1. The One I Didn’t See - The Ghost Leader

I barely saw them—but I never doubted they had my back.

My first leader was almost never around. I could go months without a 1:1, and if we did meet, it was either for a long holiday request or a full-blown escalation. Yet, somehow, this worked for me as my role was so clearly defined that I rarely needed him. And when I did? He were there. 

I’ve learned this way that PRESENCE isn’t about visibility—it’s about reliability. A leader’s job isn’t to micromanage but to create a structure where the team can thrive independently.5.