Leadership is Like Breath: Unseen, Essential, and Often Taken for Granted

Take a moment. Inhale deeply. Now exhale slowly.

You probably didn’t think about breathing until I mentioned it. And yet, without it, nothing else matters.

Leadership is much the same.

A Quick Fact

According to a study by Gallup, 70% of the variance in team engagement is directly tied to the quality of the leader. Like breath, leadership may go unnoticed but its absence is immediately felt in performance and morale.

1. The Unseen Force That Sustains Everything

In a school building, leadership often lives in the margins. It’s in the hallway conversations, the careful listening during a passing comment, and the tone set during morning greetings. Like breath, it’s not always visible, but it is always present, regulating the rhythm of the organization. When it’s steady, people flourish. When it’s shallow or erratic, tension rises. When it’s absent, the system begins to suffocate.

Leadership doesn’t need to shout to be powerful. Its influence is felt, not flaunted.

2. Essential, But Easy to Overlook

Ask someone what makes a school great, and they’ll likely mention strong teachers, engaged students, or a caring culture. Rarely do they mention the leadership framework that quietly holds it all together. That’s because strong leadership, like healthy breathing, often goes unnoticed until there’s a problem.

The strongest leaders commit daily to educating, equipping, and empowering their teams. They create the conditions for others to thrive, all while modeling calm, clear, and consistent leadership in every interaction.

3. Taken for Granted Until There’s a Crisis

When things run smoothly, people often forget who built the systems behind that stability. But in a moment of crisis, whether it’s a safety issue, staff turnover, or community concern, leadership moves from the background to the forefront.

By the time most people start to notice leadership, it’s because something has gone wrong. The best leaders prepare before the crisis. They communicate clearly, stay grounded, and maintain consistency even when others waver.

They don’t react. They respond.

4. Leadership Hygiene: Daily, Intentional, and Grounded in Core Values

Just like healthy breathing habits promote wellness, leadership hygiene builds a thriving campus culture. Effective leaders don’t just manage. They breathe life into systems that align with their values. For us, that means leadership rooted in education, empowerment, and equipping others through communication, clarity, and consistency.

Daily leadership hygiene includes:

Reflective Planning: Creating space to think before speaking or acting

Crisis Readiness: Anticipating obstacles and preparing others to navigate them

Empathetic Presence: Staying attuned to the emotional pulse of staff and students

Strategic Restraint: Knowing when to lead from the front and when to lift others to lead

Clarity in Communication: Ensuring every message reinforces the vision and values

Consistency in Action: Showing up the same way, every day, especially when it’s hard

When you breathe intentionally, you lead intentionally.

Real-World Snapshot

Last fall, we noticed a shift in the building’s atmosphere. The energy was off. Transitions were louder. Minor behaviors were starting to spike. She didn’t hold a meeting or issue a directive. Instead, she made quiet adjustments to hallway coverage, reached out to a few students individually, and shifted the tone of our daily announcements. Within days, the building felt calmer and more focused.

No one made a big announcement. But everyone could feel the shift.

That is leadership like breath, unseen, essential, and rooted in clarity and consistency.

Final Thought and Call to Action

True leadership is not about the spotlight. It is about building environments where others can breathe freely, grow confidently, and rise with purpose. It is about creating systems that educate the mind, equip the team, and empower the community.

As a leader, your breath is your rhythm. Your values are your compass. So pause and ask yourself:

Where am I bringing calm into chaos?

Where does my steady presence allow others to exhale and rise?

And how can I lead with greater clarity, consistency, and impact?

Lead like breath. Present. Grounded. Life-giving.

"The best leaders are the ones the people hardly know exist. When their work is done, their aim fulfilled, the people will say: we did it ourselves."

– Lao Tzu

Three Reflective Leadership Questions

1. How am I using communication to create clarity and confidence?

2. Where am I educating, equipping, or empowering others through my leadership decisions?

3. Am I consistent in both calm and crisis, or do I shift with the pressure?