From Quiet Pressure To Strategic Presence

OutSystems Japan Community

Quiet Pressure

We all have pressures around us in our leadership roles. Subconscious scripts that drive us, sometimes relentlessly, forward.

What are the invisible burdens you carry?

“My boss is still here. I can’t leave until they do.”

“Someone has to organize that work event. If I don’t do it, who will? I’m so busy right now though…”

“I lost time today because I had to pick up my kid with a fever. I’ll make up for it by putting in some time tonight, after dinner, bath, and bedtime.”

“Damn, that email is waiting. If it waits for more than 24 hours there will be trouble.”

“Was I too direct and tough with my team? I want them to feel happy at work but I’m really under pressure to meet this deadline…”

I could go on, and would love to hear from you what you would add to this list. Unadressed, these pressures can lead to burnout and a lack of women interested in leadership. When we lose access to half of our most talented people, everyone suffers.

International Women’s Day with OutSystems

When we all thrive, we all benefit.

For International Women's Day, OutSystems Japan (thank you Shoko Sato) invited me to create a workshop specifically geared towards the leaders in their community, based around these quiet pressures and subconscious scripts. We started with an exercise to share and validate these quiet pressures, especially the ones that tend to be experienced more often by women leaders than by men. You may notice that not only women were in the workshop; it takes the collaboration of all genders to create a true depth of understanding about our different experiences of leadership.

The room was pensive as participants took the time to briefly examine what invisible pressures were showing up for them. We don't know what we don't know, and it's hard to see what those around us are carrying until we sit down and examine our beliefs. It was powerful to watch the group share, and revelatory that so many could identify with what each person named, realizing they each carry more pressure than they'd imagined.

Strategic Presence

Now, for those of us who choose to lead, pressure is inevitable. But is all of it necessary? Could a combination of increased self awareness and self compassion, good boundaries, and smarter working styles remove some of that pressure, freeing us to focus on the problems, tasks, and responsibilities that truly matter?

Examining our own quiet pressures and sharing builds stronger networks.

That's exactly what we explored next, moving through a series of exercises designed to shift us from subconscious, quiet pressure to authentic and powerful strategic presence. We learned how to begin setting boundaries with ourselves and others, and made commitments to the group that ensured we carried through on those boundaries.

Of course, one workshop isn't going to solve all of your pressure problems or transform your life overnight. But a new set of tools, diligently and regularly applied, with a trusted network of people to support reflection and depth, make all the difference between an unconscious working style that leads to burnout and long-term dissatisfaction, and one that's conscious, impactful, and fulfilling.

A somatic approach to strategic presence.

If you're interested in doing a deep dive into creating that for yourself, I'm here for you. Check out my coaching services and get in touch if any of these paths resonate.

And, if you're interested in bringing expert facilitation to your community, I love creating and delivering custom workshops tailored to your specific needs. Find out more here.

Thanks again to the OutSystems community for bringing me in. It was a real joy to work with your talented, competent, and passionate people.

And, if you want to hear more about subconscious scripts, give my conversation about sustainable leadership with Lee Jean on the Produck podcast a listen.

Be well and keep building.