Presence Over Profit: The Leadership Lesson We Can’t Ignore

Reflecting on a previous week from my journal entries, it reminded me of a lesson I wanted to share with you all. It wasn’t about wins at work, big business moves, or financial milestones. It was about hospitals, late nights, birthday parties, therapy sessions, and the reminder that life has a way of teaching leadership in the most unpolished, personal ways.

What surfaced was a truth we all too often overlook as leaders: presence over profit.

As high-performing leaders or parentpreneurs, it’s tempting to measure success in revenue, promotions, or performance metrics. But in the moments that matter most, the people around you; your family, your team, your community; they won’t remember how much you made. They’ll remember if you were there.

That’s why I want to anchor this week’s blog on Synergize (RELATE Framework). Because leadership, at its core, is about how well we connect with others: Reveal, Empathize, Listen, Align, Trust, Elevate.

Lesson 1: Leadership Is About Showing Up

When my daughter was admitted to the hospital, I felt helpless. Machines, tubes, diapers, restless nights—none of it was in my control. But what I could do was show up.

Presence doesn’t mean you’re solving every problem. It means you’re there in the middle of it. Leaders often feel like we need to provide answers but sometimes, people just need us to be there in that moment and sympathize with them.

Takeaway: Don’t underestimate the power of being physically and emotionally present. It’s often the difference between leading and just managing.

Lesson 2: Trust Is Built in the Small Moments

My oldest turning off her iPad and laying next to her little sister. My youngest leaning in for a kiss on the forehead. Those small, human moments remind me that trust isn’t built during grand speeches, it’s earned quietly, consistently, when people know you’re listening and aligned with them.

In leadership, it’s the same. Your team doesn’t measure you by your strategies. They measure you by whether you heard them in a meeting, backed them up when they struggled, or showed alignment between your words and actions.

Takeaway: Listen first. Align your actions second. Trust follows.

Lesson 3: Presence Over Profit

This one hit me hardest: your family won’t remember how much money you made, but they will remember if you were present.

Executives chase numbers. Entrepreneurs chase growth. Parentpreneurs juggle both. But here’s the truth: no profit will outweigh the cost of missed presence.

The RELATE framework ends with Elevate: lifting others higher. Presence is the foundation of elevation. You can’t elevate people you’re away and absent from.

Takeaway: Your impact as a leader will be measured by presence, not profit.

Lesson 4: Gratitude Is Leadership Fuel

After hospital stays, canceled therapy, and endless tests, we finally had a moment of peace at home. Both girls asleep. Simple dinners. Laughter. Gratitude.

Gratitude shifts the way we lead. It takes the focus off what’s missing and centers it on what’s here. Leaders who lead with gratitude create cultures where resilience thrives.

Takeaway: Gratitude isn’t soft, it’s strategic. It transforms stress into strength.

Leadership That Lasts

This week reminded me that intentional leadership isn’t about doing more. It’s about being more. Being present, grateful, consistent, and just being human.

So let me ask you: Where in your leadership are you choosing profit over presence?

It’s time to shift. To synergize. To lead with presence that elevates others.

Call to Action: Download my free resource, The Intentional Leader Roadmap, to learn how to align your vision and actions so you can create meaningful impact without sacrificing what matters most.