01/12/2026
5 things teaching yoga reminds me about leadership:
Leaders define the why, not the how-
In class, I'm not telling you exactly how your body should move. I offer the cue and safety to engage, the shape and the purpose- then trust you to find your way there. Leadership works the same. People don't need micromanaging- they need clear directions and a trust to do the rest on their own.
Holding space is the REAL work-
Teaching isn't just cueing poses- it's reading the room, sensing energy, and adjusting accordingly. The goal is to create enough safety for people to show up authentically, try new things, and ask for help when they need it. Leadership is the same. Presence matters more than performance.
Everyone's edge is different-
In yoga, the "Edge" isn't pain- it's awareness. The same posture can feel wildly different for every person. One small difference in alignment can take you from auto-pilot, comfort to extreme awareness in seconds. In leadership, growth is the same way. Good leaders notice when their team is capable of more than they're giving. They encourage people to stretch themselves in new ways, then pay attention to how each person responds.
Effort without awareness becomes force-
Yoga teaches us when to engage, when to soften, and when to do both at the same time. Just like in leadership, burnout happens when effort isn't balanced with regulation and rest. Leaders understand the balance of effort and ease and know to shift between them seamlessly.
Meet people where they ACTUALLY are- not where you wish they were-
Every class holds beginners, regulars, and people who just barely survived the day and made it to class. I need to be able to notice and adapt to each person's capacity, even if that means changing the plan for my class. Our workplaces are no different. Leadership recognizes that every person shows up where they are, in that moment, and asks for the same humility and adaptability.
Teaching yoga isn't separate from how I lead- it's my leadership in action.
Where have you noticed leadership is less about strategy, and more about presence?
