S01 E08: Poised Doesn’t Mean Passive — Reclaiming the Power in Professionalism

Being poised doesn’t mean being passive — it means being strategic. In this episode, Tabitha J shares a personal moment that revealed how professionalism and presence can shift a room without performance or noise. If you’ve ever felt 'less than impactful' because you weren’t the loudest voice, this reminder is for you: your calm is not weakness, and your poise is power under control.

Thanks for listening to Poised for Purpose with Tabitha J.

✨ Let’s Stay Connected!
📲 Social: @TheTabithaJ on Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn
💬 Love what you heard? Share it with a friend + tag @TheTabithaJ — and don’t forget to rate and review!
📥 Booking & Inquiries: admin@tabithaj.com

#PoisedForPurpose #VoiceOfStrategy

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:05

What's up everybody? Welcome back to Poise for Purpose, the space where identity meets strategy, so you can show up with clarity, confidence, and courage. I'm your host, Tabitha J, brand strategist, etiquette coach, speaker, and someone who has learned that being poised does not mean being passive. Allow me to share with you yet another moment that shaped how I see this. I cannot count how many times I've walked into a room, polished, poised, and prepared, only to have people assume that I didn't have much to say. Not because I lacked insight, but because I wasn't the loudest voice in the room. Because I didn't cut up. Because I chose presence over performance. There was one meeting in particular. I remember sitting there, observing, and just taking it all in. And when I finally spoke, the whole room shifted. Heads turned, the energy changed, and suddenly it wasn't about how quiet I'd been. It was about the weight of the words that I said. It was about the weight of what I carried. That moment showed me something important. People tend to mistake poise for passivity all the time. But being poised doesn't mean being silent. Being poised means being strategic. For years I equated leadership with being the loudest voice and the boldest personality, you know, the one that's always on. But life taught me that professionalism and power don't always look like performance. Sometimes it looks like listening. Sometimes it looks like restraint. And here's what I realized: that just because you're not shouting, that doesn't mean you're not leading. Your composure does not cancel out your courage. It actually amplifies it. Truth is, people may overlook you if you don't fit their picture of commanding. But here's the shift. Real influence isn't about how much noise you make, it's about the impact of your presence. Poise is not weakness, it's wisdom. It's knowing that your words weigh more when they're not wasted. It's choosing to anchor yourself in who you are and in how others expect you to perform. Professionalism doesn't rob you of power, it sharpens it. When you show up poised, you are saying, I know who I am, and I don't need chaos to prove it. You don't have to match the energy of the loudest person in the room, and you don't have to abandon professionalism to be powerful. Your calm is not compliance, and your restraint is not weakness. Being poised means your presence speaks before your mouth does. And when you do open your mouth, everything you say carries weight. So if you've ever felt overlooked because you weren't the one doing the most, hear me. Your strength is not diminished by your stillness. You are not less effective because you're composed. You are not less valuable because you choose strategy over spectacle. And you are not passive just because you refuse to perform. You are powerful, purposeful, and professional. And that combination right there, that's a force. Alright, family. That's it for today's conversation. Just remember this that poise is not passivity, it is power under control. If this episode spoke to you, share it with someone who needs that reminder. Tag me on Instagram at the Tabitha J with your biggest takeaway. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. Until next time, I'm Tabitha J, and this is Poise for Purpose. Stay poised, stay purposeful, and it will be powerful.