The deep breaths were getting louder.

I was sitting nearby. I could see his feet fidgeting under the curtain that separated us. The breathing continued to get louder. The medical tech finally entered. “We’ve got five to do. Which arm would you prefer?” I could feel the young man’s anxiety swell.

But then something shifted. I think the tech caught on to young man’s anxiety. He initiated just a bit of conversation. He got the young man talking. Nothing elaborate. Nothing over the top. But the exchange seemed to take the young man from peak anxiety to just plain anxiety. In that moment, the tech’s approach changed from the business of medicine into the promise of medicine.

This is leadership.

How often are we worried about a change and instead of being met with the promise, we are met with the business case?

“What’s the problem, the data is solid!”

This is the equivalent of the tech sensing the young man’s anxiety and going on to explain all the benefits of the shots instead of making small talk.

Yes, leadership is about vision and strategy and execution. But, it’s also about the promise. It’s about making us feel better about uncertainty so we can lean into it. It’s about helping us move forward even if we are nervous about it.

At its core, leadership is a people business. It always has been.