Presence Over Perfection: The Leadership Lesson Hiding in My London Garden
A few evenings ago, I found myself sitting in my London garden, soaking up the soft summer light. At first glance, all I could see were the things that needed fixing: toys scattered from my 14-month-old’s latest adventures, laundry flapping on the line, an overturned watering can, dilapidated fencing we keep meaning to replace.
It was chaotic, imperfect, unfinished.
And yet, right there amidst the mess, I felt something profound: fullness. Aliveness. Presence.
As a leadership coach, I often talk with clients about the tension between ambition and presence. Many of the high-achieving leaders I work with – whether they’re running global businesses, navigating complex family enterprises, or stepping into new executive roles – grapple with the same challenge: pausing long enough to acknowledge what’s working, rather than fixating on what’s not yet perfect.
That night in the garden, I noticed the agapanthus I’d nurtured for years blooming again. I watched robins flit through the garden, feeding their babies hidden in that very dilapidated fence. I thought about the time I’d spent playing with my son earlier that day, and the quiet dinner I was sharing with my husband as the sun slipped lower in the sky.
It wasn’t perfect. But it felt complete.
And it reminded me of a truth I see over and over in my coaching work:
The best leaders aren’t the ones who have everything under control. They’re the ones who can stay grounded in the chaos instead of spiraling in it.
Especially for ambitious, results-driven people, it’s easy to keep postponing joy – to tell ourselves we’ll “enjoy it” once we hit that next milestone, close the deal, fix the problem, achieve the perfect team culture.
But there’s a cost to that mindset. When we skip over the good that’s already here, we rob ourselves – and our teams – of the energy, perspective, and creativity that presence provides.
Here’s what I’m learning firsthand as I balance running my own business and raising a young child:
We can hold both ambition and presence. You don’t have to choose one over the other.
Magic happens in the middle of the mess. Breakthroughs often come not when things are tidy, but when we stay open and present amidst the imperfection.
Presence fuels leadership. Teams notice when leaders are grounded and real. It fosters trust, psychological safety, and high performance.
Whether you’re leading a family business through generational transition, guiding a high-stakes team, or navigating your own career pivot, I invite you to ask yourself:
Where might you be waiting for things to be perfect before fully engaging?
What small moments of progress or connection could you acknowledge today?
How might your leadership feel different if you allowed yourself to be more present, even when things are messy?
The garden’s still imperfect. And so is my life and business. But these days, I’m convinced that’s exactly where the magic lies – in the imperfect, unfinished places where we choose to show up fully.
In leadership, and in life, presence is where transformation begins.