E9. Leading with Somatic Awareness

Boi Carpenter

Welcome to the Inquisitive Leader podcast. My name is Boi Carpenter, and I’m truly honored to have you here. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of wearing many hats—visionary, advisor, strategist, a leader of large-scale teams, and, more recently, an executive coach. It’s a journey that has spanned over thirty years and has taught me countless lessons about leadership, personal growth, and the power of community.

Boi Carpenter

Today's episode is about leading with somatic awareness, a concept that might be new to many of you.

Boi Carpenter

In leadership, we often turn to strategies, frameworks, and cognitive models to enhance our effectiveness. But how often do we look inward—truly inward—to connect with the signals our own bodies might be offering us, quietly, in the background? This is where somatic awareness comes into play, a tool that is at once profound in its simplicity yet transformational in its impact.

Boi Carpenter

Let’s start with what it means, this concept of somatic awareness. Simply put, it refers to the conscious perception of your body’s sensations. It’s about tuning in, honing our ability to recognize how physical states—a tense shoulder, a clenched jaw, or even a racing heartbeat—are directly tied to our emotions, to our stress, and to our internal reactions. And it’s fascinating when you think about it, isn’t it? That your body can, in its own way, act as a mirror for what you might be experiencing emotionally or mentally.

Boi Carpenter

In my work as a leadership coach, I’ve seen time and time again how becoming attuned to these signals can provide leaders with a level of self-awareness they didn’t even know they were missing. For instance, let’s say you’re entering a high-stakes meeting. Have you ever found your shoulders unconsciously tensing up? Or perhaps your breathing grows shallow before stepping up to present an important idea? It’s easy to dismiss these occurrences as simply nerves, but they’re more than that—they’re your body’s way of offering you information.

Boi Carpenter

The power of somatic awareness is that it bridges the gap between the mind and the body, creating a holistic picture of how we engage with challenges, with opportunities, and even with the people around us. And it begs the question: How often are leaders—our decision-makers and role models—pausing long enough to notice what their own bodies are telling them?

Boi Carpenter

This brings us to its role in emotional intelligence. I want you to think about this for a moment: If you can identify feelings of tension or strain in your body, wouldn’t that also help you decode your emotional state? Maybe your shoulders tighten in the middle of a conflict—that could be a signal to take a step back and address what’s causing the discomfort. Maybe your heart beats faster when an idea excites you—that’s energy worth leaning into. Understanding these cues doesn’t just make you more in tune with yourself; it makes you more empathetic, more present for those around you.

Boi Carpenter

So, the next time you find yourself faced with a difficult conversation or an overwhelming to-do list, pay attention. Ask yourself: What is my body saying right now? Because, you know, often our bodies are just as intelligent as our minds—they just speak a quieter language. And learning to listen to that language opens up a whole new realm of leadership potential.

Boi Carpenter

And now, this idea of listening to your body—it takes practice. It’s not about perfection, but about curiosity and consistency. In the next part of our conversation, I’d like to explore some practical ways to develop this awareness—things like breathing exercises, body scans, and even mindful stretches.

Boi Carpenter

Let’s talk about the 'how'. How do we cultivate this connection between body and mind, especially in a leadership context? You know, it’s one thing to understand somatic awareness in theory, but actually practicing it—that’s where the real growth happens.

Boi Carpenter

One of the most accessible tools is intentional breathing. It’s something we do all the time, but rarely with focus. And yet, simply being mindful of each inhale and exhale can be profoundly centering. There’s a particular exercise I often recommend: four-count breathing. You breathe in slowly for four counts, hold for four, and exhale for four. It’s simple, but, oh, the clarity it brings.

Boi Carpenter

I worked with an executive once who transformed her leadership presence by practicing breathing exercises before big meetings. Just five minutes was all it took for her to feel grounded—less reactive and more intentional with her presence. She described it as feeling like her feet had finally found solid ground. Isn’t that something we all could use in challenging moments, a sense of rootedness?

Boi Carpenter

And then there’s body scanning. This practice is so valuable for noticing what we didn’t even realize was there—tightness in the shoulders, tension in the jaw, or maybe a fluttering in the stomach. It’s so easy to ignore those signals, to power through the discomfort, but when you pause and simply observe, without judgment, you uncover this incredible source of intelligence within yourself.

Boi Carpenter

I remember once preparing for a fundraising call, one of those critical conversations where every word, every tone of voice needed to land just right. And I noticed my posture—rigid, almost defensive. I realized I was bracing myself, expecting resistance. So, I did a quick body scan, relaxed my shoulders, softened my stance, and I stood up instead of sitting. And you know, it shifted not just how I felt, but how I communicated—with more openness, more confidence. It’s subtle, but powerful.

Boi Carpenter

And then, there’s mindful movement—yoga, tai chi, or even a series of gentle stretches you can do at your desk. These are practices that remind us to slow down, to align our bodies with our intentions. They become little moments of recalibration, moments that, honestly, leaders often overlook in the rush to keep up with demands. But those moments matter.

Boi Carpenter

So, we’ve talked about what somatic awareness is, and we’ve touched on the tools to cultivate it, but now let’s ask ourselves—how do we bring this into our day-to-day leadership? How do we move beyond individual practice and integrate it into the way we lead, the way we connect with teams?

Boi Carpenter

Self-reflection is one of the most powerful tools here, especially after challenging moments. It’s about pausing and looking inward—asking, how did my body respond during that meeting or that difficult conversation? Was my jaw tight? My shoulders hunched? Did I feel that knot in the pit of my stomach? You know, these small reflections can reveal so much about patterns we might not even realize we have. And once we recognize them, we can start to adjust—slowly, intentionally—promise yourself you'll do that next time.

Boi Carpenter

There’s an example that always stands out to me: a leadership team of a coaching client I worked with decided to try something new before launching a big project. Instead of jumping straight into strategy and execution, they began their sessions with a simple body scan. Just a few minutes to acknowledge stress, tension, maybe even a sense of excitement or nervousness. And the shift it created was remarkable. They described it as a way to show up fully present—for themselves and for each other. It wasn’t just about relaxation; it was about fostering connection and clarity, together as a team.

Boi Carpenter

And, really, this ties into the bigger question—how do we, as leaders, create that culture of somatic awareness? How do we invite our teams to explore this connection between mind and body without making it feel, well, intimidating or out of reach? It starts with modeling it ourselves, showing that it’s okay, necessary even, to pause and listen to what our bodies are telling us. Sometimes it’s as simple as saying, ‘Let’s take a moment.’ It sounds small, but those moments, they build trust. They create space for honesty, for empathy.

Boi Carpenter

And let’s not forget the role of feedback—seeking it, valuing it. Sometimes we get so caught up in how we’re feeling internally that we miss how we’re coming across externally. Asking a trusted colleague, ‘Hey, did I seem tense during that presentation?’ Or, ‘Do you feel like I was fully present in that discussion?’—it’s vulnerable, for sure, but it’s how we grow. It’s how we align who we are with how we lead.

Boi Carpenter

So as we wrap up this conversation, I’d like to leave you with this thought: Leadership isn’t just about what you do; it’s about how you show up—in the meetings, in the moments, in the quiet spaces in between. And often, our bodies are the first to tell us if we’re showing up authentically, or if we’re holding something back. Listen to those cues. Lean into them. Because when you do, you’re not just leading—you’re leading with presence, with purpose, and with heart. And really, isn’t that what authentic leadership is all about?

Boi Carpenter

And that's all for today, my friends. Thank you for joining me on this exploration of somatic awareness and its impact on leadership. Until next time, take care of yourselves, and remember—it all starts within.