Visible and Felt Leadership: Turning Intent into Action
Organisations invest significant time, energy, and resources into creating strategies and objectives designed to deliver success. Yet the difference between intent and execution often depends on one critical factor: leadership.
How leadership is demonstrated, communicated, and felt by people at every level determines whether an organisation’s culture supports or undermines its ambitions.
At FidesOak®, we believe that leadership is not just about visibility. It is about being felt in a way that inspires confidence, trust, and commitment throughout the organisation.
Leadership That Is Seen, Heard, and Felt
Success begins with leaders who understand that their influence is not defined by position but by how their presence is experienced, especially close to the valve where the real work happens.
From executives to front line supervisors, leaders shape culture through their everyday actions. As Edgar Schein wrote,
“Leaders create and change cultures; managers and administrators live within them.”
What leaders consistently notice, question, and reward sends powerful signals about what truly matters. Even small remarks and decisions contribute to shaping the culture around them.
Translating Vision into Behaviour
Every organisation defines its purpose through strategy and vision. But success depends on whether leaders truly believe in that vision and whether that belief is communicated authentically through values based behaviours and transparent decision making.
When leaders embody the organisation’s values, trust grows. When they foster psychological safety, performance follows.
As Sheryl Sandberg puts it,
“Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.”
This captures the essence of Felt Leadership. It is leadership that motivates, inspires, and continues to influence long after the leader has left the room.
The Link Between Psychological Safety and Performance
Teams that feel safe to speak up perform better. Amy Edmondson defines psychological safety as,
“People feeling confident to share concerns, mistakes, or questions without fear of embarrassment or retribution.”
In psychologically safe environments, people share vital information early. This improves learning, innovation, and operational reliability. When information flows freely, performance becomes more consistent and outcomes more predictable.
Why Visible and Felt Leadership Matters
In many organisations, crucial information about potential risks or performance challenges exists but fails to reach decision makers in time. This communication gap often precedes preventable incidents or underperformance.
Visible and Felt Leadership changes that dynamic. When leaders spend time on site, connect with teams, and engage in meaningful conversations, they gain real insight into what is happening and why.
These interactions build purpose, accountability, and inclusion. They demonstrate that leadership is not remote but engaged, and that people’s perspectives matter.
Making Time to Lead Where It Matters
The importance of visible leadership has been highlighted in major investigations. Following the Ladbroke Grove rail crash, the recommendation was clear:
“Companies in the rail industry should ensure senior management spend adequate time with front line workers, at least one hour per week for executives, one hour per day for middle managers, and 30 percent of time in the field for front line managers.”
This reinforces a key principle. Leaders must be present to understand performance. Time spent listening and observing is an investment in culture, trust, and safety. Leadership visits should not be inspections but opportunities to collaborate and learn.
Authenticity, Curiosity, and Care
Felt Leadership thrives on authentic, human connection. The most effective leaders approach conversations with curiosity and humility, seeking to understand how work is done and how it could be improved.
Powerful questions include:
- Tell me about your job and what is working well.
- What challenges are you currently facing.
- What additional support would help you and your team.
- Where do you see opportunities to improve and what would that look like.
These questions demonstrate care, respect, and curiosity. They open up dialogue, uncover warning signs, and reveal examples of excellence. When leaders ask, listen, and follow up, they build trust and credibility that directly impacts performance.
Closing the Loop Builds Trust
Felt Leadership is not just about being seen or heard. It is about taking action and closing the loop. When leaders identify issues during visits, they should ensure these are discussed, resolved, and fed back to the workforce.
This reinforces accountability, demonstrates sincerity of intent, and strengthens belief that leadership listens and acts with purpose. It is one of the most powerful ways to build a High Performing Culture grounded in trust.
Building a Culture of Performance Through Leadership
Visible and Felt Leadership connects people, purpose, and performance. It strengthens relationships, encourages collaboration, and creates an environment where every individual feels valued and empowered.
At FidesOak®, we work with organisations to build leadership capability that can be seen, heard, and felt at every level. When leaders make their presence meaningful and authentic, they create the foundation for High Performing Teams and Cultures that endure.
References
- Schein, E.H. (1992). Organizational Culture and Leadership. Jossey Bass Publishers.
- Edmondson, A.C. (2018). The Fearless Organisation: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation and Growth. John Wiley & Sons.
- Hopkins, A. (2009). Failure to Learn: The BP Texas City Refinery Disaster. CCH Australia.
Get in Touch
If you would like to explore how Visible and Felt Leadership can strengthen performance in your organisation, contact the FidesOak® team at info@fidesoak.co.uk
