Presence, Work, and AI: Stories Beyond Location
In this episode of Hope & Possibilities: A Love Letter to the Future of Work, I dive into a theory I’ve been working on: our stories about work are deeply tied to presence—but not always in the ways we think.
When I look back on my own career, most of my success stories didn’t happen in person. They happened over the phone, on a webinar, or through a screen. I rarely met my clients face-to-face, and yet that work shaped everything I achieved.
Along the way, I’ve noticed how much physical presence—height, energy, laughter, even hair color—shapes the way people are recognized and valued at work. For some, being seen in person is essential. For others, like me, virtual spaces open up new ways to make an impact.
Then there’s AI. If AI doesn’t rely on presence at all, what does that mean for how we define influence, storytelling, and success in the workplace of the future?
This episode is an invitation: to rethink the stories you tell about your own work, and to explore what presence really means beyond location.
How my career stories evolved outside of physical presence
Why energy, visibility, and recognition feel different in person vs. virtual
The role of autonomy in choosing how and where we work
What’s missing from the “return to office” conversation
How AI challenges our assumptions about presence and influence
How to notice whether your influence depends on being in the room—or not
Why remote work fuels some people and drains others
How storytelling reveals hidden biases in work culture
What AI might mean for the future of presence
I’d love to hear from you.
Has working in person been essential to your success?
Or has working virtually allowed you to thrive in ways you couldn’t before?
Send me your story at nola@nolasimon.com or visit nolasimon.com.
Website: nolasimon.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nolasimon
