Podcasts about executive presence

Silence is one of the most misunderstood skills in leadership, communication, and life. Many people rush to fill quiet moments with explanations, reactions, or noise because silence forces awareness. It removes the ability to perform, defend, or control how others perceive us. This episode explores why silence feels so uncomfortable and why that discomfort is often a signal that something important is happening internally.The conversation breaks down how silence functions as a power move in high-pressure moments, not because it dominates a room, but because it regulates the nervous system. Troy shares how learning to pause instead of react creates clarity, steadiness, and intentional communication. The episode explores how silence can either trigger fear and old emotional patterns or become a stabilizing force, allowing you to respond with precision instead of impulse.Personal stories are woven throughout, including experiences with conflict, rejection, grief, and preparing for defining moments like public speaking and delivering a TEDx talk. These moments highlight how silence carries different emotional weight depending on context, and how the body often reacts to pressure as if every moment carries the same level of threat. The episode connects this to fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses, and explains how silence can help interrupt those patterns before they escalate.The episode also explores how silence builds trust and presence in professional settings. Speaking less, pausing longer, and choosing restraint often signal confidence and credibility more than volume or speed. Listeners will hear how silence can shift power dynamics in business, leadership, and relationships, while also demanding emotional discipline, self-control, and a willingness to sit with discomfort.Ultimately, this episode is about mastering silence as a form of self-leadership. It is not about withholding communication or avoiding hard moments. It is about knowing when silence serves you, when it sharpens your message, and when it allows you to own a situation without forcing it. Silence works, but it comes with a cost, and this episode challenges listeners to decide whether they are willing to develop the discipline required to use it well.

Send us a textResponsibility breaks where AI moves fastest, and that's exactly where we go today. Grant sits down with Daniel Ikem—strategic operator at the intersection of emerging technology, intellectual property, and public policy—to unpack how shadow AI, data limits, and legal gray zones collide inside modern organizations. From boardrooms pushing Copilot to teams quietly pasting prompts into other models, we trace how governance cracks form and why documentation, auditability, and accountability must evolve as quickly as the tools.Daniel shares firsthand insights from big-tech partnerships and from founding the Diverse IP Alliance, where he's helping HBCU and underrepresented students build fluency in AI and IP. We examine the core challenges leaders face: capturing tacit knowledge that models can't see, preventing biased historical data from influencing outcomes, and defining ownership of outputs when proprietary data mixes with external systems. We also tackle the jagged frontier of agentic AI—who's liable when autonomy kicks in—and the geopolitical reality that makes “slow down” easier to say than to implement.You'll walk away with pragmatic steps to act now: set clear policies on approved models and data access, capture critical processes that were never written down, design human-in-the-loop review for high-impact decisions, and build a living risk register that survives model updates. We compare U.S. uncertainty with GDPR and the EU AI Act to show where global benchmarks can guide you before domestic rules arrive. Above all, we make the case that governance is not just compliance—it's strategy, trust, and long-term resilience.If you care about AI governance, IP risk, bias, and building a talent pipeline that reflects the communities your systems will serve, this one's for you. Subscribe, share with a colleague who's wrestling with AI policy, and leave a review with your top governance question so we can tackle it next.Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Follow The Brand! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest trends and strategies in Personal Branding, Business and Career Development, Financial Empowerment, Technology Innovation, and Executive Presence. To keep up with the latest insights and updates, visit 5starbdm.com. And don't miss Grant McGaugh's new book, First Light — a powerful guide to igniting your purpose and building a BRAVE brand that stands out in a changing world. - https://5starbdm.com/brave-masterclass/ See you next time on Follow The Brand!

S6:E8 Loralyn Mears, PhD, aka "Dr. LL," brings you thoughtful conversations with entrepreneurs and small business leaders navigating visibility, leadership, and growth. Thank you for being here. Core pattern: People assume their capability will speak for itself, then accidentally leave their "first impression story" to chance. When that happens, others decide what you mean, what you're worth, and whether you're credible, before you ever get to show your work. This shows up everywhere: founders, consultants, leaders, job seekers. They are doing real work, but their presence, framing, and positioning are not carrying it. Overview There's a quiet mismatch many business owners and leaders feel but rarely name: you are doing the work, yet people still do not read you the way you intended. You show up sincere, capable, and prepared, and somehow the room lands on a different story. Then you spend the rest of the conversation trying to undo an impression you did not choose. This is a pattern that shows up across industries: when presence is unclear, perception takes over.

S6:E8 Loralyn Mears, PhD, aka "Dr. LL," brings you thoughtful conversations with entrepreneurs and small business leaders navigating visibility, leadership, and growth. Thank you for being here. Core pattern: People assume their capability will speak for itself, then accidentally leave their "first impression story" to chance. When that happens, others decide what you mean, what you're worth, and whether you're credible, before you ever get to show your work. This shows up everywhere: founders, consultants, leaders, job seekers. They are doing real work, but their presence, framing, and positioning are not carrying it. Overview There's a quiet mismatch many business owners and leaders feel but rarely name: you are doing the work, yet people still do not read you the way you intended. You show up sincere, capable, and prepared, and somehow the room lands on a different story. Then you spend the rest of the conversation trying to undo an impression you did not choose. This is a pattern that shows up across industries: when presence is unclear, perception takes over.

The ability to articulate your thoughts clearly is not just a leadership skill, it's a life skill. In this solo episode, Janet explores why so many intelligent and capable people struggle to be heard, even when they have powerful ideas and deep experience. If you've ever walked away from a conversation thinking, “That's not what I meant,” this episode will resonate deeply.Janet unpacks how clarity is shaped not only by language, but by presence, emotional regulation, and self-trust. In a world of constant noise, rushed meetings, and fragmented attention, learning to communicate with intention can radically change how you're perceived and how you move through life with confidence, credibility, and impact.In this episode:✅ Why clear articulation is a critical but underestimated leadership skill✅ How rambling and overexplaining quietly dilute credibility✅ What neuroscience reveals about clarity and attention✅ The inner roots of effective communication and presence✅ Why knowing your point matters more than knowing your topic✅ Practical strategies to speak with greater impact and confidence✅ How emotional regulation directly affects communication clarity✅ A simple clarity practice to prepare for high-stakes conversationsAbout Janet Ioli:Janet Ioli is a globally recognized executive advisor, coach, and leadership expert with over 25 years of experience developing leaders in Fortune 100 companies and global organizations.She created The Inner Edge—a framework, a movement, and a message that flips leadership from mere success performance to presence; from ego to soul. Through her keynotes, podcast, and programs, Janet helps high-achievers find the one thing that changes everything: the mastery within.Her approach redefines leadership presence—not as polish or tactics, but as the inner steadiness people feel from you and the positive imprint you leave on individuals and organizations.Chapters00:00:00 The Cost of Unclear Articulation00:05:10 Why Rambling Weakens Authority00:09:04 Clarity as Inner LeadershipConnect with Janet Ioli:Website: janetioli.comLinkedin: Janet IoliInstagram: @leadershipcoachjanetIf you want to become more grounded, confident, and aligned with your deeper values in just 21 days, check out Janet Ioli's book Less Ego, More Soul: A Modern Reinvention Guide for Women. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Select “Listen in Apple Podcasts,” then choose the “Ratings & Reviews” tab to share what you think. Produced by Ideablossoms

Send us a textWhen people at work describe you as "the reliable one" or "the person who gets things done," those labels sound like compliments. But if those same descriptions are keeping you from getting promoted, you've been typecast. In this episode, Kele Belton reveals the R.E.F.R.A.M.E. Method, a strategic seven-step process for resetting your professional reputation and repositioning yourself when decision-makers have put you in a box that's too small for where you're headed. You'll learn how to break out of the mental category people have created for you and start being recognized for your full leadership potential.What This Episode Is AboutYou've been exceeding expectations for years, but when leadership roles open up, your name isn't on the list. When strategic projects are assigned, you get the execution work instead of the visioning work. And somehow, you're never part of the "high potential" conversation. In this powerful episode, Kele breaks down why this happens (you've been typecast based on what you do repeatedly) and walks you through the exact strategic process for dismantling the old perception while building a new one. You'll hear the story of a client who transformed from "detail-oriented implementer" to "strategic problem solver" in just one month, and how that shift opened doors to leadership roles she'd been overlooked for.What You'll LearnHow to identify the specific label or box people have unconsciously assigned you at work (and why recognizing this pattern is the first step to breaking free).The R.E.F.R.A.M.E. Method: A complete seven-step framework for strategically repositioning your professional brand when you've been typecast.How to establish your new professional vision by defining the 3-5 specific qualities and capabilities that position you for the role you want next.Strategic opportunity selection: How to say yes to different work (not more work) that showcases your new identity in visible ways.How to amplify your new professional identity through consistent, visible actions that create an undeniable pattern.Why enlisting strategic allies is the most powerful (and most overlooked) step in repositioning yourself, and exactly how to approach these conversations.Mentioned In This EpisodeIgnite Your Leadership Power Accelerator: A 12-week group coaching program for women in middle management ready to step into senior leadership. Launching March 2026. JOIN THE WAITLIST HEREMonday Momentum episodes: Starting February 2nd, 5-minute unfiltered leadership strategies every Monday, plus deep-dive episodes every Thursday.About Your HostKele Belton is a communication and leadership facilitator, coach, and speaker who specializes in helping women leaders transition from execution-focused roles to recognized leadership positions. Through her podcast "Communicate to Lead" and her coaching programs, Kele provides practical frameworks and actionable strategies that help high-performing women step into senior leadership without sacrificing their well-being.Connect with Kele for more leadership insightsWebsite: www.thetailoredapproach.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kele-ruth-belton/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetailoredapproach.com

In this episode, Karen shares 6 tips on what confident leaders do before they speak and how you can, too. These are things to do before even walking in the room to present or have a conversation.Learn how Karen's failure in one of her first corporate training presentations was the catalyst to put a fire in her to realize the value of preparation, changing her behavior and results in her next presentation.  Listen for examples and use these practical tips:Tip #1: They get clear on the outcome.Tip #2: They decide how they want to show up.Tip #3: They regulate their body (breath and posture)Tip #4: They choose simplicity over impressingTip #5: They trust their experienceTip #6: Preparation creates presence (record yourself on video and watch it back!)Listen for more stories and examples to help you be more confident in your next conversation and be seen as the influential leader that you are. Favor to AskIf you enjoy this podcast, please leave a review on Amazon or wherever you listen. Your reviews help more people find the show and start communicating with greater confidence and ease. Some resources for you:Come to my first-ever retreat! If you're an executive woman looking to become a more confident communicator and uplevel your presence and ability to command any room, join us HERE. It's April 30-May 3.Get 3 Strategies to Speak Up in Meetings here. Project more confidence and credibility with my free tips: 9 Words to Avoid & What to Say Instead: Words to Avoid | Karen LaosMy book “Trust Your Own Voice”: https://karenlaos.com/book/Connect with me:Website: https://www.karenlaos.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenlaosofficial Episodes also available on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEwQoTGdJX5eME0ccBKiKng/videos About me:Many years ago I found myself tongue-tied in a boardroom, my colleagues and executives staring at me. My stomach in my throat, I was unable to get the words out (in spite of being in a senior leadership role). Then, I heard my boss shut down the meeting. My heart sank. I was mortified. She pulled me aside and said, "You didn't trust your gut. You could've tabled the meeting like I did."Why didn't that option occur to me in the moment? Why did I feel like I needed permission?That was the day I set out to change. I began a journey of personal growth to discover the root of the problem. Once I did, I wanted every woman to experience that same freedom.I'm now on a mission to silence self-doubt in 10 million women in 10 years by giving them simple strategies to speak up and ask for what they want in the boardroom and beyond, resulting in more clients, job promotions, and negotiation wins.Companies like NASA, Netflix, Google, and Sephora have been propelled toward more effective communication skills through my signature framework, The Confidence Cocktail™.This is your invitation to step into your most confident self so you can catapult your career! Karen Laos, Communication Expert and Confidence Cultivator, leverages 25 years in the boardroom and speaking on the world's most coveted stages such as Google and NASA to transform missed opportunities into wins. She is fiercely committed to her mission of eradicating self-doubt in 10 million women by giving them practical strategies to ask for what they want in the boardroom and beyond. She guides corporations and individuals with her tested communication model to generate consistent results through her Powerful Presence Keynote: How to Be an Influential Communicator. Get my free tips: 9 Words to Avoid & What to Say Instead: Words to Avoid | Karen Laos Connect with me:Website: https://www.karenlaos.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenlaosofficial Facebook: Ignite Your Confidence with Karen Laos: https://www.facebook.com/groups/karenlaosconsultingLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenlaos/Episodes also available on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEwQoTGdJX5eME0ccBKiKng/videosMy book “Trust Your Own Voice”: https://karenlaos.com/book/

Today, I'm joined by Camille Fetter—founder and CEO of Talentfoot Executive Search. With more than 20 years of experience evaluating top-tier talent, Camille has developed a deep understanding of what makes great leaders stand out—and communication is right at the center of it.In this episode, Camille shares the communication traits that define A-players, why listening is the foundation of leadership, and how strategic silence can elevate your executive presence. She also opens up about how operating as her authentic self—not two versions of herself—transformed both her career and her impact. We explore how leadership mirrors parenting, why storytelling drives influence, and how asking better questions creates alignment and action.Camille brings a rare mix of warmth, wisdom, and business acumen to the conversation—and I know you're going to take away some practical strategies you can apply right away.Let's dive in.Additional Resources:► Follow Communispond on LinkedIn for more communication skills tips: https://www.linkedin.com/company/communispond► Connect with Scott D'Amico on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottdamico/► Connect with Camille: https://www.linkedin.com/in/digitalmarketingrecruiter1/► Subscribe to Communicast: https://communicast.simplecast.com/► Learn more about Communispond: https://www.communispond.com

What we often call “communication problems” are really clarity problems. Leadership communication coach Salvatore Manzi breaks down why smart ideas stall, why meetings favor fast talkers, and how leaders can make messages land, be remembered, and drive action. From start to finish, this episode focuses on practical moves you can try today.We explore hidden biases that shape conversations: delay bias that sidelines reflective thinkers, the spotlight effect that inflates self-judgment, and the curse of knowledge that turns expertise into confusion. Salvatore reframes Q&A as a relationship check, showing how to buy thinking time, reflect questions back, and structure discussions so both quick responders and slower processors contribute.Feeling nervous before speaking is normal. The episode covers reframing fear as excitement, using posture, breath, and focus to project confidence, and leveraging afformations to prime performance. You'll also learn to craft an emotional journey with cadence, pause, and tone, turn complex data into memorable metaphors, give specific feedback, and use context checks to keep your audience engaged.

Send us a textThe ground is shifting under our feet as AI moves from answering questions to taking action. We dig into what that transformation really means for leaders: how operating models evolve, where risk compounds, and what it takes to capture speed without inviting chaos. With Dr. Jamila Amimer, CEO of MindSenses Global and a recognized AI strategist, we unpack practical steps to go from pilots to production and build systems that are fast, reliable, and governed.We start by separating AI families—predictive, generative, and agentic—and why each demands a different approach to design, safety, and measurement. Dr. Amimer explains why spatial AI and the convergence with robotics will redefine context and capability, and how to prepare now without tossing out today's LLM investments. From domain expertise and humans in the loop to controlled knowledge bases and action approvals, we lay out the essential guardrails to minimize hallucinations, manage model drift, and avoid compounding errors at scale.Then we turn to the human layer. HR data becomes a strategic asset, revealing task flows and handoffs that inform agent orchestration. We talk through preserving meaning and motivation as agents absorb routine work, and how equitable upskilling—analytical thinking, data literacy, exception handling—keeps teams engaged and effective. Accountability and auditability aren't abstract; they're the difference between a clever demo and a trustworthy system your board will support.If you're ready to move beyond hype and design AI that plans, decides, and acts with confidence, this conversation gives you the operating principles to start today and scale tomorrow. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a colleague who cares about AI governance, and leave a review so we can reach more leaders building responsibly.Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Follow The Brand! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest trends and strategies in Personal Branding, Business and Career Development, Financial Empowerment, Technology Innovation, and Executive Presence. To keep up with the latest insights and updates, visit 5starbdm.com. And don't miss Grant McGaugh's new book, First Light — a powerful guide to igniting your purpose and building a BRAVE brand that stands out in a changing world. - https://5starbdm.com/brave-masterclass/ See you next time on Follow The Brand!

Send us a textIn senior leadership, how you handle workplace aggression can make or break your executive presence. In this unfiltered episode, Kele Belton exposes the “Peace-Keeper Tax” high-achieving women leaders pay when they choose comfort over authority—and shows you how to respond with calm, visible power instead. You'll learn the P.O.I.S.E. Method so you can stop over-explaining, hold your ground in high‑stakes moments, and reclaim your leadership authority without raising your voice.What This Episode Is AboutSomeone blindsides you in a high-stakes meeting, and your instinct is to jump in, smooth it over, and keep the peace. In this unfiltered masterclass, Kele breaks down how that “helpful” instinct quietly drains your authority, trains people to test your boundaries, and keeps you essential but invisible in senior leadership. You'll discover a practical framework to respond to workplace aggression with poise, stillness, and data-driven authority instead of people-pleasing.What You'll LearnThe Peace-Keeper Tax: Why your urge to de‑escalate and keep everyone comfortable can quietly kill your executive presence and long-term influence.The P.O.I.S.E. Method: A 5-step framework to neutralize workplace aggression, anchor yourself somatically, and stay unmovable when challenged.Stillness as status: How your pacing, posture, and silence signal power—or lack of it—to everyone in the room.Clinical engagement: Specific phrase patterns you can use to redirect a challenge back to the data and reset the power dynamic on your terms.Sarah's story: How one Director stopped a peer's undermining behavior in meetings and earned next-level respect without becoming aggressive or defensive.Who This Is ForSenior leaders and directors who are done being essential but invisible in the rooms where decisions are made.High-achieving women who find themselves managing everyone else's emotions while quietly bleeding authority at work.Ambitious women in middle or senior management who want to strengthen their executive presence and handle public pushback without shrinking, spiraling, or over-explaining.Key Timestamps[00:00] The moment you're blindsided in a high‑stakes meeting.[02:00] Defining the “Peace-Keeper Tax” and its hidden career costs.[07:30] The P.O.I.S.E. Method: Your framework for high‑stakes presence.[11:00] Why stillness is the ultimate status move in senior leadership.[22:00] Monday Momentum announcement and how to stay supported.Mentioned In This EpisodeBook a complimentary Leadership Strategy Call – Get your strategic roadmap to step into senior leadership with more authority and less emotional labor. CLICK HEREMonday Momentum shorty episodes – Starting February 2nd: 5-minute unfiltered leadership strategies every Monday, plus deep-dive episodes every Thursday.Ignite Your Leadership Power Accelerator – For women in middle management ready to step into higher levels of authority, visibility, and compensation. JOIN THE WAITLIST HEREAbout Your Host:Kele Belton is a communication and leadership coach and speaker who specializes in helping women leaders develop confidence and impact through strategic communication and practical leadership frameworks.Connect with Kele for more leadership insights:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kele-ruth-belton/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetailoreda

In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, Jason sits down with Sabina Nawaz, an executive coach and leadership advisor who works with founders, CEOs, and senior leaders navigating power, influence, and responsibility at the highest levels. Sabina shares what she's learned from years of coaching executives as they step into positions of authority  and why leadership often becomes harder, not easier, as power increases. She explains how authority subtly changes behavior, how communication breaks down at the top, and why well-intentioned leaders can unintentionally create silence, fear, or distance on their teams. Jason and Sabina discuss executive presence, emotional regulation, feedback, and how leaders can stay grounded and human while still holding accountability. Sabina also talks about the ideas behind her book, You're the Boss, and what leaders need to understand once they're officially "in charge." This episode is especially valuable for founders, CEOs, and operators who are scaling their influence and want to lead with clarity, self-awareness, and trust.  Topics Discussed • How power changes leadership behavior • Why communication often breaks down at senior levels • Executive presence and influence • Managing authority without creating fear • Feedback loops and honest conversations • Emotional regulation for leaders • Listening as a core leadership skill • Blind spots that appear as leaders gain power • Staying human while holding accountability • Coaching executives through high-stakes decisions • Lessons from working with CEOs and founders • What changes when you officially become "the boss"  Connect with Sabina Nawaz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabinanawaz/  Website: https://sabinanawaz.com/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/sabinacoaching/ Book – You're the Boss: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Youre-the-Boss/Sabina-Nawaz/9781668023181 Connect with Jason Cavness LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncavness Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejasoncavnessexperience/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jasoncavness Podcast: https://www.thejasoncavnessexperience.com  

In this episode of The Career Refresh, Jill Griffin shares how to shift from asking for inclusion to demonstrating leadership through action. Learn how to move from emotional frustration to strategic influence with tools to build credibility, communicate authority, and institutionalize your value.Support the showJill Griffin, host of The Career Refresh, delivers expert guidance on workplace challenges and career transitions. Jill leverages her experience working for the world's top brands like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton Hotels, and Martha Stewart to address leadership, burnout, team dynamics, and the 4Ps (perfectionism, people-pleasing, procrastination, and personalities). Visit JillGriffinCoaching.com for more details on: Book a 1:1 Career Strategy and Executive Coaching HERE Build a Leadership Identity That Earns Trust and Delivers Results. Gallup CliftonStrengths Corporate Workshops to build a strengths-based culture Team Dynamics training to increase retention, communication, goal setting, and effective decision-making Keynote Speaking Grab a personal Resume Refresh with Jill Griffin HERE Follow @JillGriffinOffical on Instagram for daily inspiration Connect with and follow Jill on LinkedIn

Send us a textWhat if the gap between talking about AI and profiting from it is only one habit wide? We sit down with Kellen Coleman—PR strategist, government contracting pro, and builder of AI-powered tools—to unpack how creators and small teams turn brand visibility into real revenue. The throughline is simple: certificates don't close deals. Consistency, timing, and proof of work do.We start with the difference between AI literacy and AI leverage. Kellen traces how collecting knowledge means nothing without shipped projects, measurable outcomes, and rooms where decisions are made. From RFIs to RFQs, he explains why showing up early in procurement cycles creates unfair advantages, and how reputation flips outreach so that opportunities start finding you. We map the first AI moves for teams under ten: goal-led prompting, agent workflows for research and drafting, a shared prompt library, and a weekly rhythm that converts saved time into shipped work.Money is the next frontier. Rather than automating tasks only, we use AI to reshape financial behavior: budget baselines, debt payoff plans, 401k funding strategies, and clear monthly reviews that compound. Kellen's stance is direct—retirement should mean dignity—and the path runs through systems that beat impulse. We also tackle the minority-owned business edge in this AI moment. Certifications open doors, but outreach, delivery, and narrative depth close deals. If the playing field of information is now flatter, focus becomes the lever that moves markets.By the end, you'll have a clear, practical blueprint: pick one AI platform, ask it to refine your prompts, build something tangible this week, and measure output over hours. Think asset-first, not attention-first. Let your brand do the pre-selling, and let consistent work make you easy to recommend. If this conversation sharpens your plan, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs the push, and leave a review telling us the one AI step you'll take this week.Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Follow The Brand! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest trends and strategies in Personal Branding, Business and Career Development, Financial Empowerment, Technology Innovation, and Executive Presence. To keep up with the latest insights and updates, visit 5starbdm.com. And don't miss Grant McGaugh's new book, First Light — a powerful guide to igniting your purpose and building a BRAVE brand that stands out in a changing world. - https://5starbdm.com/brave-masterclass/ See you next time on Follow The Brand!

Send us a textYou have the data. You have the insight. You know the answer. But while you are double-checking your notes to be 100% certain, someone with half your experience speaks up and claims the idea.Does this sound familiar?For many women leaders, over-preparation isn't just a habit; it's a survival strategy that has morphed into a barrier. We often tell ourselves we are being "thorough" or "strategic," but in reality, we are operating from fear—the fear that if we aren't perfect, we aren't qualified.In this episode, Kele Belton dismantles the myth that more preparation equals better leadership. We explore the dangerous difference between strategic diligence and fear-based delay, and why the behaviors that got you promoted early in your career might be the very things preventing you from reaching the C-suite today.If you find yourself rewriting emails five times, building 60-slide decks for 15-minute meetings, or staying silent until you have "all the answers," this episode is your permission slip to stop proving yourself and start leading.What You Will Learn:The "Maya" Case Study: How one director went from freezing in executive meetings to earning a senior leadership promotion by reducing her prep time.The T.R.U.S.T. Framework: A 5-step tool to move you from analysis paralysis to confident contribution.Strategic vs. Fear-Based: How to identify if you are preparing to add value or preparing to avoid risk.The "First 10 Minutes" Rule: A simple challenge to shift how you are perceived in high-stakes meetings.Scripts for Uncertainty: Exact phrases you can use to sound authoritative even when you don't have all the data.Key Quotes:"Over-preparation isn't perfectionism. It's fear wearing a very convincing disguise.""While you're preparing, someone else is contributing. While you're perfecting, someone else is influencing.""Your goal isn't to be perfect and unchallengeable. Your goal is to be prepared enough to represent your expertise."Resources Mentioned:Work with Kele: Schedule your complimentary Leadership Strategy Call HERELeave a Review: If you loved this episode, please leave a review here.About Your Host:Kele Belton is a communication and leadership facilitator, coach, and consultant who specializes in helping women leaders develop confidence and impact through strategic communication and practical leadership frameworks.Connect with Kele for more leadership insights:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kele-ruth-belton/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetailoredapproach/Website: https://thetailoredapproach.com

Premise In this podcast episode, we host India's biggest and best Executive Coach Shital Kakkar Mehra. She has trained more than 1000 CxO's and more than 40000 leaders about how to develop their executive presence. We talk about how the we lead and what is expected from us shifts as we continue to grow in our careers and what makes us successful early in our career is no longer enough when we become managers (managing people) and it changes again, when we start leading managers and agains shifts when we start leading functions and organisations. Apart from all the technical skills and the ability to make decisions and lead their team, we all also need what is called "Executive Presence". Let's figure out what it is and how can one go about developing it within ourselves. Lessons from the Conversation 1. The Invisible Ceiling In the high-stakes world of executive leadership, the ascent to the top is frequently compared to climbing Mount Everest. Reaching the "Base Camp" of your career requires physical stamina, technical aptitude, and raw motivation. However, as any seasoned strategist will tell you, the skills required to reach Base Camp are fundamentally insufficient for the final push to the Summit. To reach the peak—the C-suite—leaders must pivot from reliance on technical expertise to the mastery of "Executive Presence." This is the intangible "X-Factor" that distinguishes a high-performing manager from a true leader. Without it, even the most brilliant minds hit an invisible ceiling, possessing the data but lacking the gravitas to influence the board. 2. The "Hygiene Factor" Fallacy At senior levels, technical brilliance and intellectual capability are no longer competitive advantages; they are "hygiene factors." Much like basic cleanliness in a hospital, these traits are expected baseline requirements. They provide the foundation, but "presence" provides the leverage. To diagnose where a leader's impact is stalling, we utilize the POISE formula. This framework treats leadership as an iceberg: while 90% of your value (technicality) lies beneath the surface, the 10% that is visible (physicality) is what dictates whether others are willing to dive deeper. P – Physical Presence: The visual semiotics of leadership. Packaging and body language serve as the primary point of visibility, signaling readiness and authority. O – Online Presence: Your digital equity. This encompasses how you project authority on screen, in digital communications, and across professional social networks. I – Influencer Skills: The bedrock of executive maturity. This involves the strategic ability to say "no," the discernment to listen, and the emotional intelligence to navigate complex stakeholder landscapes. S – Stage Presence: The "General's Skill." Historically, battles were won not just by army size, but by a leader's ability to communicate a vision that galvanized the ranks. E – Engagement Presence: Relationship capital. The intentional building of networks within and outside the organization to ensure visibility, which remains the primary driver of opportunity. 3. The 33% Impact Tax: Why Your "Camera Off" Policy is Killing Your Career In the post-pandemic landscape, leadership impact is governed by the Triple V Formula: Visual: How you look and the environment you project. Verbal: The specific vocabulary and syntax you employ. Vocal: The modulation and delivery of your voice. If you choose to keep your camera off during virtual engagements, you are effectively paying a 33% tax on your potential impact. In a remote environment, your face is your most mobile and expressive tool for building trust. Showing up "camera ready" is a signal of professional respect and interpersonal equity. "I'm not Fox Studios. I'm not calling you to launch your Hollywood career… just switch on the camera so that we can build a good working relationship... when you look like you're ready for business, it says, 'Of course, I respect you and I'm serious about my work.'" Shital Kakkar Mehra 4. The 30-Second Rule: Why Preparation Trumps "Winging It" There is a persistent myth in corporate circles that executive presence is impromptu and that either you have it or you dont. In reality, the most seamless presence is the result of rigorous preparation - Pre-meeting Research. A leader's success in a high-stakes meeting is determined in the first 30 seconds. If you establish context and confidence immediately, the remaining 29 minutes and 30 seconds flow with ease. To achieve this, adopt the "Newspaper Headline" approach: speak in punchy, high-impact bullet points first, then deep-dive into the details only when you have secured the audience's interest. True "impromptu" excellence is a performance. Much like professional comedy, which relies on hours of perfecting timing and scripts, executive presence is the result of anticipating tangents and preparing intelligent questions before the first word is spoken. 5. Death by PPT vs. The Performance of Leadership Traditional "Death by PPT" is a symptom of a leader who has failed to transition from a Subject Matter Expert to a Performer. Slides should be reserved for visual evidence—graphs, photos, or videos—never as a teleprompter. Once you take the stage, you are a performer charged with managing the energy of the room. The most critical, yet often neglected, tool in this performance is voice modulation: Volume: Use loudness for emphasis, but remember that a whisper can often draw an audience in more effectively. Pitch: Varying your high and low notes prevents the "monotone fatigue" that causes audiences to disengage. Tone: In both professional and personal spheres, tone is the primary driver of conflict. Just as a large percentage of marital disputes are caused by how something was said rather than what was said, a leader's tone can either build a bridge or incite a defensive response. 6. The Evolution of the Alpha: From Autocrat to Cultural Steward The "Alpha" leader of the early 2000s—the autocratic command-and-control figure—is obsolete. Modern leadership requires a significant mindset shift, particularly for leaders in their 40s and 50s who were trained in a different era. Today's workplace often spans five distinct generations, each with varying expectations regarding mental health, empathy, and mutual respect. The role of the leader has evolved from being the primary source of value to being the "Guard" or Cultural Steward or a Facilitator for the flow of information and decision making. Your job is to ensure the team is cared for and the environment is psychologically safe so that they can deliver the value. Empathy is no longer a "soft skill"; it is a core requirement for retention and performance in a multi-generational landscape. 7. The "Silent" Skill: Mastering the Power of the Pause The ultimate hallmark of executive maturity is the ability to stop talking. It is a profound linguistic coincidence that the words "Listen" and "Silent" are composed of the exact same letters. The "Power of the Pause" allows for perspective. It gives your audience time to process your "newspaper headlines" and gives you the space to buy time and breathe. This intentionality is what transforms a person into a brand. Every leader must recognize that they are the CEO of their own personal brand, and every brand requires strategic investment, promotion, and consistent visibility to remain relevant. Reflection and the pause lead to intentionality. Are you currently content remaining at the Base Camp, or are you ready to begin the specialized training required for the Summit? In Conclusion In conclusion, I would say that every stage of the leadership ladder (individual contributor, managing people, managing managers, managing functions and managing organisations) each require new skills to be learnt, in addition to what we have already mastered at the existing level. One that that becomes even more critical is our ability to show up and be seen, heard and trusted by the teams that we lead. Building a strong executive presence goes a long way in achieving this. You can watch the entire conversation on YouTube here. https://youtu.be/-rW0SgP9LxU

In this Season 10 debut of Dope Interviews, Warren Shaw welcomes corporate leader and author Beverly Vanterpool for a powerful discussion on career navigation, ambition, and building influence beyond traditional corporate ladders.Beverly shares her journey from the Caribbean to London, unpacks the hidden dynamics of corporate leadership, and explains why women, especially women of color, must focus on visibility, sponsorship, and community, not just hard work. She also discusses her book Build Your Table and the mission behind her podcast Stories By Career Sistas.This episode is a must-listen for anyone questioning their next career move or feeling stuck in systems not designed for them.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dope-interviews--5006633/support.Follow Dope Interviews on X: https://www.twitter.com/dope_interviewsFollow Warren Shaw on X: https://www.twitter.com/thewarrenshawFollow Warren on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thewarrenshawRock "Dope Interviews" gear: https://19-media-group.myspreadshop.comLooking to book a vacation? Our travel partner Exquiste Travel & Tours has you covered: Call 954-228-5479 or visit https://exquisitetravelandtours.com/Discover our favorite podcast gear and support the show—shop our studio must-haves on our Amazon Affiliate page! https://www.amazon.com/shop/19mediagroupWant to join the conversation or invite us to your platform? Connect with us and share your vision (budget-friendly collaborations welcome)!  https://bit.ly/19Guest

What's changing right now isn't the caliber of leaders. It's the environment we're leading in.

The keys to communicating clarity, not confusion.What separates communicators who clarify from those who confuse? The ability to “Simplify complexity,” says Adam Bryant. “I don't think you can be an effective leader if you can't do that.”Bryant is a senior managing director at the ExCo Group and former New York Times journalist who interviewed over 500 CEOs for his renowned Corner Office column. Through those conversations, he identified a pattern: the best communicators turn complexity into clarity. For Bryant, that means checking your own expertise, considering not whether something makes sense to you, but whether it makes sense to someone else. “Empathy [is] a component of communication,” he says, “to be an effective communicator, you have to be able to get in the head of the audience.”In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Bryant and host Matt Abrahams explore the keys to clear communication, from simplifying (without oversimplifying) to repeating messages until people can recite them back. Whether you're leading a whole company or just one conversation, Bryant's insights reveal how to communicate complex ideas in ways anyone can understand.To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium.Episode Reference Links:Adam BryantAdam's Books: Quick and Nimble / The CEO TestEp.98 Give It to Me Straight: How to Give Honest, Constructive Feedback Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (01:10) - Traits of Successful Leaders (03:25) - Communication Mistakes to Avoid (07:22) - Listening as a Leadership Skill (10:42) - Simplifying Complex Ideas (14:18) - How to Capture Attention (16:58) - Leading Life with Curiosity (18:22) - The Final Three Question (22:47) - Conclusion

This week's episode of Win The Hour, Win The Day Podcast interviews, Mari Geasair. Are people nodding, smiling, and then disappearing on you? In this episode, Kris Ward asks Mari Geasair about why people stop listening before they ever stop replying, and how to fix it fast. In this practical conversation, you'll learn:-Why people mentally check out even when your ideas are good.-How talking faster can make you sound unsure instead of confident.-The simple way to sound calm, clear, and strong without acting fake.-Why warmth must come first or people feel unsafe listening to you.-How small pauses and tone changes make people pay attention.-What to say when you feel rushed so others don't take it personally.-How controlling your energy helps people stay present with you. This episode shows you how to slow down, sound confident, and stop being ignored in meetings, sales calls, and conversations that matter. Win The Hour, Win The Day! www.winthehourwintheday.com  Podcast: Win The Hour, Win The Day Podcast  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/winthehourwintheday/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/win-the-hour-win-the-day-podcast You can find Mari Geasair at:Website:  https://www.more-impact-less-stress.com/LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mari-geasair/

Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Lynn Smith, former NBC News, MSNBC, and CNN Headline News anchor, executive communication coach, and author of Just Keep Going. Lynn is best known for helping Fortune 500 leaders turn pressure into presence, but her newest book takes an unexpected form: a children's story about fear, resilience, and perseverance. That surprising choice is exactly what makes this conversation so relevant for leaders. Andy and Lynn explore why the same fears that stop CEOs are often the ones that show up in kids, how our inner critic or "Brain Bully" shapes behavior under pressure, and why the goal is not to eliminate fear but to metabolize it. Lynn shares deeply personal stories about rejection, family influence, and the lessons she learned growing up that shaped her approach to leadership and communication. You'll also hear practical techniques leaders can use to calm their nervous systems, give feedback that actually helps instead of harms, and model resilience for their teams and families. If you lead people or projects and want practical insights on emotional intelligence, confidence, and navigating fear, this episode is for you. Sound Bites "The one trait and the one skill that separates us from success is resilience. If you can acquire that skill, you will be successful. Hard stop." "Your greatest failure can be in service of somebody else." "We are biologically wired for fear. Trying to delete it is a fool's journey." "Bravery is doing something even if you are afraid." "How you show up within one tenth of a second is defining you for your audience." "Feedback leads to growth. Criticism feeds the brain bully." "When we calm our nervous system, we can make better decisions." "There's a mouse in all of us that needs the reminder to just keep going." "Ending what doesn't serve you is not quitting." "Fear often shows up as stress, pressure, or imposter syndrome, but it's the same circuitry." "Resilience is the greatest gift we can give our kids and our teams." Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:45 Start of Interview 01:55 Family Influence and Early Experiences 06:45 Recognizing the Brain Bully 12:28 Learning Resilience Over Time 14:08 Giving Feedback That Helps Instead of Hurts 15:50 Metabolizing Fear Instead of Eliminating It 20:05 Rejection and the Origin of the Book 23:00 Strategies from the Book for Big Feelings 26:15 The Business Equivalent of Jumping Up and Down 28:50 When Just Keep Going Does Not Apply 31:50 How Lynn and Her Team Help Leaders 34:10 End of Interview 34:47 Andy Comments After the Interview 37:30 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Lynn and her work at LynnSmith.com. For more learning on this topic, check out: Episode 462 with Margie Warrell, about going from playing it safe to speaking up. Episode 397 with Dr. Julia DiGangi, a discussion Andy continues to revisit for practical insights. Episode 394 with Joshua Freedman, one of the leading voices on emotional intelligence. Level Up Your AI Skills During the episode, Andy mentions the importance of preparing for an AI-infused future. Join other listeners from around the world who are taking our AI Made Simple course. Just go to ai.PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com. Thanks! Pass the PMP Exam If you or someone you know is thinking about getting PMP certified, we've put together a helpful guide called The 5 Best Resources to Help You Pass the PMP Exam on Your First Try. We've helped thousands of people earn their certification, and we'd love to help you too. It's totally free and a great way to get a head start. Just go to 5BestResources.PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com to grab your copy. Join Us for LEAD52 I know you want to be a more confident leader. That's why you listen to this podcast. LEAD52 is a global community of leaders committed to transforming their ability to lead and deliver. It's 52 weeks of leadership learning, delivered right to your inbox, taking less than five minutes a week, and it's all free. Learn more and sign up at GetLEAD52.com. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills Topics: Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Resilience, Fear Management, Communication Skills, Executive Presence, Feedback, Confidence, Self Leadership, Team Culture, Project Leadership The following music was used for this episode: Music: Summer Awakening by Frank Schroeter License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Tuesday by Sasha Ende License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Executive presence is often misunderstood as polish, performance, or playing by outdated rules. It can feel like pressure to become someone you're not. But real presence isn't about fitting a mold; it's about confidence, composure, communication, and emotional intelligence – all grounded in authenticity. Listen to today's episode to: --> Discover how mindset shapes executive presence. --> Understand why impostor syndrome shows up for even the most accomplished leaders. --> Learn practical strategies to own the room without compromising who you are. The post #223: Lawyers’ Guidebook To Executive Presence – Be An Inspiring & Influential Leader appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Adam Severson is the Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Baker Donelson, a leading national firm with more than 700 lawyers and 25-plus offices in the United States, primarily in the southeastern U.S. Adam's role is unique compared to many who hold that title in that he spends a lot of his time meeting with clients and actually selling the firm's services. Adam is a past president of the Legal Marketing Association and a Hall of Fame member. He's also a Fellow in the College of Law Practice Management. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT EXECUTIVE PRESENCE Executive presence can seem hard to define. Many people think you either have it or you don't. But Adam Severson frames it differently. When you walk into a room or lead a pitch meeting, others are asking themselves whether they can take you seriously and whether you instill confidence. That assessment happens fast, and it's based on more than just what you say. The lawyers who are best at client development aren't necessarily the ones trying to be the smartest or most interesting person in the room. They're the ones who show up prepared, ask thoughtful questions about what's actually happening in a client's business, and then follow through when they promise to find an answer. Adam calls that gap between what people say they will do and what they actually do the "say-do gap." Closing it builds trust faster than almost anything else, and most people never even realize they're leaving it open. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman talks with Adam Severson about what executive presence actually looks like in law firms, why imposter syndrome stops people from even trying to develop it, and how lawyers can build credibility through preparation and genuine curiosity rather than trying to have all the answers. 2:09 - How Adam defines executive presence  3:16 - The three elements of executive presence  5:26 - Executive presence vs. confidence and whether you can have one without the other 6:22 - Practical behaviors to demonstrate executive presence 8:53 - Being interested in others matters more than being interesting 10:27 - Using data to build credibility with lawyers and practice groups 15:07 - How executive presence impacts business development and client retention 15:32 - The "say-do gap" and why following through on what you promise matters 21:10 - Imposter syndrome keeps people from trying to develop executive presence 22:14 - The perfectionism problem and why you don't need all the answers 25:07 - Lessons learned from Adam's own career building executive presence 28:20 - Modifying the approach by showing your work instead of just stating the conclusion 30:38 - Don't make assumptions about who you're talking to 34:06 - Why self-awareness matters more than confidence Mentioned in Executive Presence: How to Turn Skill into Influence Baker Donelson | LinkedIn Adam Severson on LinkedIn Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE Today's episode is brought to you by the Ignite Women's Business Development Accelerator, a 9-month business development program created BY women lawyers for women lawyers. Ignite is a carefully designed business development program containing content, coaching, and a community of like-minded women who are committed to becoming rainmakers AND supporting the retention and advancement of other women in the profession. If you are interested in either participating in the program or sponsoring a woman in your firm to enroll, learn more about Ignite and sign up for our registration alerts by visiting www.thelawyersedge.com/ignite.

What does it take to go from competent professional to recognized leader? In this transformative episode of The Self Esteem and Confidence Mindset, we sit down with leadership expert Mark Silverman to explore what it means to become a rising leader—how to develop executive presence, build leadership confidence, and position yourself for greater responsibility, influence, and success in your career.Mark shares his expertise on the mindset shifts, skills, and strategies that separate emerging leaders from everyone else, and how to navigate the challenges of stepping into leadership roles with confidence and authenticity. If you're an aspiring leader, rising professional, or manager ready to level up your leadership impact, this conversation will accelerate your journey.Grab a free copy of Mark's book here:https://www.markjsilverman.com/free-copy-of-only10s-2-0/

Send us a textA bright dashboard can feel like certainty, but certainty is often the first illusion. We sit down with Dr. Mike Orkin, a seasoned statistician who has advised casinos and Fortune 100 leaders, to explore why smart people make bad calls when the numbers look right—and how to prevent it. From margin of error to the myth of tidy causation, Mike breaks down the difference between patterns worth acting on and patterns that will quietly burn your budget.We dig into classic misreads—like soda sales “causing” polio or alcohol “causing” lung cancer—and show how hidden variables twist decisions. Then we step onto the casino floor to see probability without the storytelling: independent trials, house edge, and why betting limits protect profits. If you've ever heard of positive expected value, you'll hear why it still fails without disciplined sizing, and how the Kelly criterion turns winning odds into sustainable advantage. Along the way, we tackle lotteries, survivor bias, and the uncomfortable truth that winners often emerge because enough people played, not because someone discovered a secret.AI enters as both accelerant and trap. Large language models thrive on correlation and can hallucinate when the evidence runs dry. Mike shares practical guardrails for using AI in places like engineering and support—pairing models with domain expertise, testing for failure modes, and resisting the lure of overconfidence. We also zoom out to a leader's mental model: when to think deterministically, when to think probabilistically, and how to blend data with context, incentives, and human will.If you're steering strategy, allocating capital, or building with AI, this conversation offers a clear checklist: respect uncertainty, size your bets, interrogate correlations, and hire experts who can “think with other people's brains.” Subscribe, share with a data-loving friend, and leave a review with one insight you'll apply this quarter.Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Follow The Brand! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest trends and strategies in Personal Branding, Business and Career Development, Financial Empowerment, Technology Innovation, and Executive Presence. To keep up with the latest insights and updates, visit 5starbdm.com. And don't miss Grant McGaugh's new book, First Light — a powerful guide to igniting your purpose and building a BRAVE brand that stands out in a changing world. - https://5starbdm.com/brave-masterclass/ See you next time on Follow The Brand!

Send us a textThanks for tuning in to this episode of Follow The Brand! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest trends and strategies in Personal Branding, Business and Career Development, Financial Empowerment, Technology Innovation, and Executive Presence. To keep up with the latest insights and updates, visit 5starbdm.com. And don't miss Grant McGaugh's new book, First Light — a powerful guide to igniting your purpose and building a BRAVE brand that stands out in a changing world. - https://5starbdm.com/brave-masterclass/ See you next time on Follow The Brand!

Send us a textAre you the "architect" of every win in your department, yet still missing from the promotion shortlist? You hit every metric, you stabilize the team, and you deliver results, but you still feel invisible.If you've become the most reliable "silent partner" in your organization, you are likely stuck in the "high-performer trap." You are essential to the work, but you aren't being seen as a visionary leader.In this episode of Communicate to Lead, Kele Belton breaks down the 2026 Strategic Leadership Reset. This isn't a vague "New Year" pep talk; it's a systematic blueprint to move from delivery-focused achievement to visibility-focused leadership.Inside this episode, you'll discover:The 4-Phase Leadership Reset Framework: How to Audit, Interrupt, Architect, and Integrate a new operating system that earns you the recognition you deserve.The Overfunctioning Trap: Why "swooping in" to fix problems is actually hurting your leadership brand and robbing your team of growth.Strategic Ownership of Time: How to stop being the "default" solver for everyone else's problems (without being tone-deaf to the market).3 Visibility Triggers: Practical ways to take up space in high-level meetings and share your impact without feeling like you're bragging.The Strategic Cabinet: How to identify the 5 key relationships that will advocate for you when you aren't in the room.Stop being the best-kept secret in your company. It's time to work more strategically, not just harder.

What's changing right now isn't the caliber of leaders. It's the environment we're leading in.

Dr. Laura welcomes international keynote speaker, CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame inductee, and one of the world's leading experts on executive presence and influence, Stacey Hanke, to the show to talk about how we can tend to and elevate our influence at work. Stacey defines the qualities of true influence and discusses her Monday to Monday philosophy of consistency in messaging. Not only is influence grown in what we say, but how we listen, how we show up daily, and how we continue to present ourselves. Stacey's new book, Influence Elevated, describes how consistent quality communication is key to maintaining influence. Monday to Monday, to her, means that our influence does not take weekends off. We must present ourselves authentically and consistently in every interaction. Stacey and Dr. Laura explore the importance of body language, active and mindful listening, everybody's individual influence type, and the necessity of being future-focused. Stacey's insight reveals how leaders, executives, and professionals at every career stage can strengthen their executive presence and elevate the way they show up both in person and virtually. “There's tons of confusion about what influence is and how to achieve it. We define it, my team and I, as your body language and your messaging. They need to be consistent Monday to Monday. That way no one ever has to guess who's going to show up. And we all know that true consistency is doing what you say you're doing when no one's watching.” - Stacey HankeAbout Stacey Hanke:Stacey Hanke is an international keynote speaker, CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame inductee, and one of the world's leading experts on executive presence, influence, and leadership communication.For more than two decades, she has worked with leaders at nearly 100 Fortune 500 companies — including Microsoft, Google, American Express, Coca-Cola, Boeing, and FedEx — equipping them with the skills to command a room, earn trust, and be consistently perceived as the respected, influential leaders they intend to be.Stacey's transformative, humor-filled presentations teach audiences to overcome modern communication hurdles with proven strategies that capture attention, authentically connect, and inspire people to take action. From high-stakes presentations to casual conversations, prepare to elevate your communication skills and executive presence, Monday to Monday®. Resources:Website: StaceyHankeInc.comLinkedInInstagramYouTube“Influence Elevated: Maximizing Your Connection” by Stacey HankeLearn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live“I Wish I'd Quit Sooner:  Pre-orders: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss” by Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett - Pre-orders and AmazonFor more resources, look into Dr. Laura's organizations: Canada Career CounsellingSynthesis Psychology Pre-order Dr. Laura's new book today: I Wish I'd Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating a Toxic Boss Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Confidence doesn't start when you speak — it starts the moment you're seen.In this episode of Mindset Mastery Moments, Dr. Alisa sits down with James Stewart, a performance-driven photographer who helps executives, law firm partners, and elite professionals project leadership, trust, and presence before they ever say a word.James brings an athletic, coaching-first mindset to branding and headshots, blending discipline, mental conditioning, and identity alignment to help even the most camera-shy leaders own their presence. From lessons learned in sports and combat training to building a national personal brand photography business, this conversation challenges the idea that confidence is something you “fake.”This episode is a powerful reminder that confidence is trained, intentional, and rooted in mindset — not angles or poses.If you're a public-facing professional, creative, or leader who wants your image to match how you lead, this episode is for you.

Wir wünschen all unseren treuen Hörerinnen ein wunderschönes Weihnachtsfest! Ihr macht den Berufsoptimierer-Podcast zu dem, was er ist!

Why good communication requires presence, not performance.Effective communication isn't about perfecting your performance. According to Dr. Kate Mason, it's about being powerfully present.Mason is a world champion debater, executive communication coach, and author of the book Powerfully Likable. In her work coaching senior executives to communicate more effectively, she emphasizes that it's not about creating a performative persona, it's about uncovering the authentic communicator you already are. “The coaching is just bringing the real parts of you to the fore,” she says, “uncovering rather than totally building from scratch. A lot of people come to me and say, I need to be more warm or more insert adjective here. And I say, I'm not gonna help you be more warm if that's not what's coming naturally to you. I am gonna help you work out the thing you're already doing, the thing you're already saying, how to make that comfortable for people around you.”In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Mason and host Matt Abrahams discuss strategies for more present communication. From avoiding "imposing syndrome” to reducing “the delta between your real self and that corporate persona,” Mason's insights explore how we can bring more of our true selves to the table.To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium.Episode Reference Links:Dr. Kate MasonKate's Book: Powerfully LikeableEp. 210 First Impression to Lasting Impact: Use Status Strategically Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (02:32) - Why Confidence Is the Wrong Goal (03:55) - Bridging Your Real and Work Selves (05:27) - What Is Imposing Syndrome? (07:01) - Catching Yourself Shrinking (08:58) - Rethinking Imposter Syndrome (10:15) - Assertive vs. Agreeable (12:40) - Naming Your Communication Style (15:38) - What You Say vs. How You Show Up (17:43) - Body Language That Signals Openness (19:04) - Executive Messaging Lessons (22:01) - The Final Three Questions (26:51) - Conclusion ********Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost. Go to Quince.com/ThinkFast for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.

 You're showing up on social media. You're posting consistently. But premium clients aren't finding you. Here's the truth: it's not about SHOWING UP—it's about how you're showing up. In this episode, I'm revealing why your camera presence (or lack of it) is costing you high-ticket clients, the difference between "creating content" and "commanding authority on camera," and the strategic shift that transforms you from "another account" to "THE expert I need to hire." You'll learn why hiding behind graphics and carousels keeps you at the $297 level (not the $20K level), what premium clients are actually assessing when they watch your videos, and the camera presence framework that positions you for premium authority. This isn't about being more confident or more polished—it's about being more strategic with how you show up on video. Because the way you show up on camera directly impacts how much people are willing to invest in you.If you enjoyed today's episode be sure to let us know on Instagram or over on our YouTube Channel - all under the name Keenya Kelly Subscribe to The If You Create It Podcast!Watch episodes on YouTube!!Get 150 Viral Hook Ideas for FREEhttps://www.keenyakelly.com/150hooksCheck out Visibility Launchpad!!  Go to https://visibilitylaunchpad.com

Michael Chad Hoeppner is the Founder and CEO of GK Training, a firm dedicated to giving individuals, companies, and organizations the communication skills to reach their highest goals in work and life.Michael has worked with some of the world's most influential companies and leaders, across a wide range of industries, universities, and professional sectors. His corporate clients include: three of the top eight financial firms in the world, 45 of the AmLaw 100, and multinational tech, pharma, and food and beverage companies. He teaches his unique approach to communication at Columbia Business School, in both the MBA and PhD programs.Michael assists clients in every aspect of their communication: public speaking, business development, executive presence, interpersonal agility, Q&A, speech writing, email skills, and more. His individual coaching clients include varied professionals at the peak of their industries: US Presidential candidates, deans of Ivy League business schools, three of the managing partners of the 25 largest global law firms, founders of asset management firms with $100B+ under management, field officers of international peace keeping organizations, and visionaries in various fields, including the innovator who coined the term cloud computing, the most successful venture capitalist in the US for a consecutive 5-year period, and senior board members of the Special Olympics. Michael advised US democratic presidential candidates in the 2016 and 2020 races, including his role as senior communications strategist and debate coach for the Andrew Yang 2020 Presidential campaign. He also works with political aspirants at the beginning of their careers, including pro bono work for Vote Mama, an org that supports mothers with young children seeking first-time public office.His background in communication, training, and teaching is diverse and rich, having studied linguistics, theatre, speech, rhetoric, philosophy, and communications at the graduate and undergraduate level. His work in professional communications started two decades ago with achieving his Master of Fine Arts degree from NYU's graduate acting program, studying with many of the preeminent vocal and performance teachers in the country. After NYU, Michael enjoyed a prolific first career as a professional actor: playing on Broadway twice, including working with stage legends like Nathan Lane; touring to 30+ US states; performing internationally, including at the 2009 European Capital of Culture; guest starring in prime-time network television; and originating roles in independent film.His passion then evolved, shifting to launching his first and still primary entrepreneurial venture, GK Training. As head of GK, Michael developed his unique, proprietary approach to communications training over a decade plus, an approach that utilizes kinesthetic learning to unlock rapid and lasting behavioral change. In that work he has created a suite of over 40 proprietary kinesthetic drills to address stubborn communication challenges like excessive filler language, lack of eye contact, slouching, talking too fast, and more with innovative tools that activate embodied cognition and circumvent thought suppression. Now entering its second decade, GK Training has clients in 43 industries across five continents.Michael's work in academia at Columbia University spans disciplines. In addition to teaching in the MBA and PhD programs at the Business school, he designed the curriculum for the PhD program's capstone communication course focused on entering the job market, as well as Executive Presence programs for the Law school. One of the GK online courses he designed is integrated into the Advanced Management Program summer curricula. His proprietary kinesthetic learning drills are featured in the curriculum of communication courses in the Management Division. He has coached over 15 members of the business

These 5 micro-behaviors are small, but they have an outsized impact on how others perceive your confidence, clarity, and leadership. When you start using them consistently, people don't just hear you…They trust you.They follow you.They feel influenced by you.The best part?You can start practicing them today! No extra time, no extra preparation, no extra talent required. Just a few intentional shifts that help you show up as the most powerful, grounded version of yourself.Your presence matters, and these micro-skills help you walk into any room like you belong there — because you do.Listen in for how to pause effectively, get your message heard quickly, show how to be grounded in your tone, what to do with your shoulders, and how to truly connect with your audience. Some resources for you:Project more confidence and credibility with my free tips: 9 Words to Avoid & What to Say Instead: Words to Avoid | Karen LaosMy book “Trust Your Own Voice”: https://karenlaos.com/book/Connect with me:Website: https://www.karenlaos.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenlaosofficial Episodes also available on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEwQoTGdJX5eME0ccBKiKng/videos Karen Laos, Communication Expert and Confidence Cultivator, leverages 25 years in the boardroom and speaking on the world's most coveted stages such as Google and NASA to transform missed opportunities into wins. She is fiercely committed to her mission of eradicating self-doubt in 10 million women by giving them practical strategies to ask for what they want in the boardroom and beyond. She guides corporations and individuals with her tested communication model to generate consistent results through her Powerful Presence Keynote: How to Be an Influential Communicator. Get my free tips: 9 Words to Avoid & What to Say Instead: https://karenlaos.com/words-to-avoid/ Connect with me:Website: https://www.karenlaos.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenlaosofficial Facebook: Ignite Your Confidence with Karen Laos: https://www.facebook.com/groups/karenlaosconsultingLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenlaos/Episodes also available on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEwQoTGdJX5eME0ccBKiKng/videosMy book “Trust Your Own Voice”: https://karenlaos.com/book/

Send us a textIf you've ever watched someone less skilled get chosen over you, this episode will change how you play the game. We're unpacking why “great work” doesn't automatically create opportunity, and what actually does.

Go to www.LearningLeader.com for full show notes This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire one person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,000 people around the world has the hustle and grit to deliver. My Guest: Angie Hicks, co-founder of Angie's List (now called Angi). She started the company at just 23, going door-to-door as a self-described introvert and non-salesperson, and turned it into a national platform trusted by millions. During our conversation, we discuss what it takes to lead with authenticity and build lasting impact.  Key Learnings Lead by listening and showing up. Whether it's knocking on doors as a 23-year-old or meeting employees during office hours as CEO, Angie reminds us that being present, paying attention, and seeking feedback is the heart of leadership. Focus on people and learning. Angie's career filter is simple: Do I like the people I'm working with? Am I learning new things? If yes, keep going. If not, it's time to reconsider. Excellence isn't just about results. It's about the environment and growth around you. Take your work seriously, but not yourself. Confidence, humility, and authenticity go hand in hand. Angie shows us that you can be ambitious and driven without losing sight of the human side of leadership. From Angie... My co-founder, Bill Osterle, came to me when I was a senior in college and said, "Hey, I've got a crazy idea. Your parents are gonna hate it. But why don't we start a business?" I talked to my parents, talked to my friends, and then I ended up talking to my grandfather who was incredibly conservative. He grew up in the Depression, very fiscally responsible. "What do you have to lose? You're 22, your parents aren't going to let you starve, and you're not trying to support a family, so why don't you try it?" I was so taken aback by his response that that comment was probably what pushed me over the edge. I think young people can do this a lot, as we tend to overthink decisions. Sometimes people see things in you that you don't see in yourself, and you've gotta have a little faith. What better time to have a little faith than when you're young and carefree? Work hard, and things will come your way. We started in 1995. It was an offline world. We started as a call-in service and a monthly newsletter. The first name of the company was Columbus Neighbors. We left it like that for a year, and people just didn't get it. They thought the newsletter was the list. We decided to do a rebranding nine months in. We had two options: The List or Jackie's List (Jackie was the mother of one of our investors who knew everybody). At the last minute, Bill said maybe it should be Angie's List. "She does answer the phone." Going door to door was hard. There was a lot of crying, I will be honest. I was selling something that wasn't concrete. "Hey, so when you need a plumber, you're gonna call me and I'm gonna help you find a plumber. And then when you hire someone, you're gonna tell me about it." I viewed it as a numbers game. I need to knock on so many doors every day, and that's just what I'm going to do. Hopefully, if I stay on my pitch and I knock on enough doors, I will sell the right number of memberships. If I was selling one or two memberships a day, that's great. No business was gonna be built on me selling one or two memberships a day, but that's where we were. Sometimes you have to do the hard stuff. Sometimes you have to do the stuff you're not good at, and you have to figure out ways to work around it. Because no matter what you do in your career, there's gonna be stuff you don't love. I broke it down by like, I'm gonna do it for these two hours. I'm a believer in the you can do anything for a year philosophy. I could do anything for an hour a day. So you have to kind of disconnect and treat it that way, as this is like taking my medicine. But you do win every once in a while. And it is fun when you win. It is fun when you sell something. The day Patty gave me her church directory was the best day ever. You gotta celebrate the little wins as well in life. Starting a business is a long journey. It is more of a marathon than a sprint. There's usually not this burst of momentum where everything rolls your way. It's building blocks along the way. If you don't celebrate those little wins and you only focus on, oh, I'm not gonna be happy until we're at 10,000 members, that could be years. You need things to keep you going every day. Patty lived near Bill, so she kinda liked him too, but I think there was a little bit of entrepreneur in Patty. Patty needed nothing from us. She had lived in Columbus her entire life. She had renovated a 1920s house. All she was able to do was give. She knew everybody. But I think she just loved the spirit. You don't know whether that's door seven, door one, door 57, you don't know. But there is typically a breakthrough. Staying true and persistent, you know, there probably weren't a lot of women starting businesses going door to door in 1995, and Patty was like, look, she's got some gumption. She's tackling a business that in many ways is a man's world. Construction is a man's world. Whether that's starting a business or finding the right boss, or finding the right position, that same lesson is the same. I talk to young people, I say, Hey, you can do marketing anywhere. There's any company you can do marketing. When it comes to me... Go where you're gonna be with somebody who believes in you. That's gonna invest in you, because that's actually what's gonna change your trajectory. It's not the name on the company that's gonna change your trajectory. It's actually who's got your back, who's coaching you, that's going to make the biggest difference. The next inflection point for me was when we opened in Cleveland the year after that. It was the first market we had opened from scratch. I remember I went one morning and picked up the newspaper, picked up the Plain Dealer at the bagel shop across the street from my office. And there it was, our little two-by-three ad that said, "Tired of lousy service" with some clip art. I was so excited. I was like, This is amazing. We're in Cleveland. This is gonna be so great. And then I remember telling Bill, "We're gonna get so many calls." And he's like, "We're gonna get so many calls." And I don't think we got any calls that day. The transition from individual contributor to leading others was a horrible transition. It's actually really hard. I tell people that all the time because if you think about who do we promote in companies, we promote really strong individual performers. The skills that make us really good individual performers do not necessarily make us good leaders, managers, et cetera, because it's actually a whole different skillset. I was that overachiever kind of controller, let me just do it type person. You have to actually train yourself to not do those things because no one's ever going to be successful and learn if you're just over there stepping in. The early days when I was young and trying to manage people, not good. Not good at all. I ended up leaving for a year and a half to go to business school. I was pretty burnt out on the business, and I probably would've left the business had I not gone. It gave me a chance to reflect on where I've been and step back. Now I understand, I'm not in the pressure cooker. I can see where I've mistepped. I left when I was 25, three years in. The business had gotten big enoug,h and we decided to bring in a CEO because the 22- 23-year-old was kinda like, maybe we need some leadership here. My co-founder joined full-time at that point and came in as CEO. I joke around, I'm like, take a break. I was still keeping the books. The TV commercial was a hundred thousand dollars, which I had to convince our board on. I was like, look, either we try this or we just close Cleveland because there is no scenario here that we're gonna build a business with door-to-door sales at the rate we're moving. We basically took everything on Cleveland, which was $100,000. I would've been devastated had it failed. People started calling. I was so excited. Then all of a sudden it just kinda went bananas. You realize there's a lot of people with this problem. Doors slammed in my face at that point, not as much of an issue. And then we ended up being in Boston and Washington, and a bunch of other cities. Every time we'd go to a city, I'd fly in, and I would open the paper, and I would get all happy. The TV commercials themselves were funny because I can't do anything for fun anymore without seeing myself in the commercial. I did the first one, and they're like, listen, we're just gonna, we're not gonna tell anybody. It's just gonna go on, you know, we're just gonna do it really quietly. I was like, great. Okay, fine. And then it kind of took off. I had young kids at the time. I wouldn't let us advertise on kids' shows. There was never us on Disney Channel or Nickelodeon because I didn't want that. But the kids would see me on TV. You know, they would see me doing interviews. It happened for them at such a young age that they just kind of thought that's what parents did. I remember one of my kids coming home in middle school and being like, I can't believe you didn't tell me you were famous because it was finally, the friends had grown up enough that they were like, you know who her mom is, right? I became a little more closed off in my personal life as I became more public. Kids deserve to grow up in a world where they get to be kids and not have to deal with that stuff. In our little town, people were like, Oh yeah, she just lives here. And it became not a thing. It became more relevant to me when I was traveling. I started doing office hours. I did it on Fridays leading into the lunchtime, which, let's be honest, was probably one of the squishiest times of productive work. I was with a group of CEOs the other day, and I actually suggested, just try a little. It doesn't have to be a big thing. Just try a little and see where it takes you. The meetings were anything. It was career advice. What should I do? They might have ideas for the business. Hey, we should go into this line. I remember talking one day to our head of legal, and I was like, you know, I don't get open-door media requests anymore. And she kind of chuckled, and she said, That's because you have them all the time. You allow problems to come to you before they're big problems, so they become less of a thing. I'd rather people bring their concerns internally first and listen to 'em and address 'em when you can. They always come internally first, whether it's from an employee, whether it's from a customer. It's just how we handle those things as to whether they blow up into something bigger. I always tried to give them something in return. They come to talk to me and I'd introduce 'em to someone who would help. I'd open a door for them. To this day, I still love talking to customers. I think we live in a very digital age, and I feel like we don't talk to one another very much. People like people. They need to feel heard and have things resolved. I took that office hours idea, and now I do it with customers, so any pro can sign up and talk to me. Gives me a chance to understand, get a pulse on what's going on. The people on the front line are the ones who are making your brand. The marketing team might make some great social posts and some great TV ads. But many times, the people who are manning the phones or your chats are the ones that are leaving a more lasting impression on your brand than anything else. How do you bring the voice of the customer into the organization? Not everybody in our company is a homeowner. How do you make sure they can understand the customer? What's life like as a small business owner, as a pro? What's it like for a homeowner when something goes awry on their worst day? How do I bring those stories to life? I had to convince myself that it was a good use of time. Busy people who have lots of responsibility are active doers, overachievers, to sit back and talk and listen feels like, Okay, am I moving the needle? It feels a bit too squishy. That's why I would treat it just like some of the other things. I will give it an hour a week. Let's see what happens there. I could see the payoff. I can't go spend 30% of my time doing this, but there is a portion of time that I do dedicate. Feedback is a gift and something you should seek out. But yeah, it doesn't always feel great. One of the hardest pieces of advice I got came at a time when we were actually trying to do a transaction. They said, "You have an executive presence issue." And I was like, what? They said, "You're too nice to everybody. It doesn't help the company." I can't tell you how much that comment just killed me. But then I went out and got an executive coach, and I reflected on it. In many ways, it made me a better CEO. I learned that I could be me and I could still be nice and I could be kind, but there are moments I have to be clear. When I'm looking to promote someone or hire someone, knowing your stuff is super important. You don't want this person, who says, I'm the one who always knows the answer. You want someone who can learn from their team. I spent most of my career running marketing, and marketing moves fast. Some of the youngest members of the team are teaching me more things over the years than even some of the more seasoned marketing people. How are you constantly having a view about learning and staying smart in the trade? The ability to just be a good partner or work with people is important. Your job's not to come in and knock down walls. It's actually to build relationships because you can't do everything yourself. How are you at building cross-department relationships? My advice to recent grads: One of my favorites, take your work very seriously. Be good at what you do. Don't always be looking for that next thing that you gotta go tackle. Do what's in front of you first. Don't take yourself too seriously. You come out, you're like, Oh, I have all of these credentials. I should therefore be able to do these things. Sometimes the envelopes need stuffed and we might all do that together. So don't take yourself too seriously. We're gonna do this together. Be open to feedback and to helping others. Don't be afraid when people suggest things that seem totally counter. I think sometimes we get too rigid in our plans. I use Angie's List as an example. I was supposed to be a consultant. I was supposed to go be a business consultant, but then Bill comes in and says, hey, what about this? I could have easily been a business consultant and had a nice life. But I chose that door. A lot of times, people get a little too narrow in their focus and miss opportunities. So stay open to that. For me, it's all about the people you work with. Working with people that you're learning from, that believe in you, that's all that matters. I overindex there. People ask me, how are you still doing this after 30 years? I ask myself two questions, and if I can answer yes to those two questions, I'm in. If I answer no, I'm out. The two things are: Do I like the people I'm working with, and am I learning new things? When you're as long in your career as I am, you have to dedicate time and effort to learning new things so that you don't become that person that is like, we do this because we've always done it this way. Which I think is just like the worst line ever. Reflection Questions Angie's grandfather asked, "What do you have to lose?" when she was 22 and hesitating about starting a business. What decision are you currently overthinking that you might need to just take a leap on while you're young (or young enough) and the risk is manageable? S She says the skills that make us really good individual performers don't necessarily make us good leaders. If you've recently been promoted or are leading others, what specific "doer" habits do you need to let go of so your team can learn and succeed? Angie stayed at Angi for 30 years by asking herself two questions: "Do I like the people I'm working with?" and "Am I learning new things?" How would you honestly answer those two questions about your current role? If the answer to either is no, what does that tell you?

Send us a textWhat if authority wasn't about being the best closer, but about creating the safest decision for your buyer? Grant sits down with Doug Brown—CEO of CEO Sales Strategies—to explore how shared context, credible associations, and personal ROI can transform ordinary sales conversations into trust-driven commitments. From New England roots to global brands, Doug shows why familiarity is a strategic lever, not a vanity metric.We dig into the gap between “good” sales teams and those viewed as market authorities. The surprise: status and positioning can tilt the field before price is ever discussed. Using vivid examples—from first-class optics to iconic venues—Doug explains how perception amplifies pricing power. But he also grounds it in craft: speak to the business ROI and the personal ROI driving real human decisions, whether that's safety, reputation, or career risk. Buyers sign when they feel both the numbers and the nerves are addressed.The heart of the conversation is resilience. Doug recounts a costly client pivot that vaporized roughly $2M, then shares the mental and operational playbook that pulled him forward: stop treating symptoms, remove root causes, and take one meaningful step every day toward a clear North Star. We also get practical with a 90-day revenue plan that works without heroics—set a truthful target, do the math on KPIs, reengage dormant clients, increase touchpoints, and define your ideal right-fit buyer to align message and market. We close with a grounded take on AI: use it to accelerate research and outreach, but never outsource the human-to-human moments that make complex deals possible.If you're ready to sell with authority, protect your margins, and build pipeline you can trust, this conversation gives you the mindset and methods to start today. Subscribe, share with a teammate who needs a boost, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway—we read every one.Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Follow The Brand! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest trends and strategies in Personal Branding, Business and Career Development, Financial Empowerment, Technology Innovation, and Executive Presence. To keep up with the latest insights and updates, visit 5starbdm.com. And don't miss Grant McGaugh's new book, First Light — a powerful guide to igniting your purpose and building a BRAVE brand that stands out in a changing world. - https://5starbdm.com/brave-masterclass/ See you next time on Follow The Brand!

From Season 2 – Want to be seen as a capable, confident leader? Alicia Fairclough, founder of EA How To, shares ways you can exude executive energy and prove your value as a strategic business partner. Recorded at EA Ignite Fall 2023 and produced by the American Society of Administrative Professionals - ASAP. Learn more and submit a listener question at asaporg.com/podcast.

Few moments expose a leader's true confidence faster than the stare of a camera lens.   Karin Reed, founder of Speaker Dynamics, brings forward a clear view of why virtual communication rattles even seasoned leaders and what presence actually requires when the usual cues disappear. She points to a familiar pattern: people become smaller, flatter, or overly polished once the lens becomes the audience, and those shifts quietly shape how trustworthy or grounded they appear. The conversation asks an important question for anyone leading through a screen: what builds credibility when connection feels harder to access?   Karin's insight centers on the qualities that make leaders feel real on camera. Authentic expression carries farther than perfect delivery. Natural movement brings energy back into the voice. Audio quality influences how intelligent and credible someone seems. Early interaction sets the tone for participation. These elements are less about technique and more about the leader's willingness to show up with a steady, human presence that invites others in.   The conversation ultimately challenges leaders to rethink executive presence for a virtual world. Confidence becomes easier to project when leaders stop performing and start communicating with the same clarity and ease they rely on in person. The screen changes the environment, but it doesn't change what people want from a leader: someone they can hear, follow, and trust.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Leadership Communication in a Virtual World 01:55 Karin Reed's Path to On-Camera Expertise 09:59 Eye Contact and Connection in Virtual Meetings 15:35 Body Language That Builds Executive Presence 24:10 The MVP Framework for Strong Virtual Communication 29:46 Why Production Quality Shapes Credibility 35:20 Authenticity and Executive Presence Connect with Karin Reed: Visit Speaker Dynamics  Connect with Karin on LinkedIn   Connect with Sarah Lockwood: Visit HiveCast Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn   Connect with The Conscious Entrepreneur: Visit The Conscious Entrepreneur website  Follow The Conscious Entrepreneur on LinkedIn Follow The Conscious Entrepreneur on Instagram  Subscribe to The Conscious Entrepreneur on YouTube   HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Send us a textIf people can't read your value, they can't reward it. We sit down with brand strategist Jen Dalton to turn personal branding from a fuzzy idea into a practical plan you can execute, one small step at a time. Our conversation starts with a simple truth—telepathy isn't a strategy—and builds toward a reputation roadmap that helps you define your strengths, choose the right words, and create monthly evidence that moves you closer to the work you want.We break down the crucial difference between business branding and personal branding, then focus on what actually builds trust: authenticity, vulnerability, and stories with real lessons. Jen shares how to stop confusing personal branding with bragging and start sharing useful insights, mistakes, and wins that help your audience. We talk about finding your niche, making your reputation visible on LinkedIn and video, and why Gen Z rewards leaders who are genuine and clear. You'll hear practical tools—DiSC, StrengthsFinder, Enneagram—for surfacing blind spots, plus a simple exercise to pick three strengths, write a mission statement, and align your language so people perceive you the way you intend.From there, we get tactical. Learn how to build a 12–24 month reputation roadmap, create one proof point each month, and use platforms strategically to show your value without shouting. We discuss leadership branding, aligning actions with words, and building four networks—peers, prospects, giving back, and fun—to stay relevant and resilient. Grant shares his AI Business Accelerator as a live example of building evidence for a future-focused brand, and we explore creative ways to upskill, serve, and stand out without trying to be “an influencer.”Ready to own your story and make your value visible? Listen, take notes, and then pick one action to ship this week. If this conversation helped you, follow the show, share it with a friend who's ready for a pivot, and leave a quick review so more builders can find us.Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Follow The Brand! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest trends and strategies in Personal Branding, Business and Career Development, Financial Empowerment, Technology Innovation, and Executive Presence. To keep up with the latest insights and updates, visit 5starbdm.com. And don't miss Grant McGaugh's new book, First Light — a powerful guide to igniting your purpose and building a BRAVE brand that stands out in a changing world. - https://5starbdm.com/brave-masterclass/ See you next time on Follow The Brand!

You can already speak English but do you sound like the senior manager you are? In this episode, I walk you through the small communication habits that quietly affect how you come across at work. Enjoy! Anna01:30 – The uncomfortable lesson I learned from my own communication coach05:10 – Habit 1 07:00 – Habit 210:40 – Habit 313:20 – Practical ways to get feedback and improve15:20 – Final challenge for the week GET MY FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER - Become a free member and get my weekly round up of tips in the newsletter and extra bonus content INTERESTED IN 1-to-1 COACHING? Register for future places on my programme WANT TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST? Donate a coffee TRANSCRIPTS - do an in-depth review of the episode content LinkedIn @AnnaConnellyInstagram @annabusinessenglishYouTube @annabusinessenglish

Send us a textReady to stop grinding and start scaling? We dive into a clear, no-fluff blueprint for using agentic AI to grow sales, improve margins, and reclaim your time. Instead of one-off prompts, you'll learn how autonomous agents perceive context, plan multi-step workflows, make decisions, and execute tasks across your stack—then learn from outcomes to get better week after week.We walk through the five domains where agents deliver immediate wins: customer support that resolves faster and cuts cost per ticket; lead generation that researches prospects and tailors outreach to lower CAC; marketing engines that ideate, create, test, and iterate across channels; back-office automation that reconciles books, tracks invoices, and manages inventory; and forecasting that sharpens demand, revenue, and cash flow accuracy. Along the way, we plug real numbers into the conversation—10x service cost reductions, 40–60% time-to-output cuts, and double-digit revenue lift—so you can benchmark your own progress with confidence.Measurement is the unlock. You'll get a compact KPI framework tied to the P&L: revenue growth rate, ROI per initiative, gross margin improvement, operating cash flow accuracy, CAC and lifetime value, time-to-output, error rates, cost per transaction, CSAT, and NPS. We also share practical guardrails to deploy safely: approvals, escalation paths, SOPs, and team training that make adoption stick. The human edge—strategy, empathy, and brand—stays at the center while agents handle the repetitive execution. If you've wondered how to leverage AI without losing what makes your business special, this is your roadmap.Subscribe for more playbooks, share this with a founder who needs it, and leave a review to tell us which KPI you'll track first.Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Follow The Brand! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest trends and strategies in Personal Branding, Business and Career Development, Financial Empowerment, Technology Innovation, and Executive Presence. To keep up with the latest insights and updates, visit 5starbdm.com. And don't miss Grant McGaugh's new book, First Light — a powerful guide to igniting your purpose and building a BRAVE brand that stands out in a changing world. - https://5starbdm.com/brave-masterclass/ See you next time on Follow The Brand!

By Adam Turteltaub Executive presence isn't simply walking in the room and having everyone instantly feel that that you are in charge.  It is something different explains Jay Greenberg, the recently retired Chief Compliance Officer at the FBI.  Instead, it is being powered by your core values and then making a maximum positive contribution to any situation by fully investing yourself to achieving that assigned mission. Executive presence, he shares, is a skill acquired through the application of experience, coupled with a great deal of self-reflection that focuses on self-confidence, core values and the help of mentors. Also of great value: preparation and confidence that is informed by past experiences, including failures.  Even star leaders didn't magically emerge, he reminds us.  They learned from their failures, missteps and other learning experiences. It doesn't matter, he explains, if you are working with leadership or rank and file employees.  Know your core values, who you are, your positive character traits and focus ahead of time.  It will help you feel self-contained and confident.  He also advises keeping a bit of mental distance, being both a participant and an observer at the same time.  It will help you tailor your approach to the outcome you want.  Also, be sure you understand the perspective of your audience. Listen in to learn more about how you can master the skills of executive presence.

We love to talk about authenticity at work… right up until someone actually shows up as their full, messy, human self and makes everyone clutch their pearls. In this episode, we unpack what it really means to be yourself at work with Claude Silver — the world's first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX and author of Be Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Showing Up, Standing Out, and Leading from the Heart. We get into the difference between authentic presence vs. executive presence, why “that's just who I am” is usually “fear” in a cute outfit, and how to stop armoring up at work without turning every meeting into group therapy. We talk about perfectionism, people-pleasing, power dynamics, calling people in (instead of just calling them out), and what it actually costs you and your company when you leave the real you at home. If you've ever wondered how to bring your heart into a workplace that's still obsessed with your hustle, or how to belong without shrinking or pretending, this conversation is your permission slip to stop faking it and start leading from the heart. We Explore: What authenticity at work really means (and why it's not “I say whatever I want, whenever I want”) The difference between confidence and authenticity – and why you need both How Claude defines authentic presence and why “executive presence” is starting to feel outdated Perfectionism as a confidence derailer and how it quietly kills trust, connection, and creativity How to share your real life (kids, chaos, hard mornings) at work without oversharing or dumping Navigating power dynamics when a client, boss, or leader says something that goes against your values How to find “your people” at work Gen Z and Gen Alpha aren't being “difficult” — they're just done with workplaces that value performance over personhood. They expect companies to evolve, not the other way around. If leaders want to keep and motivate this generation, they need to ditch command-and-control and lead with humanity. Authenticity isn't a bonus anymore — it's the baseline. Thank you to our sponsors! Get 20% off your first order at curehydration.com/WOMANSWORK with code WOMANSWORK — and if you get a post-purchase survey, mention you heard about Cure here to help support the show!  Sex is a skill. Beducated is where you learn it. Visit https://beducate.me/pd2550-womanswork and use code womanswork for 50% off the annual pass. Connect with Claude: Book Website: https://www.beyourselfbook.com/  LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casilver/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/claudesilver/?hl=en  Related Podcast Episodes Work Shouldn't Suck: How to Make It Good with Moe Carrick | 356 15 Lies Women Are Told At Work with Bonnie Hammer | 330 The Hard Truths Of Entrepreneurship with Dr. Darnyelle Jervey Harmon | 313 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform!

Let me spill the tea on something we have to fix. For too long, executive presence has been boxed into a narrow definition—how you show up in the room. But in a business climate shaped by tech disruption, trust gaps, and talent wars, that definition is officially outdated. In this solo episode, I'm unpacking what I call Executive Presence 4.0—a new model for leadership visibility where your entire leadership team becomes a coordinated, credible signal of your company's value. And if your company is still stuck in 2.0? You’re leaving trust, talent, and opportunities on the table. This isn't a trend—it's a shift. And if you want your company to stay competitive, this episode is your wake-up call. Here's what we get into: Why traditional executive presence is no longer enough How we evolved from the IBM era to the influence era The four versions of executive presence (and where most companies are stuck) What Executive Presence 4.0 looks like in action The 3 leadership signals every company must align (and what happens when they don't) How visibility gaps cost you talent, investors, and market trust What it means to move from a one-voice brand to a surround-sound signal Your Next Steps: Access the white paper: External Influence: The Currency Every Leader Must Carry. https://externalinfluence.us Follow Shayna on LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/shaynarattler Visit our website: https://shaynadavisconsulting.com

Send us a textTrust is breaking on LinkedIn—and not just because the algorithm got stricter. Grant McGaugh sits down with Richard Vanderblom, the global authority on social selling and LinkedIn strategy, to unpack how AI-driven behaviors, automated outreach, and shifting relevance signals are reshaping what works and what backfires. If you've watched your reach drop or felt your DMs fill with spam, this conversation maps a smarter path forward.We dig into the metrics that actually matter—qualified DMs, right-fit invites, and conversions on low-commitment offers—and why “views” are a value metric when treated as a bridge to action. Richard explains LinkedIn's emerging “interest clusters,” how second and third-degree engagement now carries more weight, and why chasing viral content outside your niche sabotages your credibility. The guidance is clear: stay in your lane, focus 80% of your posts on your core expertise, and let relevance compound.Leaders get a practical content playbook that outperforms company pages: personal storytelling that shares real lessons, point-of-view thought leadership that leads, co-created posts with peers to unlock new networks, and video or live formats to build instant trust. We also test LinkedIn's Boost feature—what it's good for, where it falls short—and talk about responsible AI use that amplifies your voice without eroding authenticity. From credibility scoring to AI-pattern detection, the platform is rewarding the human layer more than ever.If you want to position your executive brand, grow a trusted network, and convert attention into meaningful outcomes, this episode gives you the strategy and the why behind it. Listen, take notes, and then refine your lane. Subscribe, share with a colleague who needs a better LinkedIn plan, and leave a review with your top takeaway so we can keep raising the signal together.Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Follow The Brand! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest trends and strategies in Personal Branding, Business and Career Development, Financial Empowerment, Technology Innovation, and Executive Presence. To keep up with the latest insights and updates, visit 5starbdm.com. And don't miss Grant McGaugh's new book, First Light — a powerful guide to igniting your purpose and building a BRAVE brand that stands out in a changing world. - https://5starbdm.com/brave-masterclass/ See you next time on Follow The Brand!

What's the real reason some leaders instantly command a room while others struggle to connect? Katherine unpacks the secret sauce behind authentic leadership: executive presence. But don't mistake it for just charisma or a polished look. This is about substance over style, connection over performance, and leading with confidence, clarity, and calm. She explores why presence, not just words, shapes how people trust, respect, and follow you. You'll learn how to shift from filler words to powerful pauses, how to read a room and adapt with empathy, and why showing up with grounded confidence builds psychological safety for your team. Whether you're leading a team meeting or navigating high-stakes moments, this episode offers practical, people-first strategies to grow your presence, without losing your authenticity.

Send us a textSeats aren't being offered? Let's build the table—and the toolkit to go with it. We sit down with consultant and AI Accelerator lead Angela Reed James to explore how Black entrepreneurs can turn AI into real capacity, sharper messaging, and faster growth without bloated budgets or big teams. From losing a corporate role to launching a mission-driven practice, Angela shares how AI became the missing staff: a strategist on demand, a project manager at midnight, and a copy chief that never gets tired.We get practical fast. Angela breaks down how to move from fear to ownership by treating AI like a brainstorming partner that organizes messy ideas into usable plans. We map the small-business workflow—from lead to fulfillment to reactivation—and highlight where automation saves hours without sacrificing the human touch. We talk brand voice, how to “train your dragon” so tools speak in your tone, and why AI should erase busywork, not your genius. Along the way we dig into bias in training data, why representation matters in prompts and datasets, and how creating culturally grounded examples improves outputs and conversions.This conversation is also a guide to buying smarter. Use AI to define scope, budget, and deliverables before you hire an expert so you don't get oversold. Translate operations into the language of finance to model ROI and cash flow with clarity. And if you've felt shut out of rooms where deals happen, consider AI your entry pass to consistent content, better proposals, and a stronger pipeline. We close with details on the ICABA AI Accelerator—live demos, community support, and actionable steps you can use the same day.Subscribe for more conversations at the edge of entrepreneurship and intelligent technology. Share this with a founder who needs capacity now, and leave a review with the first workflow you plan to automate—what's your day-one AI win?Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Follow The Brand! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest trends and strategies in Personal Branding, Business and Career Development, Financial Empowerment, Technology Innovation, and Executive Presence. To keep up with the latest insights and updates, visit 5starbdm.com. And don't miss Grant McGaugh's new book, First Light — a powerful guide to igniting your purpose and building a BRAVE brand that stands out in a changing world. - https://5starbdm.com/brave-masterclass/ See you next time on Follow The Brand!

Send us a textA single Saturday in 1966 changed everything. When a young Ed Rahill paused lawn duty to hear the 24 Hours of Le Mans on the radio, endurance racing planted a seed that would grow into record-setting coast-to-coast drives, a fearless corporate career, and a blueprint for living with grit. We go beyond the spectacle to explore how planning, patience, and partnership carry you through the stretches no one posts on highlight reels.Ed maps the unlikely bridge between CFO and president roles and the “last great American road race,” weaving in a vivid history of endurance—from the Pony Express and thousand-mile cattle drives to the first cross-country auto challenge in 1904. The stories are cinematic: arrests in multiple states, an all-points bulletin, clandestine support from GM engineers, and the relentless math of speed, fuel, and fatigue. Yet the real takeaway is strategic: choose the right teammate, build redundancy, respect the road, and recover fast when everything breaks at once.At the heart of this conversation is a promise. Raised by women who sacrificed their dreams, Ed vowed to break that pattern and treat life as a relay. The baton metaphor runs through every chapter—start strong, absorb the hits, and hand off hard-won wisdom so the next runner goes farther. He shares the razor‑thin moment when a handshake with Blackstone saved his company and his team, reminding us that survival is often the doorway to impact. The message is simple and powerful: you have the right to try, the duty to prepare, and the calling to pass your gains forward.If stories of resilience, leadership under fire, and American car culture light you up, you'll find both adrenaline and guidance here. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs a push, and leave a review telling us the toughest mile you've ever run—what baton are you carrying next?Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Follow The Brand! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest trends and strategies in Personal Branding, Business and Career Development, Financial Empowerment, Technology Innovation, and Executive Presence. To keep up with the latest insights and updates, visit 5starbdm.com. And don't miss Grant McGaugh's new book, First Light — a powerful guide to igniting your purpose and building a BRAVE brand that stands out in a changing world. - https://5starbdm.com/brave-masterclass/ See you next time on Follow The Brand!