Episode 4: C is for Coherence

The Power of Coherence: From Inner Alignment to Extraordinary Leadership

By Kristina Wiltsee & Fred LeFranc

“Coherence isn’t perfection, it’s congruence.” – Fred LeFranc

We live in a world that often feels like a class-five whitewater rapid—fast, unpredictable, and filled with sharp turns. As leaders, we’re expected to navigate that chaos with clarity and presence. But how do we do that when our inner world feels just as turbulent?

Welcome to the third pillar of our ABCs of Leadership: Coherence.

We’ve previously explored Alignment—tuning into our inner truth—and Balance—holding paradox without collapse. Coherence is where those ideas turn into action. It’s the resonance between mind, heart, and gut. When we achieve it, we not only move forward—we lead.

What is Coherence, Really?

Fred calls it “the place where the rubber hits the road.” It’s the inner signal we follow when we’ve cleared the static of fear, indecision, and noise. It’s a physiological, emotional, and energetic state in which our thoughts, feelings, and actions align. It’s where clarity meets conviction.

As Kristina put it: coherence is like a symphony or a band mix. When the instruments are out of balance—too much bass, not enough vocals—you can’t hear the message. In the human body, your heart is the drum. It should be loudest in your inner mix. When you allow the heart to set the rhythm, the mind and gut follow. This sync creates emotional clarity, physiological calm, and magnetic leadership.

Getting Into Coherence

You don’t need to escape to a mountaintop to practice coherence. In fact, coherence is most useful when life is messy. Meditation, breathwork, or focused reflection are key tools. But this isn’t about perfection—it’s about tuning in like a radio to find the clear signal beneath the noise.

Fred shared:

“Courage is not the absence of fear. It’s the ability to carry on with dignity in spite of it.”

Through simple practices—like breathing as if your heart had nostrils—you begin to entrain your physiology into calm. That calm spreads to your team. It’s not about controlling others—it’s about becoming the tuning fork for your environment.

Why Coherence Matters for Business

Coherence creates impact. A coherent leader magnetizes the team toward action. It’s what gets ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results.

In teams, coherence shows up as:

• Reduced reactivity: You stop flying off the handle or spiraling emotionally.

• Shorter recovery times: You bounce back from triggers faster.

• Team flow: Like a choir syncing breath or a sailing crew adjusting mid-storm, the team starts moving as one.

This isn’t just “woo.” Research shows that coherence (measured through heart rate variability) improves emotional regulation, decision-making, and even team performance. Coherence is the physiology of presence. It’s the science behind the “zone.”

Leading with Coherence

If you’re in leadership, you’ve likely experienced moments of team flow—where everyone clicks, momentum builds, and solutions emerge easily. That’s coherence. The goal isn’t to wait for those moments to arrive by accident. It’s to learn how to create them with intention.

Fred said it well:

“Who you are, what you say, and what you do is aligned—you become magnetic.”

That’s not magic. That’s mastery.

What If Things Get Worse?

Let’s be real. Sometimes, coherence makes things fall apart. A team member quits. A plan unravels. That doesn’t mean coherence failed. It means the stuckness is moving. When everything aligns, things that don’t fit get flushed out. It’s uncomfortable—but it’s clearing the way for real transformation.

As Kristina put it:

“Sometimes what looks like a breakdown is actually the system finally getting unstuck.”

How to Measure Coherence (Internally)

While business leaders track KPIs, individuals need internal metrics. Kristina recommends noticing:

• Frequency of emotional triggers

• Duration of recovery time

• Intensity of reactions

If those are decreasing, your coherence practices are working. You’re building the emotional intelligence to respond—not just react.

From Personal Mastery to Team Resonance

Ultimately, coherence isn’t just a state—it’s a transmission. When one person holds it, others begin to rise. It’s not about being “nice” or bypassing conflict. It’s about staying in your center even when things fall apart.

The most effective leaders aren’t the ones who dominate the room. They’re the ones who stabilize it.

Final Thoughts: The ROI of Coherence

We often talk about ROI—Return on Investment. But what about Return on Energy? Return on Emotion?

When you lead with coherence, you build trust, clarity, and momentum. Even if you don’t hit the external goal, you’ve gained something more: the team evolved. You evolved. And that’s a win that keeps giving.

Stay tuned as we continue bridging personal growth and leadership performance in future episodes. We’ll be exploring both mystical gateways and practical business tools—because both are needed now more than ever.

Thank you for being on this journey with us.

— Kristina & Fred

The Executive & The Mystic