LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, March 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — In an era defined by geopolitical tension, economic fragility, and heightened strain on both markets and institutions, leadership expert Dr. Sylvia Rohde-Liebenau is calling for a shift in how leaders understand and use power. Through her SMART Power Method and her book Who’s In Charge? Lead with Real Power and Create an Impact in a Chaotic World, Rohde-Liebenau presents a framework designed to help leaders create meaningful, lasting impact while navigating today’s unpredictable landscape.
“Facing disruption, leaders may feel pushed to return to old command-and-control thinking. But the opposite is required today,” Dr. Rohde-Liebenau explains. “Modern leadership requires presence, connection, and the ability to mobilize people around a shared purpose. Collaboration is a must. For decades, organizations have relied on hierarchical leadership models built on force and control. While these approaches once dominated corporate environments, they are increasingly ineffective in a world that demands connected thinking, agility, collaboration, and human-centered leadership.”
At the center of Dr. Rohde-Liebenau’s work is the SMART Power Method, a leadership framework that redefines power as the ability to create sustainable impact rather than exercise authority. The model is built around five interconnected forms of influence:
— Systemic Power – understanding systems and long-term impact
— Merging Power – collaboration and combining strengths
— Authentic Personal Power – leading with integrity and self-awareness
— Relational Power – building trust and strong relationships
— Transformative Power – turning ideas into meaningful change
Dr. Rohde-Liebenau expands on this philosophy in her book Who’s In Charge?, which offers leaders a roadmap for navigating complexity while maintaining fulfilment and resilience. The book is structured around three core pillars—Energy, Power, and Legacy—that help leaders rethink how they lead and influence others.
— Energy – Leadership effectiveness depends on managing energy—not just time. Sustaining physical, emotional, mental, and purpose-driven energy helps leaders maintain clarity and resilience while avoiding burnout.
— Power – Power is reframed as influence rather than control. Through the SMART framework, leaders learn to build trust, foster collaboration, and turn ideas into meaningful action.
— Legacy – Leaders are encouraged to think beyond short-term results and focus on the lasting contributions they make to organizations, communities, and society.
“My book is designed to help leaders develop the resilience, clarity and authentic personal power to create true impact,” explains Dr. Rohde-Liebenau. “Leadership is an art, and it requires us to develop a degree of personal mastery – so we don’t only know where to go but we also have the courage to go there and the charmisma to bring people with us.”
Dr. Rohde-Liebenau will bring these ideas to the stage on March 10, at the Sacred Impact in Barcelona, delivering a keynote on the connection between embodied leadership and the SMART Power mindset. Drawing from her journey, she demonstrates how presence, connection, and what she calls “body intelligence” shape a leader’s ability to engage others and inspire change.
She concludes, “My presentation explores how practices inspired by movement and embodiment, what I call the courage to ‘dare to dance’, can help leaders develop the grounded presence needed to lead with clarity and confidence, even in times of uncertainty.”
About Dr. Sylvia Rohde-Liebenau
Dr. Sylvia Rohde-Liebenau is a leadership expert whose work explores how power can create meaningful and sustainable impact. She studied political science and law and earned a PhD in international relations focused on civil society’s role in global security. She began her career as a policy expert and programme manager at the European Commission and later spent 17 years at the European Investment Bank working in leadership development, coaching, and organizational change. Drawing on decades of experience, she developed the SMART Power Method, a framework that helps leaders move beyond traditional authority toward more authentic and collaborative leadership.
For more information about the SMART Power Method and Dr. Rohde-Liebenau’s work, visit www.smartpowermethod.com.
Dr. Sylvia Rohde-Liebenau is available for interviews.
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