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She also founded Tomorrow's Office, where she writes and speaks on the future of work, leadership, and building workplaces where people can do their best work and live their best lives."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"0ca5f785914c","_type":"link","href":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-martinez-futureofwork/"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"d859a8d57eed","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"77b7c31db0ba0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"When I founded Tomorrow’s Office, my very first consulting client, Mike was my husband’s friend from college. In desperate need of help on culture transformation strategy, Mike called Glen, another college friend (and one of our groomsmen). He responded, “You should call Jess.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"955d369d484f","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"cac71bc73fbb0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"My second client? Introduced to me by a childhood friend I hadn’t spoken to in over 20 years."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"9d7b85e70386","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"05e7ea4098680","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"My third client was a college friend who had been following my LinkedIn posts about creating great workplaces for months."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"db960fe8a2f4","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"45a6d46375570","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Some clients were referred by former executive assistants to leaders I had served under. Others were direct peers from teams I worked on a decade ago."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"1dda2bca21f7","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"1f21b89835030","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"None of these "},{"_key":"1f21b89835031","_type":"span","marks":["d12d1b1eac77"],"text":"career-moving moments"},{"_key":"1f21b89835032","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" happened on the rungs of a traditional corporate ladder or from within a formal HR-mandated mentorship program. They happened because sponsorship has never been a "},{"_key":"1f21b89835033","_type":"span","marks":["917f86d89bfa"],"text":"single, linear path"},{"_key":"1f21b89835034","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" inside a single building, but it has always been about shared identity and high trust."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"d12d1b1eac77","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/category/power-moves"},{"_key":"917f86d89bfa","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/articles/when-ambition-evolves-our-definitions-should-too"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"29b928fac37b","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"aec6d124af6e0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Redefining Proximity"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading2"},{"_key":"8b257ed84798","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"9cc0471be2b30","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Like mentorship, we tend to assume sponsorship requires strict corporate alignment. Senior partners sponsor associate lawyers. CFOs sponsor high-performing analysts. Historically, the single-employer office was designed to force that kind of proximity — and for good reason. Studies show that without proximity, high performance alone is rarely enough to secure active advocacy behind closed doors. That’s especially true for women leaders who are underrepresented in executive spaces to begin with. Trust is built in visible, real-time moments."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"444f694380a7","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"707f6b1b59350","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"But here’s the rub: Those traditional environments mostly brought you close to people who looked like you, had resumes like you, and were competing for the exact same internal promotions as you."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"71150407b8b1","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"c15df6a033ea0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Proximity "},{"_key":"c15df6a033ea1","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"is"},{"_key":"c15df6a033ea2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" critical to sponsorship, but we’ve severely limited ourselves by thinking it only applies to the boss two doors down or the colleague at the next desk."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"7b4b9ac7bcfa","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"90f86c534d9a0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"The most powerful proximity is closeness to people who actually know your character, relate to your narrative, and understand your value."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"76c20b67cccb","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"763aea32af660","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Flexible work models and digital platforms have redefined who you can be “close” to and the length of your reach. The evolution of the workplace has traded the singular corporate tower for virtual boardrooms, distributed teams, and flexible coworking lounges. On any given Tuesday morning at Industrious, you might share coffee in the members’ lounge with a therapist, a comedy producer, and a beauty founder before your first call."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"76ac5f9c4e98","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"7e8bddfd3ccc0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The ecosystem of who can advocate for you, hire you, or open a door is now wide open. In today’s working world, proximity is no longer confined to your access floor. It’s defined by how closely connected you remain to the people who believe in you and how you choose to show up in the world."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"8c8db963689f","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"26b8b8a4ba5b0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Trust in Every Trench"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading2"},{"_key":"d5e4f0e47f71","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"0f12b8537ccb0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"As our work environments become increasingly AI-native, technical execution in every field is becoming commoditized, making genuine human trust the only currency that actually matters."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"8fc3d98173ee","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"3746677c11840","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"This isn’t to say skills and experience don’t matter, but they can’t fuel sponsorship like trust. Behind closed doors, a senior leader or potential client won’t drop your name because you’re a standout leader in AI literacy. They’re "},{"_key":"3746677c11841","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"reminded "},{"_key":"3746677c11842","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"of your name because you’ve proven yourself through your actions or story as the AI literacy leader. They "},{"_key":"3746677c11843","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"say "},{"_key":"3746677c11844","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"your name because they trust your judgment, your character, and how you show up when things get chaotic. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been at an executive table discussing talent and heard someone say, “I can’t totally vouch for their exact technical skill in this area, but I know how they operate. They're exceptional. Definitely worth a conversation.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"a75ed4cc9757","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"72ebbda5dd090","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Real sponsorship is the natural byproduct of trust forged in "},{"_key":"72ebbda5dd091","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"every"},{"_key":"72ebbda5dd092","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" trench:"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"a8b2d4d122dd","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"69b74e9de91b0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Trading slide edits late at night right before a high-stakes pitch"}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"64e6c5dbde53","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"49f6c1f5a6960","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Powering through a grueling 2:00 AM cram session in the college library"}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"3d43a76c7209","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"4d82781c0cd40","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Rallying volunteers when the music club fundraiser is falling apart"}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"6434dc6e1aaa","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"16c072fda2370","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Washing the dishes at your friend’s house after they hosted game night so they can get to bed"}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"e951ae2de046","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"0076c22005fb0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Sending a DoorDash order to your coworker because sometimes life gets heavy and being a good teammate means sending the Two Chip Chocolate Chip Cookie from Levain Bakery (IYKYK)"}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"e9bd0374b556","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"ba0a49fb98fd0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Ways of working will keep shifting, but "},{"_key":"ba0a49fb98fd1","_type":"span","marks":["f5416e95ac41"],"text":"human trust doesn't age out"},{"_key":"ba0a49fb98fd2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", get automated, or lose value over distance. It’s the only investment that compounds everywhere you go."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"f5416e95ac41","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/articles/tina-tchen-relationships-leadership"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"054a0dd0e95e","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"37233a431b1d0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Four Rules for Modern Sponsorship"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading2"},{"_key":"6dce872af72e","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"3eacacc7d6e60","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"No matter where your office is located, who you share it with (or even whether you have four walls and a chair), finding real sponsorship outside of the traditional office comes down to four non-negotiables:"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"aeba9c941a65","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"241ea6aa1c5c0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Broaden your sponsor pool."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading3"},{"_key":"3f23c8567c12","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"094de57587280","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Set up meet and greets across your company, but don’t forget the community you’ve built after 5:00 PM The assistant coach on your kid’s youth soccer team. That neighbor who always reminds you to put out the trash bins. These folks know and trust you. They want you to succeed. And they can open doors to opportunities you would never have access to through your boss alone."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"775ce30153a0","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"e53898bcf4180","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Build your network before you need it."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading3"},{"_key":"1d531f600817","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a6cdf615b7380","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Invest in your circle when there’s nothing on the line. Like monthly reporting, networking and cultivating sponsors should become a regular part of your professional schedule. Trust is easier to establish when you’re genuinely not looking for anything but connection, and it allows you to cultivate your advocates long before you ever need a reference, a client, or an emergency pivot. Sponsorship is founded in real, "},{"_key":"a6cdf615b7381","_type":"span","marks":["6e06dc609e28"],"text":"human relationships"},{"_key":"a6cdf615b7382","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". If you’re only reaching out when you need something, people will notice."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"6e06dc609e28","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/articles/how-to-build-genuine-relationships-that-advance-your-career-according-to-a-human-connection-expert"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"59b4e261e81e","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"98f420d64c6d0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Your story is the sponsor."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading3"},{"_key":"e8704955a8b9","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"79109d3328740","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"In a distributed world, narrative clarity closes the proximity gap. When you speak openly about your wins, your values, and "},{"_key":"79109d3328741","_type":"span","marks":["5c9bf095c270"],"text":"the problems you love solving"},{"_key":"79109d3328742","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", people don't need to sit next to you to trust you. Their own conviction about who you are is built in the consistency with which you show up anywhere, including online. Give your network a clear, unmistakable story to tell so that when an opportunity opens up, your name is the only one they remember."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"5c9bf095c270","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/articles/redefining-networking"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"04c5ebdf68f3","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"bd7ab0445dfb0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The biggest sponsors get the biggest sponsorship."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading3"},{"_key":"f8c7d862e3b2","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a72dd7dd9bf30","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Sponsorship is a feedback loop. The fastest way to get high-level advocacy in your corner is to aggressively sponsor, elevate, and open doors for other people first. By being a great sponsor, you also get the added benefit of understanding what great sponsorship can look like."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"148c6d58621a","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"6186ae15c05f0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Modern sponsorship is no longer about sitting closest to the executive boardroom. It's about how generously and authentically you show up everywhere else. While there will always be a benefit from building relationships within your working world, don’t stop there (and certainly don’t wait for a formal system to assign you an advocate). Invest in real relationships with the people in every area of your life. Tell your authentic story. Most importantly, open the door for someone else today. And when your groomsman drops your name for an out-of-left-field opportunity, opening a door you never saw coming? 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A leading speaker and expert on deception detection, she is CEO of Calibrate, a Washington, D.C.-based firm that trains executives and institutional leaders in information elicitation and insider threat mitigation."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"94bc8f47d7ab","_type":"link","href":"https://pamelameyer.com/"},{"_key":"3cb5d3966f7f","_type":"link","href":"https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Room-Science-Observation/dp/1250378230/ref=pd_lpo_d_sccl_3/131-7310539-3885608?pd_rd_w=IFmEr&content-id=amzn1.sym.4c8c52db-06f8-4e42-8e56-912796f2ea6c&pf_rd_p=4c8c52db-06f8-4e42-8e56-912796f2ea6c&pf_rd_r=JF1Y22QPWXVKZS936JPP&pd_rd_wg=4dyEh&pd_rd_r=2b50e1dc-c8b8-4612-8f00-e27c4499efd2&pd_rd_i=1250378230&psc=1"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"5ac49c41d848","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"af6bc67b0a8b0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"You are unflappable. You project credibility and gravitas. You exercise impeccable judgment in high-stakes situations. You have mastered the corporate leadership skill of the decade: "},{"_key":"af6bc67b0a8b1","_type":"span","marks":["1361bc025ca5"],"text":"executive presence"},{"_key":"af6bc67b0a8b2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"1361bc025ca5","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/articles/executive-presence-fractional-leaders"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"007776a012e4","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"94867e8f9b7c0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Commanding the room is a great first step. Reading the room is the next one."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"8ac67d2ea9f7","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"d6e5430a5ad30","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"A growing number of women are in the rooms where decisions are made, but they continue to face deeply ingrained barriers to promotion at the highest levels. 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Executive presence is built on impression management — projecting the image that you possess "},{"_key":"fd301613df9b1","_type":"span","marks":["919fe8b5ec93"],"text":"key leadership qualities"},{"_key":"fd301613df9b2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". Behavioral science increasingly suggests that organizations judge leaders by something deeper: the quality of their social perception skills."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"919fe8b5ec93","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/category/leadership-trends-tactics"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"ab82c8b5fdae","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"237ff830e1b50","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Executives often mistake on-point performance for connection. A leader laser-focused on projecting confidence in a high-level meeting may miss the subtle signals the room is sending. Reading the room — learning to suss out the undercurrents of power, read the negative space to perceive what’s not being said, and recognize the implicit conversation beneath the explicit one —  is the skill that will allow you to navigate and adapt in a complex corporate environment that often penalizes women for the behaviors it rewards in men."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"ef9b4fb80368","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"5ad8a0c441c10","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Reading the room means cultivating a key often overlooked skill: social observation, the capacity to notice and interpret the signals people send in real time. It includes taking careful note of vocal tone, postural positioning, language structure, and body language."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"30be657128c0","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"61f0a9aaf4d70","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Six Science-Backed Ways to Lead Through Social Observation"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading2"},{"_key":"67d370cbcffa","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"2f459ecfb8310","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"1. Lighten your cognitive load to get an accurate read"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"7033e12391a1","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"8367670fd4750","_type":"span","marks":["ab75b029c984"],"text":"Stress and cognitive overload"},{"_key":"8367670fd4751","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" can give you tunnel vision. Psychologist William Easterbrook "},{"_key":"8367670fd4752","_type":"span","marks":["534d8c3372bc"],"text":"demonstrated"},{"_key":"8367670fd4753","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" that emotional arousal narrows the range of cues that a person can process. A person under pressure may fixate on irrelevant details while missing the larger, more critical social context. Stressed minds are also prone to misinterpretation, making you more likely to read neutral clues as hostile. And worse? The more stressed we are, the more confident we become that our view is accurate."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"ab75b029c984","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/articles/self-care-birthplace-of-innovation"},{"_key":"534d8c3372bc","_type":"link","href":"https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1961-03074-001"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"9c1bf67af1bf","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"64c08394fdcd0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Insight"},{"_key":"64c08394fdcd1","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": The more consequential the meeting is to you, the less accurately you may read it. Prepare for the meeting by clearing your mind of unrelated distractions, naming your purpose and modulating your energy before walking in."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"7c15f70a5877","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"82e1e2724d0e0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"2. Allow yourself to lean into uncertainty"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"d9480369131e","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"cfef6075e3530","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Confidence does not equal competence. Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman found that we’re hardwired to trust our instincts, leading people to routinely overestimate their own capabilities and see weakness in other viewpoints. “Overconfidence arises because people are often blind to their own blindness,” he wrote in "},{"_key":"cfef6075e3531","_type":"span","marks":["474c597e3bba","em"],"text":"The New York Times"},{"_key":"cfef6075e3532","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". Intellectual humility opens us to other people’s ideas and new evidence. 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Shape the mood before it spreads"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"091773703758","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"f54b4ed1a4900","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Tone, energy, and emotion move through a room before a word is spoken, and the brain registers how something is said before it can finish processing what is said. In a "},{"_key":"f54b4ed1a4901","_type":"span","marks":["391c898cadce"],"text":"controversial"},{"_key":"f54b4ed1a4902","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" 2012 experiment on social contagion, researchers at Facebook adjusted the algorithms of 689,300 Facebook users to skew their feeds either positive or negative. The researchers found that "},{"_key":"f54b4ed1a4903","_type":"span","marks":["e4a5b43719d1"],"text":"user posts shifted"},{"_key":"f54b4ed1a4904","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" to match the vibe of the feed. 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Make the room smarter"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"12e47a0c7316","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"ae1e6a7691fd0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Psychologist Amy Edmondson’s pioneering research on psychological safety found that teams perform better when people feel comfortable putting forward ideas, raising concerns, disagreeing, and admitting vulnerabilities. Edmondson’s paper with Tijs Besieux, “"},{"_key":"ae1e6a7691fd1","_type":"span","marks":["d4230836f6eb"],"text":"Reflections: Voice and Silence in Workplace Conversations"},{"_key":"ae1e6a7691fd2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":",” noted that silence in a meeting does not equal agreement, and may signal the opposite."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"d4230836f6eb","_type":"link","href":"https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/Reflections_%20Voice%20and%20Silence%20in%20Workplace%20Conversations_619d3fd0-ddbf-4519-ab21-86695f515624.pdf"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"602438359c9e","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a7cbc4abaf780","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Insight"},{"_key":"a7cbc4abaf781","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": Strong leaders can inadvertently silence others by too confidently commanding the room. The best leaders cede the floor and create an atmosphere that encourages others to put forward their best ideas. The more settled you sound, the more evidence and courage others need to challenge you. Discussion can therefore become less intelligent as the leader appears more commanding."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"dd3be4ea704d","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"abfd1544b8ca0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"6. Master emotion recognition"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"2dd359f81e3f","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"f104582ec4520","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"As women, we often pride ourselves on reading emotion, but confidence is no substitute for accuracy. Train yourself to catch fleeting expressions, especially contempt, which can appear as an asymmetrical dismissive sneer. "},{"_key":"f104582ec4521","_type":"span","marks":["a5fccd1fa318"],"text":"Researchers"},{"_key":"f104582ec4522","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" have long known that contempt is hard to recover from and is associated with moral superiority, so learn to spot it and repair."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"a5fccd1fa318","_type":"link","href":"https://www.gottman.com/blog/the-four-horsemen-contempt/"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"97bc81de9862","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"968244f46d4f0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Insight: "},{"_key":"968244f46d4f1","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Contempt marks the moment disagreement starts becoming devaluation, making collaboration far harder. Address the resentment or status threat underneath it before returning to the issue itself, but don’t feel obligated to confront someone directly on it. That might backfire. Take the signal as data and make a wise choice on next steps."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"ec35806fa482","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"9c2b7033bde40","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Reading the room is about grasping the deeper social dynamics that influence decision-making. Learn to decode and interpret the signals, and use those insights to make the room smarter, more collaborative, and more effective."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}],"supportingContent":null,"_rawEditorialCategory":{"_id":"5893962a-c4a9-42f7-8f0e-a5440437d5d3","_type":"category","_rev":"lCyVbldkBR4D0kE0b7xPbG","_createdAt":"2025-10-09T14:06:19Z","_updatedAt":"2025-10-26T18:33:31Z","description":"Discover cross-sector trends defining modern leadership, along with strategies for driving impact as a senior leader — within and beyond your organization. ","hideFromNav":false,"seo":{"_type":"seoFields","seoDescription":"Explore the trends shaping leadership across industries today, plus tactics for maximizing your influence as a senior leader inside and outside your organization.\n","seoMetaTitle":"Chief | Leadership Trends and Tactics - Leadership Strategy"},"slug":{"_type":"slug","current":"leadership-trends-tactics"},"title":"Leadership Trends & Tactics","id":"-f25715e9-78a7-5691-bc90-570e4de6038b","children":[],"parent":null},"article_related_series":null},"slug":"pamela-meyer-reading-the-room-executive-presence","heroImage":{"caption":null,"attribution":null,"altText":"Silhouette of woman in executive office ","asset":{"id":"image-2b370a29d311e1ddef0a52b2bf15d52c9a0f82f6-1200x628-jpg","url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/xcsyo6gw/production/2b370a29d311e1ddef0a52b2bf15d52c9a0f82f6-1200x628.jpg"}},"content":[{"_key":"ad406ca68f33","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"5c21f0b496590","_type":"span","marks":["94bc8f47d7ab","em"],"text":"Pamela Meyer"},{"_key":"5c21f0b496591","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":" is the author of the new book "},{"_key":"5c21f0b496592","_type":"span","marks":["3cb5d3966f7f","em"],"text":"How to Read the Room"},{"_key":"5c21f0b496593","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":". A leading speaker and expert on deception detection, she is CEO of Calibrate, a Washington, D.C.-based firm that trains executives and institutional leaders in information elicitation and insider threat mitigation."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"94bc8f47d7ab","_type":"link","href":"https://pamelameyer.com/"},{"_key":"3cb5d3966f7f","_type":"link","href":"https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Room-Science-Observation/dp/1250378230/ref=pd_lpo_d_sccl_3/131-7310539-3885608?pd_rd_w=IFmEr&content-id=amzn1.sym.4c8c52db-06f8-4e42-8e56-912796f2ea6c&pf_rd_p=4c8c52db-06f8-4e42-8e56-912796f2ea6c&pf_rd_r=JF1Y22QPWXVKZS936JPP&pd_rd_wg=4dyEh&pd_rd_r=2b50e1dc-c8b8-4612-8f00-e27c4499efd2&pd_rd_i=1250378230&psc=1"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"5ac49c41d848","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"af6bc67b0a8b0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"You are unflappable. You project credibility and gravitas. You exercise impeccable judgment in high-stakes situations. You have mastered the corporate leadership skill of the decade: "},{"_key":"af6bc67b0a8b1","_type":"span","marks":["1361bc025ca5"],"text":"executive presence"},{"_key":"af6bc67b0a8b2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"1361bc025ca5","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/articles/executive-presence-fractional-leaders"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"007776a012e4","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"94867e8f9b7c0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Commanding the room is a great first step. Reading the room is the next one."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"8ac67d2ea9f7","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"d6e5430a5ad30","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"A growing number of women are in the rooms where decisions are made, but they continue to face deeply ingrained barriers to promotion at the highest levels. They hold just 29% of C-Suite roles despite entering the corporate pipeline at roughly the same rate as men, according to McKinsey’s 2025 "},{"_key":"d6e5430a5ad31","_type":"span","marks":["b794f3c4c167"],"text":"Women in the Workplace"},{"_key":"d6e5430a5ad32","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" report. Just half of the companies surveyed say they are prioritizing women’s career advancement, and women receive less career support and have fewer opportunities to rise."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"b794f3c4c167","_type":"link","href":"https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/women-in-the-workplace"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"ed5f483d402e","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"fd301613df9b0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Women can push past those barriers, but simply demonstrating executive presence may not be enough. Executive presence is built on impression management — projecting the image that you possess "},{"_key":"fd301613df9b1","_type":"span","marks":["919fe8b5ec93"],"text":"key leadership qualities"},{"_key":"fd301613df9b2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". Behavioral science increasingly suggests that organizations judge leaders by something deeper: the quality of their social perception skills."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"919fe8b5ec93","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/category/leadership-trends-tactics"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"ab82c8b5fdae","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"237ff830e1b50","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Executives often mistake on-point performance for connection. A leader laser-focused on projecting confidence in a high-level meeting may miss the subtle signals the room is sending. Reading the room — learning to suss out the undercurrents of power, read the negative space to perceive what’s not being said, and recognize the implicit conversation beneath the explicit one —  is the skill that will allow you to navigate and adapt in a complex corporate environment that often penalizes women for the behaviors it rewards in men."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"ef9b4fb80368","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"5ad8a0c441c10","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Reading the room means cultivating a key often overlooked skill: social observation, the capacity to notice and interpret the signals people send in real time. It includes taking careful note of vocal tone, postural positioning, language structure, and body language."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"30be657128c0","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"61f0a9aaf4d70","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Six Science-Backed Ways to Lead Through Social Observation"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading2"},{"_key":"67d370cbcffa","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"2f459ecfb8310","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"1. Lighten your cognitive load to get an accurate read"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"7033e12391a1","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"8367670fd4750","_type":"span","marks":["ab75b029c984"],"text":"Stress and cognitive overload"},{"_key":"8367670fd4751","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" can give you tunnel vision. Psychologist William Easterbrook "},{"_key":"8367670fd4752","_type":"span","marks":["534d8c3372bc"],"text":"demonstrated"},{"_key":"8367670fd4753","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" that emotional arousal narrows the range of cues that a person can process. A person under pressure may fixate on irrelevant details while missing the larger, more critical social context. Stressed minds are also prone to misinterpretation, making you more likely to read neutral clues as hostile. And worse? The more stressed we are, the more confident we become that our view is accurate."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"ab75b029c984","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/articles/self-care-birthplace-of-innovation"},{"_key":"534d8c3372bc","_type":"link","href":"https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1961-03074-001"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"9c1bf67af1bf","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"64c08394fdcd0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Insight"},{"_key":"64c08394fdcd1","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": The more consequential the meeting is to you, the less accurately you may read it. Prepare for the meeting by clearing your mind of unrelated distractions, naming your purpose and modulating your energy before walking in."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"7c15f70a5877","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"82e1e2724d0e0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"2. Allow yourself to lean into uncertainty"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"d9480369131e","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"cfef6075e3530","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Confidence does not equal competence. Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman found that we’re hardwired to trust our instincts, leading people to routinely overestimate their own capabilities and see weakness in other viewpoints. “Overconfidence arises because people are often blind to their own blindness,” he wrote in "},{"_key":"cfef6075e3531","_type":"span","marks":["474c597e3bba","em"],"text":"The New York Times"},{"_key":"cfef6075e3532","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". Intellectual humility opens us to other people’s ideas and new evidence. Psychologist "},{"_key":"cfef6075e3533","_type":"span","marks":["010d195c1d95"],"text":"Philip Tetlock"},{"_key":"cfef6075e3534","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", who studies decision-making, found that the most accurate forecasters draw on multiple perspectives and treat their beliefs as provisional theories that can change when the facts change."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"474c597e3bba","_type":"link","href":"https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/23/magazine/dont-blink-the-hazards-of-confidence.html?pagewanted=all"},{"_key":"010d195c1d95","_type":"link","href":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJoImhNTvA8"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"47613e841a72","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"99b278dbc5b00","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Insight"},{"_key":"99b278dbc5b01","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": Leaders earn trust by showing flexibility when conditions are uncertain, not by pretending uncertainty doesn’t exist. Reading the room accurately will tell you whether the moment calls for assurance or adaptability. Before deciding, ask “ What am I missing?”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"e1db608226ec","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"6c66bd8844a30","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"3. Steer away from snap judgments to hold working hypotheses"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"50d1afd4d53f","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"0eb1a81f83340","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The first answer isn’t always the best answer. When we think we have the answer, we tend to stop gathering evidence. 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Leaders can fall into this cognitive trap when they feel their authority rests on knowing all the answers."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"92ca35faf17a","_type":"link","href":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42051011/"},{"_key":"c38cfadb2bed","_type":"link","href":"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12135565/"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"88a1d85cf82d","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"1a9eb038ff620","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Insight"},{"_key":"1a9eb038ff621","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": Quick decision-making is often seen as an executive quality, but it can lead to errors. Confident leaders tolerate ambiguity a little longer, giving their teams time to research different paths before coming to a conclusion."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"73e63644a322","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"3ebd1239624b0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"4. Shape the mood before it spreads"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"091773703758","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"f54b4ed1a4900","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Tone, energy, and emotion move through a room before a word is spoken, and the brain registers how something is said before it can finish processing what is said. In a "},{"_key":"f54b4ed1a4901","_type":"span","marks":["391c898cadce"],"text":"controversial"},{"_key":"f54b4ed1a4902","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" 2012 experiment on social contagion, researchers at Facebook adjusted the algorithms of 689,300 Facebook users to skew their feeds either positive or negative. The researchers found that "},{"_key":"f54b4ed1a4903","_type":"span","marks":["e4a5b43719d1"],"text":"user posts shifted"},{"_key":"f54b4ed1a4904","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" to match the vibe of the feed. 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Edmondson’s paper with Tijs Besieux, “"},{"_key":"ae1e6a7691fd1","_type":"span","marks":["d4230836f6eb"],"text":"Reflections: Voice and Silence in Workplace Conversations"},{"_key":"ae1e6a7691fd2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":",” noted that silence in a meeting does not equal agreement, and may signal the opposite."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"d4230836f6eb","_type":"link","href":"https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/Reflections_%20Voice%20and%20Silence%20in%20Workplace%20Conversations_619d3fd0-ddbf-4519-ab21-86695f515624.pdf"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"602438359c9e","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a7cbc4abaf780","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Insight"},{"_key":"a7cbc4abaf781","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": Strong leaders can inadvertently silence others by too confidently commanding the room. The best leaders cede the floor and create an atmosphere that encourages others to put forward their best ideas. The more settled you sound, the more evidence and courage others need to challenge you. Discussion can therefore become less intelligent as the leader appears more commanding."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"dd3be4ea704d","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"abfd1544b8ca0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"6. Master emotion recognition"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"2dd359f81e3f","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"f104582ec4520","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"As women, we often pride ourselves on reading emotion, but confidence is no substitute for accuracy. Train yourself to catch fleeting expressions, especially contempt, which can appear as an asymmetrical dismissive sneer. "},{"_key":"f104582ec4521","_type":"span","marks":["a5fccd1fa318"],"text":"Researchers"},{"_key":"f104582ec4522","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" have long known that contempt is hard to recover from and is associated with moral superiority, so learn to spot it and repair."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"a5fccd1fa318","_type":"link","href":"https://www.gottman.com/blog/the-four-horsemen-contempt/"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"97bc81de9862","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"968244f46d4f0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Insight: "},{"_key":"968244f46d4f1","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Contempt marks the moment disagreement starts becoming devaluation, making collaboration far harder. Address the resentment or status threat underneath it before returning to the issue itself, but don’t feel obligated to confront someone directly on it. That might backfire. Take the signal as data and make a wise choice on next steps."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"ec35806fa482","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"9c2b7033bde40","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Reading the room is about grasping the deeper social dynamics that influence decision-making. Learn to decode and interpret the signals, and use those insights to make the room smarter, more collaborative, and more effective."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}]},"href":"https://chief.com/articles/jessica-martinez-sponsorship-beyond-cubicle","relatedArticles":[]}},
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