and not getting in anyone’s way.

    Quick as a flash, Great Auntie G from her chair: “Linda, sit down and stop showing off”.

    Bottom lip trembling, I sat down. Hands folded. Dreams of Broadway crushed before they’d even begun.

    The funny thing is, those words echo. “Showing off” became a warning siren in my head. And here’s the kicker: many leaders still hear it.

    They hesitate to speak up, to celebrate wins, challenge others’ thinking, to bring energy into the room – worried they’ll look like they’re auditioning for Strictly Come Dancing.

    But here’s the truth: leadership isn’t about showing off. It’s about showing up.

    Showing up with ideas.

    Showing up with courage.

    Showing up with enthusiasm that might just be contagious.

    So next time you feel the echo of my Auntie Gladys in your ear, remember: the workplace doesn’t need less joy.

    It needs more leaders willing to show up, say it as it is and ignore the strident words and tone, tight curls, and all.

  • Courage and fear

    Courage is recognising what is frightening.

    It is not the absence of fear.

    If it was a cartoon one character would be grabbing the other by the shoulders and giving them a good shake.

    Questions about ‘what could go wrong’ is a good start. Then planning how to minimise those bumps in the road starts to fill the courage reservoir.

    We often wait to feel brave before we act.

    But what if courage isn’t a feeling at all?

    It is a choice – made in the presence of fear, not its absence.

    In my work with leaders – especially women navigating change – I often hear:

    “I don’t feel courageous.”

    ‘’I don’t feel that brave’’

    “I’m afraid I’ll fail.”

    Here’s the truth:

    Fear doesn’t mean you’re not ready.

    It means you’re human.

    And courage? It’s layered. It’s quiet. It’s choosing to move forward anyway. Yes, it takes guts and determination but what is the alternative?

    Would you really be satisfied to never have that buzz, the high of doing something that scared you – but you did it anyway. And – guess what – the courage reservoir starts to fill.

    Not because you’re fearless.

    But because something deeper – your purpose, your values, your voice – matters more.

  • This is not semantics.

    Having presence is not the same as being present.

    You can be in the room and still not show up.

    You can speak and still not be heard.

    You can lead and still don’t have the impact you want.

    I see it often—leaders navigating change, transitions, new chapters. They’re visible, yes, but something’s missing. The spark. The conviction. The why. Their presence.

    Presence isn’t about being busy or booked.

    It’s about being intentional.

    It’s about showing up with your values intact.

    Some things I ask in coaching conversations:

    •      What are you holding back that needs to be said?

    • Where are you showing up out of habit, not purpose?

    •      What would shift if you led from alignment, not obligation?

    • What do you need to do today that if you don’t do it, you will regret it in 6 months?

    Leadership isn’t about noise.

    It’s about clarity. And sometimes, the quietest voice is the one that changes everything

  • What are you silently agreeing to if you don’t speak up?

    💫 “Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it.” — Maya Angelou

    We learn to navigate systems not built with us in mind.

    To make space, even when it’s not given.

    So what do you want next?
    More impact? More clarity? More space to lead on your terms?

    It takes more than courage—it takes clarity, timing, and a willingness to be seen and heard. Here’s what the research and coaching wisdom suggest:

    🔍 What it takes to ask for what you want at work:

    • Clarity of desire
      Know what you’re asking for and why it matters. Is it about impact, balance, recognition, or growth? The clearer you are, the easier it is to communicate.
    • Emotional readiness
      Asking isn’t just about words—it’s about being prepared for the response. That includes hearing “no,” negotiating, or even being surprised by a “yes.”
    • Strategic timing
      Choose moments when your contribution is visible, when trust is high, or when the organisation is open to change. A well-timed ask lands better than a rushed one.
    • A sense of consequence
      Not asking has a cost. It can mean staying silent while others shape your path.

    Not speaking up is still a choice.

    It’s a quiet yes.
    To staying small.
    To letting others define the terms.
    To accepting consequences we didn’t choose.

    In coaching, I ask:
    👉 “If you say yes to this, what are you saying no to?”
    But sometimes, the real question is:
    👉 “If you don’t speak up, what are you silently agreeing to?”

    Leadership isn’t just about being heard.
    It’s about choosing to be heard—especially when it’s uncomfortable.

    💬 What’s your silence costing you?

  • Are you being present or do you have presence?

    This is not semantics.

    Having presence is not the same as being present.

    You can be in the room and still not show up.

    You can speak and still not be heard.

    You can lead and still don’t have the impact you want.

    I see it often—leaders navigating change, transitions, new chapters. They’re visible, yes, but something’s missing. The spark. The conviction. The why. Their presence.

    Presence isn’t about being busy or booked.

    It’s about being intentional.

    It’s about showing up with your values intact.

    Some things I ask in coaching conversations:

    •      What are you holding back that needs to be said?

    • Where are you showing up out of habit, not purpose?

    •      What would shift if you led from alignment, not obligation?

    • What do you need to do today that if you don’t do it, you will regret it in 6 months?

    Leadership isn’t about noise.

    It’s about clarity.

    And sometimes, the quietest voice is the one that changes everything.