Presence Drill
Can I open my next client meeting with a “presence drill”? I think so.
In philanthropic conversations, presence is often the missing variable. We focus on strategy, messaging, cultivation steps — but the quality of attention in the room shapes the outcome just as much.
Imagine what could shift if everyone arrived fully present. That alone would be a gift to the conversation.
Retired Navy SEAL Team Lead Jon Macaskill recently shared a 90‑second reset he used between operations. It translates beautifully to our world between meetings:
The 90‑Second Reset
• Sit. Feet flat. Hands on your thighs.
• Set a timer for 90 seconds.
• First 30 seconds: do nothing. Notice the chair, your feet, your body landing.
• Next 60 seconds: inhale through your nose for four, exhale through your mouth for six. The longer exhale signals your nervous system to stand down.
• When the timer ends: open your eyes, stand, drink water, move on.
That’s it.
Jon practiced in environments where presence was the difference between a clean execution and weeks of fallout. In our professional lives, the stakes look different — but the cost of carrying tension or distraction from one meeting into the next is real. Our minds need a break.
It shows up in the time spent rather than time invested.
It shows up in successful transactions but stunted relationships.
It shows up in the version of you who walks through the door.
⏰ Ninety seconds. Twice a day. A small investment in better conversations and better leadership.
Jon and I first met in an online nonprofit workshop hosted by the Tidewater Community College Academy for Nonprofit Excellence during Covid, and his work has inspired me since.
What’s your between‑meeting reset?
