Summer logbook #1 — Lake Geneva, a silent leader

It is 8pm, in the middle of July. Back-to-back calls, sparring partner sessions, closing the semester accounts. A full, demanding day. And yet, this evening, I feel an overflow of tension in every muscle. Twenty minutes to eat. Not one to walk outside, breathe, or see daylight.

Putting my feet in the lake

I had given everything and taken nothing for myself. So rather than letting that frustration land on anyone who crossed my path, I went to put my feet in the lake.

Lake Geneva. Its surface that stays even in strong winds. That appearance of calm which impresses — and which misleads, just enough.

What this lake teaches me about leaders

You think this lake is calm because its surface stays steady? Beneath the surface, deep currents shift through summer, powerful and invisible, carried by the temperature differences between layers of water.

This is exactly what a leader lives every day. Contradictory demands, decisions that grate against their values, what must be delivered to teams even when it costs something. That inner turbulence, invisible from the outside, can be deeply isolating — even when surrounded by an entire executive committee.

Carrying the currents without drowning in them

Carrying these currents is not weakness. It is the price of a position where you absorb what others do not have to absorb. What matters is having somewhere to put them down.

For me that evening, it was this lake. It reminded me that even when opposing currents create invisible waves, there is always a way back to stillness.

Where do you put your feet when your own currents become too strong?

To find your own space for release as a leader, explore Manentiel at manentiel.com.