Welcome to the Monthly Newsletter
by Amer Kaissi 

Edition #75, March 2026

Everyone knows Brené Brown, and she is out with a new book.
In “Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit”, Brown touches on many themes that she has talked about before. But the one that really caught my attention is that of “pocket presence”.

In most workplaces, we have been taught the importance of “executive presence”, a subjective quality that most leaders describe as “you know it when you see it.” Brown pushes back against executive presence (partly because it has been weaponized against women and minority leaders) and replaces it with a better one, borrowed from American Football.

A coach she interviewed described pocket presence as “being able to read the entire field without being able to see all of it, trusting yourself and the people around you, and being a decisive leader under pressure.” Brown elaborates: “It’s important that we don’t confuse the mystery of presence with the power of preparation, or what drives preparation for many of us-curiosity and the passionate pursuit of learning. In my experience, the most compelling leaders are those who show respect for others by being prepared, who show courage by demonstrating a learner mindset, and who show confidence by demonstrating humility.”

If you’re a fan of Brown, I believe you will enjoy the book. But even if you’re not, there are a few new concepts worth checking out.

Dr. Amer Kaissi is a Top Leadership Keynote Speaker and workplace culture expert.