Let your presence be earned, not performed.

Somewhere along the way, responsiveness became a proxy for value.

We call it dedication. But half the time, it’s just latency panic.

Smart, capable professionals treating “sent from my phone” like a badge of honor.

If you have to be constantly visible to be considered valuable, something’s broken.

I’ve seen both. Heck, I’ve been both.

The manager who replies to every ping in 30 seconds. Burned out, brittle, and buried in rework.

And the one who answers twice a day. Clear, contextual, and making decisions that actually stick.

Here’s what I’ve learned: There’s something almost addictive about that immediate response cycle. The dopamine hit of clearing notifications, the sense of being needed, the illusion of control.

But when everything feels urgent, nothing actually is.

We’ve built systems that reward reactivity over reflection. Industrialized communication to optimize for volume and speed, not quality or outcome.

The best leaders I’ve worked with had this quality of deliberate presence. They weren’t always available, but when they engaged, it mattered. Their responses carried weight because they took time to think, not just react. They understood that their attention was finite and valuable, so they were strategic about where they spent it.

Real leadership isn’t loud. It isn’t immediate. And it isn’t performative.

Let your presence be earned, not performed.