I’m Learning That Presence Is the Most Underrated Form of Leverage

The pace is relentless. Every day we're bombarded by signals telling us to work harder, faster, and longer. In the midst of this endless hustle, busyness has become a badge of honor, even when it leaves us disconnected from what truly matters. Most leaders fall into the trap of thinking that non-stop productivity equals success. They chase activity over impact, missing out on the value of deep, meaningful connection. The simple act of stepping back and being present often gets dismissed as a luxury, when in reality it creates lasting influence. This week we’re introducing the concept of a Presence Moat, a strategic approach to building lasting relationships by prioritizing genuine engagement over mere output. It means creating a buffer that keeps you deeply connected to your team and your life, no matter how hectic the world gets.

Today’s Issue:

• Why constant busyness sabotages real, meaningful connections

• How stepping away from the grind can strengthen leadership and family ties

• Proven tactics to build a Presence Moat, fortifying your influence for the long haul

AI Leverage

This week’s article emphasizes the transformative power of presence over traditional notions of productivity. By stepping away from constant work demands, leaders can foster deeper connections with their teams and families, illustrating that true leverage often comes from investing time and attention where it truly matters.

Key Points:

• Taking a break from work can provide valuable quality time with family, enhancing relationships and personal well-being.

• The idea of productivity is often misleading; being busy does not equate to being effective or fulfilled.

• Leaders should model the importance of presence, allowing their teams to prioritize connection over mere output.

• True leverage comes from focusing on meaningful interactions and moments rather than trying to maximize every hour with work tasks

Key Takeaway: In a world that often equates busyness with effectiveness, this week’s insights challenge leaders to prioritize presence over productivity. Embracing moments of genuine connection can lead to greater fulfillment and deeper team engagement, reminding us that impact comes not from constant activity but from intentional attention.

AI Copilots: 

PROFIT/PROGRESS: Scale Your Impact 

Purpose 

• Objective: Develop a data-driven strategy for launching a new service offering tailored to customer needs.

• SMB Relevance: Smart, informed decision-making helps SMBs to innovate and tap into new revenue streams efficiently.

• Timeliness/Context: As market demands shift, responding quickly with relevant service offerings is crucial for sustaining growth.
  

Core Functionality 

• Copilot Actions: Conduct market research, analyze customer feedback, and generate business models for the new service.

• Key Capabilities to Leverage: Data analysis and visualization tools to present insights coherently.
  

Interaction Style

• Copilot Persona/Tone: Analytical, strategic, and goal-oriented.

• Guidance Level: In-depth insights and recommendations based on gathered data.
  

Typical User Inputs 

• Information Required: Existing service details, target market demographics, customer feedback, and competitive analysis.

Format of Input: Narrative format or bullet points for clarity.

Expected Outputs 

• Deliverables: A comprehensive report detailing market opportunity, proposed service outlines, and actionable steps for launch.

• Format/Structure of Output: PDF report with graphs and charts to illustrate data findings.

• Success Criteria: Clear plan for service development with targeted KPIs and timelines established for tracking success.
  

AI News

➔ Featured Story

Ban on State AI Regulations Can Remain in 'Big Beautiful Bill'

The proposed legislation banning state-level AI regulations is part of a spending bill, sparking a debate on innovation versus accountability in technology governance.

Key Points:

• President Trump's tax and spending bill includes a ban on state-level AI regulations.

• The ban could encourage flexibility in AI development for technology companies.

• Critics warn the absence of regulations may lead to risks and lack of accountability.
• The decision could establish federal control over AI regulation, limiting state frameworks.

Key Takeaway: Why this matters: This legislative decision raises concerns about the balance between fostering innovation in AI and ensuring necessary oversight, highlighting potential risks around privacy, security, and ethical considerations in technology deployment.

➔ Other Notable AI News

• AI is upending engineers' career trajectories, the tech chief of a $205 billion company told BI
  AI is eliminating routine coding tasks, pushing engineers to focus on architecture, problem-solving, and AI tool mastery. The role is shifting from execution to strategy, requiring broader thinking and adaptability.

  👉 Read more
  
  

• Why AI Literacy Is Essential For Success In An AI-Driven Economy
  As AI becomes central to the economy, knowing how it works, where it falls short, and the ethical questions it raises is now crucial for staying competitive.
  👉 Full story
  
  

• Inside Disney’s Campaign to Protect Darth Vader From AI
  Disney is taking legal action against companies like Midjourney to stop unauthorized use of its characters while also exploring licensing deals with platforms such as OpenAI.
  👉 Read more
  
  

• Apple Reportedly Mulling Perplexity Purchase to Bolster AI Offerings
  Apple executives, including Adrian Perica and Eddy Cue, have held preliminary internal talks about acquiring Perplexity AI to boost its AI capabilities and reduce dependence on Google for search services .
  👉 Full article
  
  

• What The June 28 European Accessibility Act Deadline Means For Brands
  With the June 28, 2025 deadline nearing, brands in the EU must ensure that their websites, apps, and products meet new accessibility standards to avoid penalties.
  👉 Read more
  
  

• Goodbye to job security at Amazon—its CEO warns that artificial intelligence will put thousands of jobs at risk in the coming years
  Andy Jassy says AI tools will likely reduce the need for many corporate roles at Amazon. He’s urging employees to build AI skills as the company shifts toward automation.
  👉 Read more
  
  

• The AI Arms Race: Why Traditional Cybersecurity is Already Obsolete
  AI-powered attacks are growing fast, with malware, phishing, and password cracking becoming more advanced. Experts say using AI in defense is now essential to keep up.
  👉 Full story

 AI Economy

Big Picture: Global economic dynamics remain challenging as the U.S. labor market shows resilience amid heightened tariff uncertainties, with reports indicating the economy appears somewhat insulated from the ongoing trade saga. In contrast, the Eurozone grapples with stagnation; the UK economy unexpectedly contracted for a second consecutive month, underscoring worries over inflation and growth. Meanwhile, OPEC faces internal pressures with Saudi Arabia's recent production exceeding quotas, which may further complicate international oil markets. (Bloomberg, FT)

What to Watch

• The U.S. labor market continues to demonstrate surprising strength, with jobless claims remaining stable as the economy adapts to ongoing tariff-related uncertainties.

• Germany’s long-term borrowing costs are set to reach a 14-year high as financial markets reflect concerns over economic growth and mounting debt sales.

• U.S. Treasury volatility has dropped to its lowest level in over three years, indicating a stabilization in investor sentiment after recent market turbulence.

• Indonesia has launched an AI Center of Excellence with support from Cisco and Nvidia, aiming to train 1 million citizens in AI and data science by 2027, reflecting a robust commitment to technological advancement in the region.

Key Takeaway : The current economic landscape is characterized by varied challenges and opportunities depending on geographic context. While the U.S. labor market underlines resilience, the Eurozone’s difficulties may prompt policy shifts, especially in monetary strategies. Such economic versatility necessitates strategic agility; firms should align investment in innovation, notably in AI, as adoption rates are crucial for competitive positioning amidst fluctuating economic conditions. As highlighted by Indonesia's proactive approach, businesses may need to prioritize skill development to thrive in an increasingly automated future.

AI Community

💬 Q&A of the Week

Question: 
As a tech founder focused on responsible AI development, I’m concerned that banning state-level AI regulations might hinder efforts to implement strong ethical guidelines. How does the bill balance innovation with public accountability?

Answer (From Newsletter team):
Great question. The ban aims to streamline AI governance by establishing a consistent federal framework, which proponents argue reduces compliance complexity for tech companies and fosters innovation nationwide. However, critics rightly raise concerns that this approach could sideline more localized efforts to enforce ethical practices, especially in areas like data privacy, algorithmic bias, and consumer rights. While the bill reflects a push for unified oversight, the debate highlights an ongoing need for robust federal standards that can address accountability and public trust—ideally, without hampering the agility and ethical innovation of responsible tech entrepreneurs like you.

That's it for today!

Before you go we’d love to know what you thought of today's newsletter to help us improve The Leaders Leverage experience for you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Awesome 

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Average

⭐️ Awful

See you soon,

James Brooks—The Leader’s Leverage editorial team