Years ago, while living in Shanghai I found myself in northern China, visiting a state-owned enterprise in the middle of winter. These weren’t polished office parks, they were tough, industrial places. Coal fires, grey walls, layers of bureaucracy. After a long meeting, I asked to use the restroom before our multi-hour drive back to Beijing.
What I got wasn’t quite what I expected.
It was a concrete structure with four long-drop holes in the ground. No doors. No partitions. No toilet paper. Just a wall shielding it from the road and a long stick nearby.
It was freezing. I did what I needed to do.
When I looked up, a group of factory workers had gathered nearby. Watching.
No words. No gestures. Just quiet curiosity.
In that moment, there was no job title to lean on. No sense of control or composure to fall back on. Just a very human, slightly awkward situation, and the decision to keep going, without fuss.
That’s what I’ve come to understand about presence. It’s not something you switch on when conditions are right. It’s a habit. A way of working. A choice to stay engaged, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Another time, early in my career, my manager Gavin, a world-class sailor, asked me to crew with him in a weekend regatta.
I said yes, then admitted: “I’ve never sailed before… and I’m not much of a swimmer.”
He said, “Can you follow instructions and hang on tight?” That was the whole briefing.
So I showed up, climbed onto the J27, and held on. Wind, ropes, water, and absolutely no idea what I was doing. But we raced well, and I loved it. Terrified at first, but completely present.
These are the moments that stick.
Not because they’re dramatic, but because they teach you something simple: You don’t need to be an expert. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to be there. Fully.
As a sales leader, your team doesn’t need perfection. They need to know you’re in it with them. That when things feel hard or uncertain, you won’t disappear.
That’s where trust builds. Not only in performance but in presence.
Try this: The Discomfort Log
This week, notice one situation where your first instinct is to delay or avoid. Could be a conversation, a client update, or an internal challenge.
Then stay in it. Ask a deeper question. Listen longer than usual. Be real, not rehearsed.
No fixing. No rushing. Just be there, fully.
The more I’ve worked across different countries, cultures, and industries, the more I’ve seen that presence is a quiet advantage. It doesn’t make headlines — but it makes a difference.
Not every leadership moment needs polish. Sometimes, it just needs you.