Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style

Click here if you’re a senior leader who’s ready to recalibrate how you’re perceived at the executive level — in the next 90–120 days. The Executive Presence Mastery System may be your logical next step.

Click here to pinpoint the specific area in your executive presence that’s keeping you invisible to senior leadership and guarantees you stay working hard as a pack mule who never gets promoted. Download the Executive Presence Scorecard assessment.

What if one of the best leadership mentors for executive presence… was Captain America?

Many professionals believe executive presence comes from speaking louder, dominating meetings, or showcasing expertise. But the leaders who truly stand out often do the opposite. In this episode, we break down how Captain America demonstrates the exact leadership qualities senior executives trust most—and how you can apply them in your next meeting.

By the end of this quick episode you’ll know:
🔑The four leadership qualities that instantly elevate executive presence
🎯How calm, concise communication can make people listen when you speak
🔎The counterintuitive action that actually strengthens your authority and influence

Press play to learn the surprising leadership lessons Captain America can teach you about commanding respect and standing out in the workplace. 🛡️🎙️

Episode 471: 3 Things Successful Introverts Do to Get Instant Alignment with C-suite Execs

So if today’s episode got you thinking about the kind of leadership energy you bring into the room… here’s a quick next step.

Because developing executive presence is a little like an origin story.

Before Captain America had the shield, the suit, or the Avengers… he had the values, the composure, and the clarity that made people trust him.

And the same thing is true in the workplace.

That’s why we created the Executive Presence Scorecard — a quick way to assess the leadership signals you’re sending in meetings, presentations, and high-stakes conversations.

If you want to see where your executive presence currently stands, go to the 2nd paragraph of these show notes, click that link,and take the Executive Presence Scorecard.

It only takes a few minutes… and it might be the start of your own leadership origin story.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

Click here if you’re a senior leader who’s ready to recalibrate how you’re perceived at the executive level — in the next 90–120 days. The Executive Presence Mastery System may be your logical next step.

Click here to pinpoint the specific area in your executive presence that’s keeping you invisible to senior leadership and guarantees you stay working hard as a pack mule who never gets promoted. Download the Executive Presence Scorecard assessment.

What if the reason you're not getting promoted, recognized, or trusted as a senior leader has nothing to do with your performance—and everything to do with your visibility and influence? 🤔

In today’s influence economy, leadership isn’t just about performing well inside your organization—it’s about how you are perceived outside of it.

With widening trust gaps, a global talent war, and constant technological disruption, leaders who remain invisible or fail to communicate their point of view risk losing credibility, opportunities, and authority.

In this episode, Shayna Davis challenges the traditional idea of executive presence and reveals why influence, visibility, and a clear leadership perspective are the real currencies of modern leadership. 🚀

By the end of this conversation with Shayna Davis you’ll know:
🔎Why executive presence needs a major reframe—and what truly builds leadership credibility today
🪝How to develop a clear leadership point of view that positions you as a strategic voice instead of just a high performer
💯 How external visibility can help attract talent, build trust, and elevate your influence in your industry

Press play to learn how to transform your leadership identity, develop a powerful point of view, and start building influence that extends far beyond your organization. 🎧

Now maybe you’re listening to this and thinking, “I know my industry, I know my work, I’ve got the experience… but when it comes to clearly communicating my point of view or influencing a room, it doesn’t always land the way I want.”

That’s a really common challenge for high-performing technical leaders, directors, and rising executives. You have the expertise, but translating that expertise into influence, credibility, and strategic visibility is a completely different skill set.

That’s why we created the Executive Presence Scorecard Assessment — to help you quickly identify where your executive presence is already strong and where you may need to strengthen things like messaging, perception, and leadership identity.

If you want to see exactly where you stand, head to the 2nd paragraph of these show notes, click the first link, and take the Executive Presence Scorecard Assessment. It’s a fast way to get clarity on what’s working and what might be holding your influence back.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

About our guest:
As the award-winning host of The Influence Economy™ Podcast, ranked in the top 3% worldwide, and an advisor to leaders at L’Oréal, IBM, and Nationwide, Shayna Davis is passionate about redefining executive presence as executive influence.
She believes presence is no longer just about how leaders show up in the room—it’s about how they are perceived in the outside world. Her approach to executive presence centers on helping decision-makers and tech founders elevate their external visibility and strategic impact, not just for internal professional advancement, but to inspire change across industries and communities.
Having been featured in more than 500 media outlets, Shayna Davis brings practical, actionable guidance to leaders eager to make their voices heard in high-stakes environments.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

Click here if you’re a senior leader who’s ready to recalibrate how you’re perceived at the executive level — in the next 90–120 days. The Executive Presence Mastery System may be your logical next step.

Click here to pinpoint the specific area in your executive presence that’s keeping you invisible to senior leadership and guarantees you stay working hard as a pack mule who never gets promoted. Download the Executive Presence Scorecard assessment.

If you feel like you have to explain everything…to prove you’re doing a good job…
That’s exactly why executives aren’t seeing you as one.

If you’ve ever felt like you need to prove your value or the value of your recommendation by sharing more detail, only to be interrupted, ignored, or left out of key decisions… this episode breaks down exactly why that’s happening—and how it’s holding you back from being seen as a strategic leader.

By the end of today’s episode you’ll know:
😩The hidden communication mistake that makes you sound less strategic (even when you’re highly capable)
🎯The 3-part Executive Communication Operating System top leaders use to influence decisions
🧲Ways to shift from “information overload” to clear, confident recommendations that executives trust

Press play to learn how to instantly elevate your executive presence by saying less—and influencing more.

Your job is not to transfer knowledge. Your job… is to drive decisions.

But not being seen at the level you know you’re capable of… This is exactly the gap we help leaders close.

We help you in the Executive Presence Mastery System…

So you stop communicating like a subject matter expert…And start showing up like a strategic leader. So if you’re ready to make that shift…

Go to the link in the first paragraph of these show notes to book a call with Laura Camacho. Or book that call here.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

Click here if you’re a senior leader who’s ready to recalibrate how you’re perceived at the executive level — in the next 90–120 days. The Executive Presence Mastery System may be your logical next step.
Click here to pinpoint the specific area in your executive presence that’s keeping you invisible to senior leadership and guarantees you stay working hard as a pack mule who never gets promoted. Download the Executive Presence Scorecard assessment.

In today's episode, you're going to discover what one of the most legendary music producers in history understands about executive presence, clarity, and impact—something that most corporate leaders completely miss.

Many high-performing professionals believe better communication means more slides, more explanation, and more detail. But in reality, senior leaders value something far simpler: clarity. In this episode, Laura reveals the counterintuitive communication philosophy used by legendary music producer Rick Rubin—and why the same principle can instantly elevate your presence in meetings, presentations, and strategic conversations.

After listening to this episode, you’ll learn:
🧮How the “subtraction principle” used by elite music producers can dramatically strengthen your communication and executive presence
🧲 A simple three-sentence structure that makes your meeting updates stand out with senior leaders
🚛How removing unnecessary information from emails, presentations, and conversations can increase your authority and clarity

Press play to discover the surprisingly simple communication shift that can instantly sharpen your executive presence and make your ideas land with more impact. 🚀

My favorite quote from Rick Rubin’s book: Look for what you notice but no one else sees.
Because executive presence is not about filling the room with words.
It's about making sure the right words land.

If you want help developing that kind of communication clarity—the kind that gets attention from senior leaders and positions you for bigger opportunities—start by taking my Executive Presence Scorecard assessment by clicking the link in the 2nd paragraph of these show notes.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.

Click here if you’re a senior leader who’s ready to recalibrate how you’re perceived at the executive level — in the next 90–120 days. The Executive Presence Mastery System may be your logical next step.
Click here to pinpoint the specific area in your executive presence that’s keeping you invisible to senior leadership and guarantees you stay working hard as a pack mule who never gets promoted. Download the Executive Presence Scorecard assessment.
Are you focusing so much on productivity and results that you’re unintentionally sabotaging your leadership success—and even your health?

Many high-performing professionals believe success comes from checking off tasks, working faster, and staying constantly busy. But research shows that busyness without meaningful human connection leads to disengagement, loneliness, and stalled leadership growth.

In this episode, leadership expert Dr. Michelle Johnston explains why the future of leadership isn’t about doing more—it’s about connecting more.

By the end of this episode with stellar guest Dr. Michelle Johnston, you’ll know:
😩Why productivity alone leads to emptiness, burnout, and missed leadership opportunities
🎯 The powerful mindset shift that helps leaders gain visibility, trust, and influence
🚀 Practical ways to build stronger relationships and run more engaging meetings—even if you’re an introvert

Press play to learn the leadership shifts that will help you build stronger relationships, gain influence, and lead with the human connection today’s workplace demands.

So if you’re someone who’s doing great work, checking all the boxes, hitting your goals, and still wondering why you’re not getting the visibility or recognition you deserve… you’re not alone.

Maybe you’ve been told you’re a high performer, but somehow you’re still not seen as leadership material. And that can be incredibly frustrating—because you’re working harder than ever, but it still feels like you’re being overlooked.

That’s exactly why we created the Executive Presence Scorecard. You quickly see how others actually experience you as a leader—so you can identify the hidden gaps that might be holding back your influence, visibility, and next promotion.

If you’re curious about where your executive presence really stands, just head to the 2nd paragraph of these show notes, click the link. It only takes a few minutes, and it could completely change how you show up as a leader.

About our guest:
Dr. Michelle K. Johnston is a passionate champion of connection-driven leadership. Recently featured on NBC News with Kate Snow, she is a best-selling author, top ten executive coach, podcast host, keynote speaker, and distinguished professor whose groundbreaking work is reshaping how leaders connect, communicate, and collaborate.

Widely regarded as being at the forefront of the connection movement, Michelle has spent her career showing leaders how authentic relationships drive both engagement and results. She is the bestselling author of The Seismic Shift in You: The Seven Necessary Shifts to Create Connection and Drive Results, her newest book coauthored with Dr. Marshall Goldsmith. This powerful guide offers a transformative roadmap for leaders to reevaluate their perspective, priorities, meetings, and calendar to drive more meaningful results.

Michelle serves as a distinguished professor of leadership at Loyola University New Orleans, holds a Ph.D. in Communication from Louisiana State University, and brings decades of insight to her coaching and keynotes. She also hosts The Seismic Shift podcast, ranked in the Top 10% of all podcasts globally, where she engages executives, authors, and thought leaders on the seismic shifts shaking up the way we work and the way we live.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.