Calm morning ritual setup

I know what it’s like to juggle a million plates - deadlines, meetings, client demands, and a to-do list that never ends.
When you’re in that mode, it’s easy to slip into autopilot - showing up on adrenaline instead of awareness.

For years, I thought being a good leader meant being everywhere, doing everything, and staying switched on. But here’s what I’ve learned after 17 years in design and leadership:

Your energy leads before you do.

Before you even speak, your state is already communicating.
Your team doesn’t just listen to what you say – they feel how you show up.

If you’re calm, clear and connected - your team feels it.
If you’re scattered, tense or running on fumes - they feel that too.

Energy is contagious.

In design, we talk endlessly about space
how to make it functional, inspiring, human.
But the most powerful element in any space isn’t the lighting, the furniture or the colour palette – it’s the energy of the people inside it.

I’ve seen studios thrive when leaders are grounded, open, and creatively alive.
And I’ve seen them crumble when stress becomes the default atmosphere.

The truth is simple:
The spaces we shape are only as creative as the people inside them.
And people do their best work when they’re regulated, resourced and inspired.

That’s what leadership really is – not just managing deliverables, but managing energy.

 
Working on laptop

How to Lead from Presence, Not Pressure.

Here are a few small shifts that changed the way I lead, both in my work and within myself:

  • Check your own energy first
    Before jumping into a meeting or email, take 30 seconds to ground. A few deep breaths. A sip of water. A mental reset.

  • Regulate before you communicate
    If you’re flustered, your words won’t land. Take a moment to centre yourself – your nervous system sets the tone.

  • Prioritise presence over perfection
    Your team needs your calm more than your constant. Creative clarity flows from presence, not pressure.

Designing the Human Element

In the same way we design spaces to support wellbeing, we can design our inner environments too.

That’s the foundation of my work at Interior Self – helping creative leaders reconnect to their energy, body, and environment
so they can lead and live from a place of alignment.

Because leadership isn’t just a role – it’s an energetic responsibility.
And how you show up on a Monday can shape how your whole team feels by Friday.

So this week, before diving into the chaos, pause.


Notice your energy.
Nourish it.
Because your energy leads before you do.


Reflection Prompt

What energy are you bringing into your workspace this week – and how might you recalibrate it?


Written by Michelle Wilkie – Founder of Interior Self and Design Director at tp bennett.

Working on laptop



Next
Next

6 Tips for a healthy home - Healing from the Inside Out