“A good fragrance is really a powerful cocktail of memories and emotion.”
― Jeffrey Stepakoff, The Orchard
“Odors have a power of persuasion stronger than that of words, appearances, emotions, or will. The persuasive power of an odor cannot be fended off, it enters into us like breath into our lungs, it fills us up, imbues us totally. There is no remedy for it.”
― Patrick Süskind
The other day, I attended a networking event and was greeted by a sweet friend I hadn’t seen in quite some time. We exchanged a quick, warm hug and had a brief conversation. But when I got home, I noticed something unexpected: her perfume was all over my top.
Now, let me be clear, it was a lovely scent. It was elegant and memorable. But what amazed me most was just how strong and lasting it was. Even after I washed my blouse, a hint of her perfume still lingered. The lingering strength of the perfume made me realize that it wasn’t coming out of my top no time soon. Its lasting effects were impressive.
And of course, you know how my mind works—this moment got me thinking about leadership.
What kind of smell do you leave behind as a leader?
Jeff Bezos once said, “Your personal brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
I’d take that a step further: Leaders leave a scent…….or an odor—even after you’ve left the room.
Too many leaders assume that results, performance metrics, or status are enough to define their impact. But gone are the days when you can hide behind profits while ignoring the effect of your personal presence on others. People don’t just remember what you achieved, they remember how you made them feel. And feelings, like smells, are hard to shake.
Every leadership interaction—whether it’s a tense meeting, a spontaneous hallway conversation, or an email response—leaves behind something. A trace. A residue. A scent.
And not all scents are pleasant.
Some leaders carry the equivalent of a fine fragrance yielding clarity, compassion, integrity, and trust.
Others leave behind a pungent odor that heightens fear, detachment, blame, and emotional volatility.
Your scent shows up in:
- The tone of voice you use (especially when you’re upset)
- The words you choose
- Your body language
- How you respond to failure or mistakes
- The email and text messages you send
- How do you deal with disappointments or setback
- Whether you celebrate others—or rush past their wins
- The way you handle change and disruptions
- etc…..
And here’s the kicker: You don’t get to decide whether what you leave behind is a scent or an odor.
Your team does and other stakeholders do. What do you think they would say about your scent? Have you ever asked how other experience you?
Ready to evaluate your own scent? Here’s your leadership scent check:
Ask yourself:
- When someone walks away from an interaction with me, do they feel lighter or heavier?
- Do I linger in their mind as a source of trust or tension?
- When your team member shares tough feedback, do they feel heard or dismissed?
- When mistakes happen, do you respond with curiosity or condescension?
- When celebrating success, do others feel seen or overlooked?
- In moments of pressure, do you leave behind calm or chaos?
Final reflection and moving forward:
Leadership presence has staying power. It shapes culture, influences engagement, and determines how safe people feel around you. Here are some questions to move
- What do people feel after interacting with you?
- Do you leave a trail of encouragement or emotional debris?
- Would you want your leadership “scent” to linger?
- What needs to shift in order to align your presence with your purpose?
I’m curious—what has been your experience with a leader whose scent stayed with you (for better or worse)? Drop a comment or message me. Would love to know your thoughts/experiences on this topic!
And be sure to check out our previous blog posts for added leadership insights.
