Lessons on Leadership from a Presidential Palace Launch, Freediving, and the Ocean In my previous BOLDER Reflection, I wrote about visibility and why leaders shouldn't be the world's best-kept secret. Since then, life has been anything but quiet. BOLDER was officially launched at the Presidential Palace in Dili. I facilitated a leadership communication workshop with managers and emerging leaders. My Instagram account was hacked, forcing me to start again from scratch. I spent time in Bali learning alongside freedivers from around the world, including world-record holder Alexey Molchanov. And I spent time with a growing freediving community in Timor-Leste, exploring pressure, trust, presence, and what happens when people come together around a shared purpose. On the surface, these experiences seem completely unrelated. But as I reflect on the past few weeks, one theme keeps showing up: Calm under pressure. The Launch Photo caption: Ten years of lessons from deserts, oceans, boardrooms, and coaching conversations distilled into one message: lead bolder. Last week, BOLDER was officially launched at the Presidential Palace in Dili. Almost 150 people came. Some stood at the back because every seat was taken. Ambassadors, community leaders, entrepreneurs, young changemakers, friends, and colleagues; many of whom have been part of my journey over more than a decade in Timor-Leste. It was emotional. Because while the invitation said "book launch", this felt like something much bigger. It felt like the coming together of ten years of relationships, adventures, challenges, leadership experiences, and lessons. The highlights video captures the spirit of the day far better than words ever could. You can watch it here. One of the most powerful moments was listening to Ross Merry da Gloria and Joãozinho Dedito Martins (Dedy Kayaka) reflect on their own leadership journeys and the role I have played alongside them over the years. Another was hearing remarks from His Excellency Dr José Ramos-Horta, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and President of Timor-Leste, before he officially launched BOLDER. Standing there watching a framework forged through deserts, oceans, endurance challenges, coaching conversations, and years of leadership experience being recognised in that way was a moment I'm still struggling to find words for.  Photo caption: Watching BOLDER emerge from beneath the tais felt like the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Moments like these remind you that leadership isn't measured only by titles or achievements. It's measured by what continues through others. And perhaps that is what stayed with me most. None of this was achieved alone. Bold leadership may look individual from the outside. In reality, it is almost always a collective effort. What the Ocean Is Teaching Me About Leadership  Photo caption: What you see here isn't a freediving event. It's a community taking shape. Earlier this month, I had the privilege of co-organising Topu Ramutu ("Dive Together"), Timor-Leste's first community-led freediving gathering on Atauro Island. What began as a simple idea brought together nearly 40 participants from Timor-Leste and around the world for three days of diving, ocean education, conservation, breathwork, and community-building. What made me proud wasn't the diving itself. It was watching young Timorese freedivers step into leadership roles and seeing a community form around a shared passion for the ocean. I was equally inspired by Wawata Topu, the women spearfishers of Adara, who continue to challenge traditional gender roles through their leadership, skill, and deep connection to the sea. Seeing the event featured in the media was a reminder that people are hungry for stories of community, conservation, leadership, and positive action. If you'd like to learn more about Topu Ramutu, you can read the coverage here:
A few days days later, I found myself at Deep Week Bali, learning alongside freedivers from around the world, including world-record holder Alexey Molchanov and Australian freediver Adam Stern. While there, I facilitated a workshop called Beyond the Dive: The Freediver's Mindset for Everyday Life, exploring how lessons from freediving can help us lead, communicate, and navigate everyday challenges more effectively.  Photo caption: Freediving teaches calm under pressure in a way you cannot fake. Surprisingly, both experiences reinforced the same lesson: Freediving teaches calm under pressure in a way you cannot fake. When you descend beneath the surface, tension consumes oxygen. Forcing rarely helps. Panic narrows your options. The deeper you go, the more important it becomes to remain present. Leadership isn't so different. The leaders who create trust, navigate uncertainty, communicate clearly, and make good decisions under pressure are not always the loudest. Often, they are simply the calmest. Which is why one phrase has become my anchor both underwater and above the surface: Pause. Breathe. Smile. Choose. Different Room. Same Lesson.  Photo caption: Different room. Same lesson. Pause. Breathe. Smile. Choose.
Three days after the launch, I found myself in a room full of leaders practising communication and presence. Participants delivered presentations, were filmed, and watched themselves back on screen. Different room. Same lesson. Most people don't struggle because they lack expertise. They struggle because pressure changes how they show up. Whether underwater, on stage, or in a boardroom, our ability to stay grounded often determines the impact we create. Reflection
Closing A few other things have happened recently. After losing my Instagram account to hackers, I've started a new one from scratch. It's a humbling reminder that sometimes leadership isn't about scaling something bigger. Sometimes it's about beginning again. If we haven't connected on LinkedIn yet, feel free to send me a connection request. And if you'd like more regular glimpses from the journey, you can also find me on Instagram and Facebook at @b.inspiredbynature, where I share reflections on leadership, oceans, endurance, and life at the edge. And next week I'll be travelling to Taipei for the Rotary International Convention and Peace Park programme as a Rotary Peace Fellow. If you'll be there too, I'd love to connect. Thank you for being part of this community. Keep breathing. Keep leading. And keep choosing your next bold step. Birgit Want more reflections like this? Subscribe to BOLDER Reflections and receive leadership insights, stories from the edge, and practical tools delivered straight to your inbox.
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AuthorBirgit Hermann is a global coach, speaker, executive leader, ocean advocate, and extreme endurance athlete. For 20+ years she has guided leaders and teams in over 20 countries through transformation, crisis and culture change. 
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