Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of performance through strong human relations, team building, and golajiving. This is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host Paul Fellavledo.
Hello everyone, and welcome to the seven Minute Leadership Podcast. It's episode five twenty one. Today's episode hits a little closer to the heart. It's about something every leader, friend, and human being will face at some point. It's about what we do when someone we know loses someone they love, a family member, a close friend, or even a pet. When loss happens, most of us go into what I'll call default sympathy mode. We grab a card, We order flowers.
Maybe we send an angel statue or a memorial lantern with an inspirational quote. We sign our name, maybe add thinking of you, and we send it off. It's not wrong, it's kind, it's thoughtful, But sometimes it's not what that person truly needs, because more often than not, what that person is really craving isn't presence. Its presence. Let's be honest. Grief is an isolating experience. The world keeps spinning, but
for the person who's hurting, time feels frozen. They wake up in a quiet house, the chair at the table is empty, the leash is hanging by the door, but there's no one to take for a walk. It's the little moments that hit the hardest, and that's when your presence can mean more than anything wrapped in a bow or written in a card. And sometimes the most powerful thing you can do as a leader or as a
friend is just show up. Sit next to them, don't try to fix anything, don't start with the cliches, just be there. You don't need to have the right words. In fact, there are no right words. Saying I don't even know what to say, but I'm here can be one of the most comforting things that you'll ever offer. This is where emotional intelligence meets human connections. It's easy to sign a condolence card from the team and move on with your day, but leadership isn't just about task
lists in productivity. It's about people, real people with real lives who sometimes need a hand on their shoulder more than a signature on a card. If a member of your team loses someone, don't assume the group gesture covers it, stop by their office, call them, take them for coffee, give them time to talk or not talk. Presence is a quiet leadership skill that doesn't show up on your resume, but it's the one that people remember most when life
falls apart. Think about the times that you've gone through loss. Maybe it was apparent, maybe it was your dog who was with you for fourteen years. Who do you remember most? The person who sent you a card or the one who sat with you when you couldn't find the words. There's a lesson here that goes beyond grief. Leadership isn't just showing up when it's convenient. It's showing up when it's uncomfortable, when the room is heavy, when emotions are raw.
That's when people see your character, not your title. If you lead a team, here's a challenge for you. The next time someone on your team faces a loss. Pause before you do the usual, ask yourself, what would help this person feel seen and supported. Maybe that means a visit. Maybe it means giving them the space to take a few days without guilt. Maybe it means checking in again a few weeks later, long after the cards have stopped
coming in. Because presence doesn't have an expiration date, the grief doesn't end after the funeral, and neither should your compassion. So as leaders, our presence has power. It tells people you matter, it says you're not alone, and in moments of loss, that message carries more weight than any thing that money can buy. So remember this. Sometimes your silence, you're listening, your simple presence in someone's hardest moments. Those are the real gifts, not the presence you buy and
can hold, but the ones you can feel. This has been the seven Minute Leadership Podcast and I thank you for listening.
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