The other day, I was catching up with a former employee who shared a story that made me laugh — and then made me think. They were cleaning the house, got a little ambitious, and climbed up on the roof. Their spouse immediately went into full alarm mode. Images of accidents, hospital visits, and broken bones took over. Mid-story, they paused and said, “I remembered something you used to tell us at work.”
I chuckled and said, “I don’t recall offering any strategic guidance on rooftop activities, but I’m glad I was helpful.”
They clarified: “You always said, ‘Keep your calmness because the team will follow your lead. If you stay centered, others will steady themselves. If you spiral, they will too.” Then they proudly added, “And you know what? It worked!”
That moment hit me.
Why Composure Matters
Leaders often underestimate how much their demeanor shapes organizational behavior. Teams don’t just listen to leaders. They read them. Teams instinctively mirror the emotional tone of the person they believe holds authority. If you radiate urgency without clarity, your team scrambles. If you exude calm while navigating complexity, they lean into problem-solving.
How to Strengthen Calm Leadership Presence
Mastering this requires intentional emotional stewardship, not the suppression of feelings. Here’s how to cultivate a lead-from-the-front calm that your team will emulate.
- Practice Strategic Pauses. Before responding in a high-stakes meeting or a tense situation, institute a mandatory breath. This isn’t about hesitation. It’s about creating a buffer between stimulus and response. This tiny gap is where deliberate leadership lives, transforming a reflexive reaction into a strategic response.
- Audit Your Energy. Your mood creates the weather for your entire team. At critical junctures, take a quick internal reading. Are you projecting anxiety, frustration, or resolve? Consciously shifting your own energy from frantic to focused is the fastest way to change the room’s dynamics.
- Narrate the Situation Simply. When tensions rise, describe what’s happening in plain terms. Facts reduce fear. Clearly articulate the challenge to your team, then pivot to the immediate next steps. This validates their concerns while directing their energy toward solutions, preventing a spiral of panic.
Leadership isn’t a rooftop stunt — but it does require balance, perspective, and the ability to steady the ladder when others are climbing. Calmness isn’t cosmetic but rather catalytic. And in the moments that matter, your team won’t just follow your strategy. They’ll follow your state. So the next time you feel the pressure building and your footing gets uncertain, take a breath. You’re not just managing a business. You’re managing the mood that drives it. Be the calm your team will remember.
Adeline (Addy) Maissonet is a senior advisor on contracting policies and procedures within the Office of the Secretary of War, U.S. Department of War (DoW) and the agency’s representative on the Department’s views on proposed legislation to Congressional members, their staff, and committee staffers. She leads the development and implementation of Department-wide procurement policies for commodities and services, within her portfolio. Prior to her current role, Addy served as a Division Chief and Contracting Officer with unlimited warrant authority for the U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC) – Fort Eustis, Virginia. Prior to joining the MICC, Addy served as a Branch Head for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMC), Norfolk, Virginia, with unlimited warrant authority. She also held other procurement positions with the U.S. Navy. Addy holds an MBA in Management and Contracting Level III Certification under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act. She is a graduate from Cornell University’s Executive Leadership Certificate Program and Harvard University’s Business Analytics Certificate Program. In her free time, Addy enjoys hiking and overlanding with her family and friends.
Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of War.
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