I have been sitting on this article for a while.
Part of my hesitation came from the word itself. Manifestation does not naturally sound like a leadership topic, at least not in the way most Directors and VPs talk about their work. It can feel vague, overly abstract, or disconnected from the very real demands of leading teams, influencing stakeholders, and delivering outcomes.
And yet, over the course of a single week, the topic surfaced three separate times in conversations with leaders. The contexts were different and the challenges varied, but the underlying idea was the same.
That felt like the right moment to share this.
Why This Concept Feels Uncomfortable in a Leadership Context
When you strip away the language that makes people uncomfortable, what remains is something many senior leaders are already doing, often without ever naming it.
It is not magic, and it is not wishful thinking. At its core, it is about clarity.
For a long time, I assumed manifestation was primarily about belief or optimism. It felt closer to positive thinking than professional practice. Over the past few years, through my own leadership experience and my work as a coach, I have come to see a much more grounded version of it in action.
What Changes When Leaders Get Clear About the Future
When leaders take the time to articulate a specific future they are working toward, something begins to shift. This is not a slogan or a vague ambition, but a clear picture of the role they are growing into, the mandate it carries, and why it matters to the organisation.
That clarity starts to show up in very practical ways.
Leaders begin to prepare differently for meetings, with a stronger sense of purpose behind the conversations they want to have. They delegate more intentionally, not simply to reduce their workload, but to build capability and decision-making strength around them. Over time, senior stakeholders start to see not just potential, but how this leader could genuinely operate at the next level.
There is nothing mystical about this process. What is happening is a growing alignment between intention and behaviour.
In many ways, this is executive leadership development at its most practical. When leaders are clear on where they are heading, they begin to act from that future before the title or formal authority arrives.
This does not mean ignoring today’s responsibilities. Instead, it means expanding how you show up within them.
Acting From the Role You Are Growing Into
Leaders who are preparing for broader influence often start building enterprise relationships earlier, rather than waiting to be invited. Those moving into roles that require developing other leaders gradually stop being the fastest problem-solver in the room and start coaching others to make decisions. The shift is subtle, but it is noticeable.
One leader I worked with described it as changing the lens. The calendar looked the same on the surface, but the intention behind how time and energy were spent had shifted.
This is where the idea of manifestation is often misunderstood. It is not about prediction or certainty. It is about focus.
Some leaders find it helpful to anchor that focus with a simple visual reminder. This is not about creating a vision board filled with aspirational imagery, but about choosing something understated and practical. A phrase, a word, or an image that represents the mandate they are working toward can be enough to bring attention back to what matters when the week becomes crowded with competing demands.
Clarity also tends to strengthen when it is shared selectively. One or two trusted colleagues, mentors, or sponsors who understand the direction you are heading can make a meaningful difference. This is not about broadcasting ambition, but about creating alignment. When people know what you are working toward, they are more likely to notice opportunities that fit and to bring them to your attention.
Letting Your Calendar Tell the Truth
Then there is the calendar, which is often the most honest mirror of all.
Looking at the week ahead through the lens of where you are heading can be revealing. Where is your time actually going? Which conversations dominate your attention? What is missing that would matter at the next level? Some leaders choose to colour-code their calendars to distinguish work that aligns with their future role from work that does not. It is a simple practice, but one that makes gaps hard to ignore.
If the calendar does not reflect the leadership you are becoming, it becomes difficult to expect anyone else to see it.
None of this requires adopting new language or subscribing to ideas that do not resonate. You do not have to call it manifestation at all.
You might think of it as intentional leadership, strategic clarity, or simply taking your own growth seriously.
What matters is recognising that senior leadership is not something you step into overnight. It is something you practise, often long before it is formally recognised.
More often than not, the shift begins not with belief, but with behaviour.
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