Have fun storming the castle!
Such a great line from such a great movie. The Princess Bride is SO quotable, so silly, and so heartwarming.
“My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”
“You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means.”
And of course:
“As you wish.”
But as I watch leaders working hard to get their 2026 plans approved, it’s Billy Crystal I keep hearing in my head: Have fun storming the castle!
Armed with loaded slide decks, these smart, thoughtful leaders march into meetings with fierce determination and singular focus.
Their plans are innovative, their teams are ready to go. And now it all hinges on getting them approved.
Have fun storming the castle.
And that’s what it feels like, right? Decision-makers walled up in their keeps while everyone else gathers their arsenal to try and break through.
Add more charts. Download more data. Watch yet another sales training video to learn the latest persuasion tactic.
But too often, all that gets us is more anxiety and distance from the vision we have for our team, our company, even our career.
So what if instead of an attack, it was a welcomed visit?
What would it take for them to lower the drawbridge instead of retreating deeper into the keep?
The leaders I see rallying their execs and teams have a way of doing exactly that. They lower drawbridges. They bring people with them, not by coercion or theater, but through connection.
They operate not from a place of convincing, but of connecting.
We’re more primitive than we think
Look at the research on trust and psychological safety and you’ll see something fascinating about how our brains process information.
For all our technological advancements, our minds still rely on some very primitive pathways. And here’s the kicker: we won’t even begin to process logic until our brain gets the signal that we’re safe.
And “harm” doesn’t always arrive with swords and spears. Sometimes it shows up as slick slide decks and polished sales scripts. The brain reads that as danger and the drawbridge stays up.
But when people feel heard? That’s when the guard lowers. That’s when logic and ideas have a chance to land.
Listen for the drawbridge
And think of what a gift you’ll be giving someone — to be the person who really hears them in a world that feels louder and more cluttered by the day.
Our inboxes, feeds, and meetings are packed with noise.
In this stage of AI, we’re flooded with more “stuff,” but not necessarily more substance.
You can be the one who shifts that.
The one who brings calm to the chaos.
The one who makes people feel seen and heard instead of dumped on.
That’s how you build trust and influence — not by convincing, but by connecting.
Try this in your next high-stakes moment
- Listen to them. Not just to reply, but to understand what’s at stake for them.
- Show they’ve been heard. Reflect their words back, reframe their insight — it signals safety.
- Weave their priorities in. Show how their perspective is already part of your plan.
So the next time you walk into that strategy meeting, remember: you don’t need to storm the castle.
You don’t need a bigger arsenal of slides or scripts.
What you need is for the drawbridge to lower — and listening is the key that makes that happen.
Because the leaders who make the biggest impact aren’t the loudest or flashiest. They’re the ones who connect first, build trust, and then watch their influence ripple across the room.
And that’s already in you. Every thoughtful question, every moment you really hear someone, every time you weave their priorities into your plan — you’re proving you don’t need polish to have presence.
The most influential leaders don’t storm castles. They build bridges.
And in every high-stakes room you enter, you have the chance to do the same.
Ready to practice lowering drawbridges instead of storming castles? Book a Presence Power Session and let’s make your next big moment your best one yet.
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Hi there! I'm Jackie.
I help thoughtful people turn clarity + connection into the kind of leadership others want to follow.
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