Spreadsheets measure revenue, efficiency, and performance. They can tell you if you’re hitting targets, but they can’t tell you why your team is fully engaged — or why they’ve quietly started to disengage. The most effective leaders understand that their greatest advantage isn’t found solely in the data, but in the unquantifiable. This includes the ability to lead with human insight in leadership and the steady influence of soul presence. This factor transforms strong strategies into sustainable leadership success. It illuminates the deeper aspects of leadership and inspires us to incorporate these elements into our own leadership style.
Why the Numbers Don’t Tell the Whole Story
In high-performing organizations, numbers dominate conversations. Quarterly earnings, client retention rates, and productivity metrics are all essential to tracking progress. But numbers are only the surface. They show what is happening, not why it’s happening.
A team might be meeting its KPIs while quietly running on fumes. A project may be on track from a budget or strategy standpoint, but it may be suffering from silent tension. Eventually, this will cause cracks in its delivery. Without human insight, these undercurrents go unnoticed until they erupt into visible problems, typically at the worst possible time.
Human insight is the ability to detect these patterns early. It’s the leader’s instinct to notice when the energy in the room shifts. Also, when a previously vocal contributor goes quiet, or when enthusiasm feels forced. It’s the skill of reading between the lines in what’s being said — and sometimes more importantly, in what isn’t.
When paired with soul presence — the grounded, authentic way of showing up that keeps you attuned and responsive — leaders can not only spot these dynamics. They can also address them in ways that preserve trust, morale, and momentum.
Defining Human Insight and Soul Presence
Before diving deeper, let’s clarify what we mean:
Human Insight
This is the leader’s ability to read people and situations accurately, integrating both verbal and nonverbal cues into their decision-making process. It’s not just “gut feel”; it’s an informed awareness built through experience, emotional intelligence, and genuine curiosity about others.
Soul Presence
This is the steadiness and authenticity that allows a leader to hold space for difficult conversations, adapt to shifting dynamics, and remain connected to their values under pressure. It’s the opposite of reactive leadership, which is often impulsive and based on immediate circumstances. Responsive leadership, on the other hand, is measured, thoughtful, and deeply human.
When these two elements work together, you create an environment where people feel seen, heard, and valued. That directly influences their willingness to deliver their best work.
The Three Pillars of Leading with Human Insight and Soul Presence
1. Awareness
Is only the starting point. It’s about noticing what others might miss: the hesitation before someone responds, the subtle shift in tone during a meeting, the unspoken tension between colleagues. Awareness expands your perspective beyond data points into the human reality that shapes those results. By emphasizing the role of awareness in leadership, we empower leaders to improve their skills and capabilities.
2. Connection
Once you notice, you must connect. This means engaging in ways that invite openness, showing you value what people think and feel, even when it’s inconvenient. Connection builds trust, and trust fuels discretionary effort, the kind of effort you can’t mandate but that changes outcomes. By stressing the importance of connection in leadership, we make the audience feel valued and integral to the leadership process.
3. Aligned Action
Finally, insight and presence must lead somewhere. Aligned action means making decisions that honor both strategic objectives and the human factors at play. This balance not only improves immediate results but also strengthens the long-term health of your leadership culture.
Human Insight and Soul Presence in Action
When the Numbers Weren’t the Real Problem
At one client, the senior partners brought me in to develop a formal marketing function. On the surface, the ask was clear: create structure, processes, and systems to drive growth. However, once I spent time with the team, it became clear that the real opportunity wasn’t in building a marketing department. Instead, it was in creating a culture of business development and client excellence. This would allow the senior partners to prepare for a profitable exit.
The firm’s small, close-knit team had talent and commitment. However, the responsibility for rainmaking and client growth had fallen almost entirely on the founder. The numbers could have supported the case for a new marketing structure, and did. Still, they didn’t tell the deeper story: the need to embed business development skills and client care as shared responsibilities across the organization. By shifting the focus from “create a function” to “build a culture,” the solution addressed the root cause, not just the symptoms. As a result, the firm was positioned for long-term growth.
When a Limiting Story Became a Launchpad
Another client came to me determined to leave their current role in an NGO, convinced they wouldn’t be hired into the private sector. In our first mindset session, I quickly recognized a deeper barrier: they were carrying a long-standing, subconscious belief that they weren’t “good enough” for the roles they wanted.
In reality, they were precisely the kind of talent any private firm would value. Together, we worked to reframe their story, shifting the internal narrative from “lack” to that of being a “diamond.” Within two weeks, they secured a new position in a relatively small city, requiring no relocation. But the story didn’t end there. Within weeks, they realized that they had jumped for the wrong reason. Because they now had the confidence and clarity to lead their own career decisions, they recognized when the universe presented an unexpected opportunity. It was one that aligned perfectly with their long-term goals. They made the move on their terms, into a role where they could see themselves thriving for years to come.
Practical Ways to Build Human Insight and Soul Presence
Leaders often ask how to develop these skills without slowing down their decision-making or diluting their authority. Here are a few starting points:
- Start with Why (Beyond the Metrics) – When opening a meeting, connect the topic to its broader purpose.
- Ask, Don’t Assume – Pose questions that invite context and emotion, not just the cold data. For example: “What’s behind that trend?” or “How is this landing with the team?”
- Observe Before Acting – Take a beat to read the room before you speak, especially in high-stakes discussions. My clients hear me refer to this all the time as “THE PAUSE.”
- Internally Debrief the Dynamics – After key meetings, reflect on not just what was decided, but how people engaged, and why.
For more tools on building trust and presence, Executive Presence Training | Be A Leader Who Commands Attention, which highlights how executive presence plays a significant role in leadership advancement and credibility.
The Payoff of What You Can’t Quantify
When you lead with human insight and soul presence, the numbers often improve — but they’re no longer the sole focus. You begin to see benefits such as:
- Higher engagement – People feel valued and understood, so they commit more fully.
- Builds Trust – Resiliency from setbacks because trust is intact.
- Better decision quality – You base choices on both facts and human realities.
What’s in It for Leaders Who Make This Shift
Leaders who integrate human insight and soul presence into their decision-making gain far more than an intangible leadership style — they gain a measurable advantage in outcomes that matter. They inspire loyalty in their teams, making retention less of a battle. Early identification of challenges leads to timely and effective interventions. They make better decisions because both complex data and human reality inform them.
This is the natural next step beyond emotional intelligence. It’s about moving away from ego-driven or purely brain-led observation and decision-making, and stepping into heart-centered, intuitive guidance. This shift creates an environment where people thrive, strategies succeed, and results last.
And perhaps most importantly, leaders who embrace this approach build a legacy rooted in trust, authenticity, and consistent impact. This is the kind of leadership that endures long after the metrics are reported.
