I would like to think that all high-stakes leadership moments are filled with presence under pressure, but we know that is not the case. But presence under pressure is the currency determining whether our decisions calm a room or amplify the chaos. I also find it fascinating that in a recent poll, many people blur the line between the two very different skills: grounding and centering. In an inquiry on the topic, I asked this very question: What are your thoughts about grounding and centering twenty random people? All but one said they were the same skill. Unfortunately, academia recognizes them as two distinct skills that have an interconnected relationship. But when we treat them as the same skill, we weaken them both. Grounding provides us with stability, whereas centering gives us direction. One stops the wobble while the other points the way. And when used and understood together, they form a composure to impact, a pipeline that allows us to steady ourselves and then channel that steadiness into decisive, intentional action when the stakes are at their highest.
The First Pillar: Grounding
In our most basic understanding of grounding, it is a reset, bringing our bodies and minds into the present moment so we can respond instead of reacting. It is the process of reclaiming control from our stress response. Within the body, grounding stops the amygdala’s fight/flight/freeze reflex from hijacking the prefrontal cortex, allowing our executive function to come back online (Arnsten, 2009). In plain terms, it prevents fear or reactivity from influencing our decision-making.
Leadership Applications:
• Entering a tense boardroom after bad news.
• Addressing a public crisis without escalating panic.
• Giving difficult feedback without emotional leakage.
Key Signs We’re Grounded:
• Breath slows and deepens.
• Muscle tension eases.
• Focus shifts from “what if” to “what is.”
Bottom Line: Grounding is stability, or in simpler terms, the stillness before strategy. You can read more about grounding in my previous article.
The Second Pillar: Centering
The easiest way to define centering is that it’s a posture of aligning our internal state with the external intent. It is the process of choosing the values, focus, and tone we want to project before taking action. If grounding steadies us, centering channels that steadiness into purposeful action. It ensures our presence aligns with our mission.
Leadership Applications:
• The ability to de-escalate a tense command meeting.
• Delivering bad news to a team that communicates gravity, not panic.
• Setting a tone of confidence during a pivot.
Key Signs We’re Centered:
• A clear picture of the outcome we want.
• Emotions aligned with the task.
• Posture and voice synchronized with intent.
Bottom Line: Centering is the point of alignment where composure becomes influence.
Why They Work Best Together
Grounding and centering form a sequence:
1. Grounding stops chaotic moments.
“I’m here. I’m present. I’m in control.”
2. Centering directs your presence towards impact.
“Here’s how I’ll show up and lead.”
If we skip grounding, then we risk looking composed but making erratic choices. And if we skip centering, we may feel calm but be directionless. Research confirms that leaders who pair self-regulation with intentional framing lead more effectively (Anderson, Adams, Davidson, & Poertner, 2017; Boyatzis, Rochford, & Taylor, 2015).
The Micro-Macro Effect
Small internal shifts (micro) trigger massive external results (macro). A leader who is grounded and centered radiates stability, which boosts trust, morale, and decision quality. When we fail to use this dynamic duo, we face blind spots that limit our effectiveness across the cascade of decisions leaders are up against every day.
How to Apply This in Under a Minute
Chaos → Clarity → Influence
When seconds matter, here’s the quick sequence that matters the most:
1. Ground (20–30 seconds)
• Focus on your breath.
• Exhale twice as long as you inhale.
• Use mental cues to bring you back to the moment.
2. Center (20–30 seconds)
• Recall the value most relevant to this moment.
• Visualize your tone and desired outcome.
• Adjust posture and voice to match intent.
This is a skill, like anything else, that becomes easier with use. We are what we repeatedly do, so it’s important we ritualize this so we can respond rather than react.
Why It Matters Now
The speed of modern challenges overwhelms the nervous system’s capacity for calm decision-making. Leaders face constant triggers (emails, alerts, crises) before they’ve stabilized their internal systems. Research shows decision fatigue leads to impulsive and less ethical choices (Vohs et al., 2008). And while our nervous systems are under constant attack, the good news is that grounding restores clarity, while centering points it toward impact in all decisive moments.
Final Reflection
I have the utmost gratitude and respect for one of my mentors, Dr. Terry Anderson, who has taught me how the micro affects the macro while also bringing me to a better understanding of these skills and how they work together. Being a leader does not mean that we face challenges without emotion, but it does require us to lead through regulating and channeling the energies we will ultimately face into positive, winning influence. As leaders, bad news is around every corner, but how we respond to it is always up to our ability to use the safety harness of grounding and our compass of centering to amplify our presence. If you’re looking to win, this dynamic duo never disappoints. Before your next high-stakes moment, if you can answer yes to being both grounded and centered before making that next decision, well, you’ve just won.
References
Anderson, T. D., Adams, D., Davidson, G., & Poertner, J. (2017). Every officer is a leader: Coaching leadership, learning and performance in justice, public safety, and security organizations (3rd ed.). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315151903
Arnsten, A. F. T. (2009). Stress signalling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function.Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 410–422. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2648
Boyatzis, R. E., Rochford, K., & Taylor, S. N. (2015). The role of the positive emotional attractor in vision and shared vision: Toward effective leadership, relationships, and engagement.Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 670. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00670
Vohs, K. D., Baumeister, R. F., Schmeichel, B. J., Twenge, J. M., Nelson, N. M., & Tice, D. M. (2008). Making choices impairs subsequent self-control: A limited-resource account of decision making, self-regulation, and active initiative.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 94(5), 883–898. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.94.5.883