Blog

You’ve probably been praised for being resilient. The one who can handle anything. But resilience alone doesn’t build momentum. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re thriving or simply surviving in your career, this question matters more than most: Is the leadership around you helping you grow or just relying on you to endure? In this week’s tip sheet, I break down what to look for in leadership environments that actually support growth and how to rebrand yourself by alig

“You should…” “If I were you…” “When are you going to…?” Unsolicited advice has a way of landing harder than it should. Not because it’s always wrong, but because it often crosses an invisible line. With holiday gatherings and Christmas just two days away, I wrote a short piece on how to navigate these moments without overreacting, over-explaining, or damaging the relationship.

“I think I have a condition.” That’s how one accomplished leader described her fear of presenting. What she actually had was a belief problem, not a diagnosis. Here’s how to reframe the fear of public speaking and lead the room with confidence. Read the full post →

“Got a Minute?” has quietly turned into a 45-minute therapy session for too many leaders. You walk in ready to talk strategy and performance, and walk out carrying everyone’s childhood wounds and workplace pain. In this tip sheet, Stephanie shows you how to say “I’m not your therapist” with gravitas and grace, while still being the leader people trust.

AI can analyze patterns, but it cannot read the room — and that’s where most leaders lose influence without realizing it. There’s one mistake people make in high-stakes meetings that instantly weakens their impact. This short read breaks it down, and once you see it, you won’t unsee it.

Leaders tell me all the time that “speaking up and voicing the truth that others hesitate to say” is the hardest thing to do. They’re not struggling with honesty. They’re struggling with risk management, emotion management, and power dynamics all at once. This is where gravitas is really tested. Not in a keynote, not in a town hall, but in that one quiet conversation where you tell someone above you that they are wrong, off, or becoming part of the problem.

Few leaders balance authority and approachability as naturally as Lara Hodgson. Her communication style blends energy, structure, and authenticity, skills every speaker can master. This week, we’re featuring Lara Hodgson in our Best Public Speakers series. See what makes her presence so memorable.

It only takes senior leaders seconds to decide whether your message matters. Learn the 90-second strategy that gets their attention - and their approval - fast.

Build a Voice You Actually Like: The 7-Minute Vocal Warm-Up That Changes Everything. In just minutes a day, posture, breath, resonance, articulation, and confidence drills can transform your tone, clarity, and authority—helping you show up with more control, confidence, and presence.

We included Larry Fink on our Best Speakers list because he is one of the most powerful and influential leaders in the world. His journey, from a career-defining loss to building the world’s largest asset management firm, is a masterclass in resilience and vision.

Facilitator or Expert: Great communicators know when to lead with expertise and when to guide as a facilitator. Shifting between these roles—based on the room’s needs—builds credibility, trust, and engagement. The key is being intentional: sometimes your value is what you know, and other times it’s how you help others think.

Developing a Commanding Presence: A senior presence starts with sound. By resetting your mindset, tuning your voice, and practicing deliberate delivery, you can project the authority and steadiness that clients expect from a partner. With consistent drills and body language cues, your voice begins communicating confidence and judgment before your slides ever do.

How to Communicate Ownership Without Sounding Aggressive: Communicating ownership without sounding aggressive is about projecting clarity, confidence, and leadership—without dominating the conversation. Instead of reacting defensively to feedback, top consultants like Marty use it as fuel for growth, shifting their mindset and presence in meetings. By embracing structure, leading with purpose, and showing steady direction, they earn respect and trust without raising their vo

Leadership Presence Is Contagious: Your tone sets the emotional tone for your entire team, whether it's confidence, calm, or stress. Teams often mirror the energy and presence their leaders project, making tone a powerful teaching tool. When your tone reflects focus and belief, it inspires the same in others.

Hidden Cost of Poor Leadership Tone: A poor leadership tone silently erodes trust, engagement, and performance even when the message itself is correct. When tone communicates frustration, disinterest, or sarcasm, teams feel unsafe and uncertain, leading to misalignment and disengagement. The real cost isn’t just emotional, it’s in lost influence, clarity, and momentum.

Executive communication shapes how teams think, act, and perform. When leaders communicate with clarity, conviction, and consistency, they create alignment and momentum. The tone they set becomes a model for focus, accountability, and high performance across the organization.

Tone Culture: Creates the unspoken culture of a team—it shapes how messages are received and how people feel about their work. Even well-chosen words can lose impact if delivered with the wrong tone. Leaders who align their words with intentional delivery foster a culture of clarity, trust, and engagement.

Why Tone Makes or Breaks Trust: Even the right message can fall flat when tone doesn't match intent. People don’t just hear your words—they feel your tone, and that emotional signal shapes trust. To lead effectively, your tone must reflect confidence, clarity, and care—because trust is built not just on what you say, but how you say it.

Speak Like a Leader: The way leaders communicate sets the tone for the entire organization. Habits like speaking with clarity, pausing with purpose, and emphasizing key messages help build trust and authority. When leaders are intentional with their tone, they elevate their impact and influence from the top.

The Power of Calm: Calm leaders create clarity in chaos and signal stability when it’s needed most. By regulating their tone and emotions, they model presence and control—helping teams stay focused and confident under pressure. A calm tone isn’t passive; it’s a powerful tool for setting the tone of the entire organization.