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 fella Aledo.
Hello everyone, and welcome to the seven Minute Leadership Podcast. It's episode five forty eight. I want to start today with a little experiment. Recently, I asked one hundred people one question, what is the most famous place on Earth. I didn't give them choices, I didn't guide the conversation. I simply waited and tallied the answers. One answer rose
above everything else, the Eiffel Tower. And that got me thinking, why that place, Why that structure, Why that silhouette in the Paris skyline that nearly everyone on the planet recognizes at a glance. And the more you sit with it, the clearer the answer becomes. People remember what stands out, People remember what rises above the noise. People remember what anchors a city, a moment, a trip, a story, And people remember what creates an emotional connection without needing any words.
The Eiffel Tower does all of that without speaking. So here is my leadership angle. As a leader, you are either operating like the Eiffel Tower or you are blending into the skyline. There is no middle ground. The Eiffel Tower is not the tallest structure in the world. It's not the most advanced. It does not solve a practical problem. It is famous because it's unforgettable. It's famous because it
represents thing. And every leader ends up being known the same way, not for the hours worked, not for the emails that you send, but for what people feel when they think of you. So here is the lesson. Every leader has a signature presence. Most leaders never define it, so the world defines it for them. Strong leaders define it on purpose. Think about your own presence at work. When you walk in, do people feel clarity or confusion? Do they feel energy or pressure? Do they feel safety
or caution? The Eiffel Tower draws people in. Tourists take trains, planes, and long walks down crowded streets to get close to it. That is the goal for your leadership presence. You want people to want to be near you because of who you are, not because your name sits at the top of the ORG chart. Think about this. If someone asked your team without warning, what you are famous for, what would they say? Really sit with that for a second and think about it. Leaders often assume the answer they
think people would say they are supportive or fair or knowledgeable. Maybe, but maybe not. Your team decides what you represent, not you, and that is the real message of today's episode. You do not get to pick your reputation. You only get to pick your behavior. Reputation is the score people keep when you're not in the room. Here is the good news. You can shape that score starting today. The Eiffel Tower was not always beloved. It was criticized, mocked, and fought
against in its early years. Over time, its presence change the hearts and minds of the people who lived around it. Steady presence created lasting impact. That same principle applies to leadership. You can start influencing how you're remembered with small moves. Show up with patience in the moments when your instinct is to snap, choose curiosity when your instinct is to judge, Listen longer, speak with more precision, Protect your team from chaos.
Build trust with your tone, not your title. These small things rise above the noise over time and become your silhouette. So this week, ask three people you trust one simp question, what am I known for? As a leader, no qualifiers, no explanations, take their answers and write them down. Then decide what you want your Eiffel Tower trait to be. Maybe you want to be known for calm and pressure. Maybe you want to be known for clear communication. Maybe
you want to be known for building people up. Pick one, and then spend the next thirty days reinforcing that presence through one decision per day. In that direction, your leadership presence turns iconic the same way the Eiffel Tower did, slowly, consistently, and in full view at the end of the day. Leadership is not about being the biggest voice, the strongest personality, or the one with most authority. It's about becoming memorable
for the right reasons. When people think of you, something should stand out, something should rise above the rest, something should anchor your team and give them a reason to trust you again tomorrow. So before we go, think about this final idea. In the same way the Eiffel Tower pulls millions of people towards it every year, your presence pulls your team toward a better or worse version of themselves. If you want to leave a mark in your career,
build a presence that people cannot forget. Build something worth traveling toward. Build your own Eiffel Tower, one day at a time. This has been the seven minute Leadership Podcast, and I thank you for listening.
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