The Power of Presence: Why In-Person Leadership Matters Most
A leadership lesson on connection, context, and the insights only proximity can provide
“The further we are from a problem, the simpler the solution seems.”
Pastor Andy Stanley shared this leadership truth in a recent sermon, encouraging people to serve those in need. His words also offer a valuable leadership lesson: proximity matters.
The closer we get to the teams and challenges we lead, the better we understand them—and the stronger our leadership becomes. In-person leadership fosters trust, enhances alignment, and motivates leaders and teams to achieve greater results.
Why Presence Matters
Leading multi-site operations—especially those spread across large geographic areas—poses real challenges. Establishing a consistent presence requires time, energy, travel, and resources. It’s tempting to rely on virtual meetings and quick check-ins.
But there’s no substitute for human connection.
When you show up, you signal to your teams that they matter. You gain insights that no Zoom call or email exchange could ever reveal. You build credibility, which makes your leadership more effective over time.
Lessons From the Field
Throughout my career, I’ve led multi-site teams across nearby locations and several states. While I used virtual meetings when necessary, I prioritized visiting teams in their environments, whether that meant taking long drives or making cross-country flights.
Those visits provided me with context and understanding that informed better decisions. I didn’t just hear about challenges secondhand—I saw them, asked questions, and listened directly to the people doing the work.
With proper planning, I often hosted roundtable discussions with frontline employees, including drivers, parking attendants, mechanics, and cleaners. These sessions fostered open dialogue, allowing employees to ask questions such as, “Why do we do it this way?” or “Have we considered trying this?”
Answering their questions directly—and hearing their ideas firsthand—often turned skeptics into advocates, strengthening the connection between leadership and the field.
Visiting in person also allowed me to practice a core leadership principle: “Inspect what you expect.” Walking through customer areas, employee facilities, maintenance shops, and fleet locations provided clarity that no report could offer. It provided me with a thorough understanding of our operations and positioned me as a more effective team coach and thought partner.
Leading With Presence
In-person leadership requires a greater commitment, more time, and effort upfront. But the payoff is lasting: stronger trust, better alignment, and a culture where employees feel seen, heard, and valued.
Leadership isn’t just about setting expectations from a distance—it’s about stepping into the spaces where work happens, challenges are real, and solutions are born.
When we lead with presence, we lead with purpose. And when we lead purposefully, we build organizations where people and performance thrive together.
Brian Dickson is the owner of Bus Business Consultants and author of Ground Transportation Insights on Substack. Drawing on leadership roles in motorcoach operations and Disney’s Guest Transportation, he helps operators improve performance, culture, and growth—Bus Business Consultants: Driving Performance, Culture, & Growth in Ground Transportation.
This article was originally published on April 30, 2025 at Ground Transportation Insights.
