From Sheet Music to Sensing
When Leadership Moves Off the Score
Every great performer knows the moment. The music drops away. The page disappears. And all that remains is presence.
Leadership has the same turning point.
It’s easy to lead when everything is clear. When you have the data, the directive, the plan. But real leadership shows up when the map fades. When conditions change mid-performance. When you’re asked to improvise in front of everyone.
This isn’t about winging it. This is about calling on your symphony of disciplines. What you've learned. What you've sensed. What your gut tells you. What the system is whispering.
Leadership improvisation is musical improvisation. You lead from range. You move from memory. You choose from feeling.
And just like in jazz, silence is part of the score.
So when you don’t know what to do next, don’t freeze. Tune in. Listen. Then move from what you know in your body, not just your head.
The most powerful leadership moments don’t come from plans. They come from presence.