• 603: Does Your Lack of Executive Presence & Leadership Style Make People Afraid to Tell You the Truth?
    2026/07/22
    Know Your Own Executive Presence Strengths & Opportunities: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. Access the Executive Presence Scorecard assessment here.Have you ever walked away from a conversation wishing you had connected more deeply—or wondering why it felt awkward, forced, or one-sided?Most people believe great conversations come from asking better questions or having the perfect thing to say. In this episode, Jason Bellue shares why that's the wrong focus. Drawing on lessons from producing conversations with Oprah and interviewing hundreds of people, he reveals the elements that matter far more than perfectly crafted words. If you're a leader, professional, or simply someone who wants stronger relationships, this conversation will completely change how you think about communication.By the end of Laura’s conversation with Jason Bellue you’ll know:🔑Why psychological safety—not perfect questions—is the foundation of meaningful conversations🧩How curiosity, active listening, and genuine presence help people open up naturally🔥Practical strategies for navigating intimidating conversations, difficult workplace discussions, networking events, and leadership interactions with greater confidence and trustPress play to discover the conversation habits that help people trust you faster, communicate more effectively, and build stronger relationships in every area of your life.Want to know how your executive presence is being perceived by the people who matter most? Take the free Executive Presence Scorecard here to assess your strengths across the key dimensions that influence trust, credibility, and leadership impact. Discover where you're already signaling executive readiness—and where small shifts can dramatically increase your influence, visibility, and ability to earn buy-in from senior decision-makers. 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:Jason Bellue is the CEO of Flying House Media, where he helps healthcare brands tell powerful patient stories built on trust and authenticity. With more than 20 years of experience producing conversations—from boardrooms to living rooms to interviews inspired by his time working with Oprah—Jason has developed a unique approach to communication centered on psychological safety. His core belief is simple: you can't ask someone to be authentic; you can only remove the reasons for them not to be. Through his media company, writing, and speaking, Jason teaches leaders how to create environments where people feel safe enough to share their most honest stories.The Speak Up Podcast helps high-performing professionals develop executive presence through strategic communication, executive confidence, and leadership influence. Each episode provides practical strategies to help you speak up in meetings, communicate with senior leaders, present ideas with clarity, build executive visibility, strengthen your leadership presence, influence without authority, stop overexplaining, answer difficult questions with confidence, and become a trusted executive leader. Whether you're preparing for your next Vice President promotion or looking to communicate with greater credibility and gravitas, you'll learn actionable executive communication skills that accelerate career growth.Topics Covered In this Episode:Executive presence and leadership communicationHow to build psychological safety in conversationsActive listening vs. performative listeningCreating trust through authentic communicationThe role of curiosity in executive leadershipHaving difficult conversations at workCommunicating with senior leaders and executivesLeadership influence through better conversationsExecutive communication without scriptsHow to stop conversations from feeling transactionalBuilding trust with employees, clients, and stakeholdersReading the motivations behind difficult behaviorManaging conversations with intimidating leadersThe psychology of authentic communicationLeadership lessons from Oprah's interviewing styleHow great leaders ask better follow-up questionsPresence, empathy, and executive influenceBecoming a more effective conversationalistRelationship-building for high-performing professionalsExecutive communication strategies for career advancement
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    25 分
  • 604: Why You’re Already Enjoying the Compound Interest of Executive Presence and What Happens As a Result of That
    2026/07/24

    Know Your Own Executive Presence Strengths & Opportunities:

    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

    Right now...you could be listening to true crime. A comedy podcast.

    Or replaying that awkward meeting in your head for the 437th time.

    Instead...

    You're listening to a podcast about becoming a better communicator. What does that say about you?

    Most professionals measure success by promotions, titles, and salary increases—but those outcomes aren't always within your control. In this episode, Laura Camacho explores a different way to think about career growth: the lasting return on investing in your communication skills and executive presence. Through powerful client stories and personal encouragement, you'll discover why the work you're doing to become a stronger communicator is already creating opportunities, confidence, and influence—even when the results aren't immediately visible.

    By the end of this short episode you’ll know:

    🪝Why return on effort (ROE) may be a more meaningful career metric than return on investment.

    🧩How executive presence continues creating opportunities long after interviews, presentations, or promotions are over.

    🚀Short-term and long-term reasons to keep developing your executive presence and communication skills.

    Press play to discover why your investment in executive presence is already paying dividends—and why the greatest transformation may be happening inside you before anyone else can see it.

    The leader you're becoming is already making a difference—even if you can't see all of the ripple effects yet. Executive presence is never wasted.

    If you want to get a clearer picture of how your ep is landing, try the EP scorecard linked at the top 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.

    The Speak Up Podcast helps high-performing professionals develop executive presence through strategic communication, executive confidence, and leadership influence. Each episode provides practical strategies to help you speak up in meetings, communicate with senior leaders, present ideas with clarity, build executive visibility, strengthen your leadership presence, influence without authority, stop overexplaining, answer difficult questions with confidence, and become a trusted executive leader.

    Whether you're preparing for your next Vice President promotion or looking to communicate with greater credibility and gravitas, you'll learn actionable executive communication skills that accelerate career growth.

    Topics covered in this episode:

    How do I get promoted to VP?

    How do executives choose leaders?

    What is executive presence?

    What is the value of executive presence?

    What does self-improvement say about me?

    How do I become executive leadership material?

    How do I become the obvious choice for promotion?

    How do I build executive presence?

    What do senior leaders look for when promoting someone?

    How do I move from manager to executive?

    Why does executive presence matter?

    How do I stop being overlooked at work?

    What is ROE?

    How do I build influence with senior leaders?

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    10 分
  • 605: Who's Blocking Your Access to Senior Leaders? The Hidden Cost of Executive Gatekeeping
    2026/07/27

    Are you Director or Above Who Wants Faster Promotions, More Influence, and Stronger Executive Presence?

    Book a confidential Executive Presence Strategy Call to discover the communication patterns that help high performers get seen as senior leaders.

    👉 Book Your Executive Strategy Call here

    Who is shaping your leadership reputation when you're not in the room—and is their version of your thinking helping or hurting your next promotion?

    As your career advances into director and executive-level leadership, delivering strong business results is no longer enough. Senior leaders make promotion decisions based on the confidence they have in your judgment long before you're considered for the next role.

    If your recommendations are consistently filtered through someone else, your executive reputation may be developing without you even realizing it. In this episode, Laura Camacho introduces the concept of Executive Narrative Capital and explains how to ensure decision-makers experience your strategic thinking firsthand.

    By the end of this episode, you'll know:

    🧩Why executive confidence—not just performance—is the foundation of career advancement at senior leadership levels.

    🔥How to build Executive Narrative Capital by creating more opportunities for senior leaders to experience your judgment directly.

    🔑 The way to navigate executive gatekeeping professionally while strengthening your influence, credibility, and executive presence.

    Press play to discover how to intentionally build the executive reputation that positions you for your next leadership opportunity—before promotion conversations even begin.

    If this episode made you realize that your ideas are getting filtered before senior leaders ever experience your judgment, you're facing a challenge that hard work alone won't solve. It can be frustrating to consistently deliver great results while someone else shapes the leadership story being told about you. And over time, that can quietly limit promotions, succession opportunities, and executive trust.

    That's exactly why we created the Executive Presence Mastery System. We help directors and senior leaders build the executive presence, communication strategy, and influence that allows decision-makers to experience their judgment firsthand—so they're seen as ready for larger enterprise leadership roles.

    If you'd like to see what that could look like for your career, click the first link in the show notes or here and book a strategy call.

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

    The Speak Up Podcast helps high-performing professionals develop executive presence through strategic communication, executive confidence, and leadership influence. Each episode provides practical strategies to help you speak up in meetings, communicate with senior leaders, present ideas with clarity, build executive visibility, strengthen your leadership presence, influence without authority, stop overexplaining, answer difficult questions with confidence, and become a trusted executive leader.

    Whether you're preparing for your next Vice President promotion or looking to communicate with greater credibility and gravitas, you'll learn actionable executive communication skills that accelerate career growth.

    Topics covered in this episode:

    Executive Presence

    Executive Narrative Capital

    Leadership Communication

    Executive Reputation

    Director to Vice President Promotion

    Executive Influence

    Senior Leadership Visibility

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    12 分
  • 606: Stop Sounding Like Every Other Wannabe C Suite Exec & Boost Your Executive Presence By Doing THIS
    2026/07/29
    Know Your Own Executive Presence Strengths & Opportunities: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.Have you ever delivered a presentation or message you knew was packed with valuable information—only to watch your audience lose interest pretty soon?Many leaders spend hours perfecting slides and polishing their content, yet their message still blends into every other presentation. In this episode, presentation expert Meredith Grundei explains why sounding "professional" often leads to sounding forgettable, and shares practical strategies to create presentations that engage audiences, inspire action, and leave a lasting impression.By the end of Laura’s conversation with Meredith Grundei you’ll know:🪝A simple presentation framework that helps you organize your ideas with clarity and confidence🚀How storytelling, audience-focused messaging, and memorable hooks make your presentations impossible to ignore🧲Why taking thoughtful creative risks can strengthen your credibility and help your message stand out in any roomPress play to learn how to transform your presentations from informative to unforgettable and become the speaker people remember long after the meeting ends.Know Your Own Executive Presence Strengths & Opportunities: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.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:​Meredith Grundei, MFA is a New York City–based public speaking and communication strategist for leaders who are done sounding like everyone else. She works with tech executives, founders, and bold thinkers to turn complex ideas into talks that actually move people. Not polite applause. Real shifts in how teams think, decide, and lead. Her clients include teams at Amazon AWS, Google, Sotheby’s, Pfizer, and Panasonic, along with mission-driven entrepreneurs who want their message to hit as hard as their work does.No boring and rambling scripts. No corporate performance voice. Just clear structure, powerful storytelling, and presence people can feel from the back of the room.With a background in theater directing and as a former instructor at Second City, she blends structure, storytelling, and presence. Her expertise has been featured in Business Insider. She is also the founder of Unscripted, an immersive speaking retreat.The Speak Up Podcast helps high-performing professionals develop executive presence through strategic communication, executive confidence, and leadership influence. Each episode provides practical strategies to help you speak up in meetings, communicate with senior leaders, present ideas with clarity, build executive visibility, strengthen your leadership presence, influence without authority, stop overexplaining, answer difficult questions with confidence, and become a trusted executive leader. Whether you're preparing for your next Vice President promotion or looking to communicate with greater credibility and gravitas, you'll learn actionable executive communication skills that accelerate career growth.Topics covered in this episode:Executive presenceThe first 30 seconds of a presentationHow to build executive presenceLeadership communication skillsBoard meeting presentation tipsPublic speaking confidenceExecutive communicationBody language for leadersHow to appear confident at workManaging nerves before a presentationHigh-stakes presentationsInterview executive presenceLeadership body languageSpeaking with confidence under pressureCommunication skills for introvertsBuilding credibility at workPresentation preparation techniquesNonverbal communication in businessExecutive presence strategies
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    20 分
  • 607: The 6 Patterns that Make a Leader Captivating - Insights from the 2026 Executive Influence Index
    2026/07/31

    Know Your Own Executive Presence Strengths & Opportunities:

    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.

    Why do some leaders instantly command a room while others struggle to keep people's attention—even when they have equally great ideas? Learn what the latest research says.

    If you've ever felt like your expertise isn't getting the recognition it deserves, this episode uncovers why. Drawing from interviews with 50 executives, communication experts, producers, military leaders, and top performers, Laura Camacho shares the surprising communication patterns behind leaders who consistently capture attention, earn trust, and influence decisions. The good news? These are intentional habits—not personality traits—and every leader can learn them.

    By listening to this episode, you'll discover:

    6️⃣The six communication habits shared by today's most captivating and influential leaders

    🤫The kind of messaging that creates far more impact than trying to sound impressive

    🎯Practical ways to simplify your message, create curiosity, and leave every conversation with a memorable takeaway

    Press play to discover the research-backed communication habits that will help you become the kind of leader people naturally pay attention to—and remember long after you've finished speaking.

    As I continue building the 2026 Executive Influence Index, I'll keep sharing the patterns that emerge from these remarkable conversations.

    Your company probably has quite a number of brilliant people whose ideas are harder to follow than they need to be.

    Imagine if every leader in your organization knew how to make complex ideas clearer, meetings more engaging, and recommendations more memorable.

    That's exactly the conversation I love having with leadership teams.

    If your organization is looking for a keynote or leadership workshop grounded in practical research and real-world executive experience—not just theory—I would love to help. Email me at hello@speakupwithlaura.com to schedule a call, or if you want, I can send you my Impact Report.

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

    The Speak Up Podcast helps high-performing professionals develop executive presence through strategic communication, executive confidence, and leadership influence. Each episode provides practical strategies to help you speak up in meetings, communicate with senior leaders, present ideas with clarity, build executive visibility, strengthen your leadership presence, influence without authority, stop overexplaining, answer difficult questions with confidence, and become a trusted executive leader.

    Whether you're preparing for your next Vice President promotion or looking to communicate with greater credibility and gravitas, you'll learn actionable executive communication skills that accelerate career growth.

    Topics covered in this episode:

    Executive influence

    Executive presence

    Leadership communication

    Executive communication

    Communication skills for leaders

    Executive storytelling

    Communication clarity

    Introverted leaders

    Leadership development

    2026 Executive Influence Index

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    12 分
  • 608: Why No One Knows Exactly What You Stand For (Which Is Why You Have Zero Executive Presence)
    2026/08/03

    Are you Director or Above Who Wants Faster Promotions, More Influence, and Stronger Executive Presence?

    Book a confidential Executive Presence Strategy Call to discover the communication patterns that help high performers get seen as senior leaders.

    👉 Book Your Executive Strategy Call here

    If a senior executive had to describe what you’re about in one sentence today, would everyone give the same answer—or would they struggle to explain what you actually stand for?

    Many talented professionals believe exceptional work is enough to earn recognition, influence, and promotions. But senior leaders rarely experience your work firsthand—they experience the stories, perspectives, and judgments attached to it. If you haven't intentionally shaped that narrative, you may be limiting your executive presence without even realizing it.

    By the end of this episode you’ll know:

    🧩Why "letting your work speak for itself" is one of the biggest career myths holding high performers back

    🔬More in depth understanding into the concept of Executive Narrative Capital and how it builds long-term confidence in your leadership judgment

    🎯Practical questions you can use immediately to become known for a clear point of view that positions you for even greater responsibility

    Press play to learn how to intentionally build the leadership narrative that makes senior executives see you as the obvious choice for your next opportunity.

    If you're tired of watching equally talented—or even less talented—colleagues become the go-to people for strategic projects while you're overlooked, it's probably not because they're better. It's because they've built a leadership narrative that executives remember.

    That's why I invite you to book an Executive Presence Strategy Call. Together, we'll assess how senior leaders are likely describing you today, identify the gaps between your reputation and your potential, and create a clear strategy to help you become known for the judgment, perspective, and leadership qualities that accelerate careers.

    If that sounds like the next step you need, head to the show notes, click the first link, and schedule your Executive Presence Strategy Call to see if the Executive Presence Mastery System is right for you.

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

    The Speak Up Podcast helps high-performing professionals develop executive presence through strategic communication, executive confidence, and leadership influence. Each episode provides practical strategies to help you speak up in meetings, communicate with senior leaders, present ideas with clarity, build executive visibility, strengthen your leadership presence, influence without authority, stop overexplaining, answer difficult questions with confidence, and become a trusted executive leader.

    Whether you're preparing for your next Vice President promotion or looking to communicate with greater credibility and gravitas, you'll learn actionable executive communication skills that accelerate career growth.

    Topics covered in this episode:

    • Executive Presence
    • Executive Narrative Capital
    • Personal Brand at Work
    • Leadership Visibility
    • Career Advancement Strategies
    • Building Influence with Executives
    • Strategic Communication
    • Leadership Storytelling
    • Developing a Leadership Point of View
    • High Performer Career Mistakes
    • Earning Executive Trust
    • Becoming Known for Your Expertise
    • Leadership Judgment vs. Technical Competence
    • Influence in Executive Meetings
    • Positioning Yourself for Senior Leadership

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    12 分
  • 609: Why Being Nice is Crumbling Your Executive Presence and Team's Performance
    2026/08/05
    Know Your Own Executive Presence Strengths & Opportunities: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.Do your meetings end with everyone agreeing… but nothing actually improves?If you've ever held back an idea because you assumed it wouldn't make a difference—or watched your team avoid difficult conversations in the name of "being nice"—this episode will completely change how you think about communication. Gustavo Razzetti explains why silence isn't usually caused by fear, but by the belief that speaking up won't change anything. He introduces the concept of conversational debt and explains how avoiding honest dialogue quietly damages trust, innovation, and business performance.After listening to Dr. Laura’s conversation with Gustavo Razzetti, you'll know how to:🧩Recognize the hidden signs of conversational debt before it hurts your team.🎯 Replace false harmony and groupthink with healthier, more productive disagreement.🪝Use practical conversation frameworks that lead to better decisions, stronger executive presence, and higher-performing teams.If you want your team to make smarter decisions, communicate with more confidence, and build a culture where the best ideas actually surface, don't miss this conversation with Gustavo Razzetti.Want to know how your executive presence measures up? Take my free Executive Presence Scorecard to identify your greatest strengths, uncover your biggest blind spots, and discover the skills that will increase your influence in every conversation and meeting. Get your personalized assessment here.About our guest:Gustavo Razzetti is a culture strategist, workshop facilitator, and keynote speaker with over 25 years of experience—first as a marketing and advertising executive, now as CEO of Fearless Culture, a culture design consultancy. He’s facilitated more than 1,500 workshops with leadership teams at Mars, Microsoft, Merck, the Inter-American Development Bank, and hundreds of organizations across the world.Razzetti is the creator of the Culture Design Canvas, now used by over 500,000 practitioners worldwide, and the Forward Talk framework. He helps teams surface issues early, challenge groupthink, and turn avoided conversations into decisions that stick.His work has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, Forbes, and Fortune. He’s a regular contributor to Psychology Today. Gustavo is the bestselling author of Forward Talk, Remote, Not Distant, and Stretch for Change.Gustavo helps teams say what everyone’s thinking, but no one’s saying.To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.The Speak Up Podcast helps high-performing professionals develop executive presence through strategic communication, executive confidence, and leadership influence. Each episode provides practical strategies to help you speak up in meetings, communicate with senior leaders, present ideas with clarity, build executive visibility, strengthen your leadership presence, influence without authority, stop overexplaining, answer difficult questions with confidence, and become a trusted executive leader. Whether you're preparing for your next Vice President promotion or looking to communicate with greater credibility and gravitas, you'll learn actionable executive communication skills that accelerate career growth.Topics covered in this episode:Executive presenceSpeaking up in meetingsConversational debtFalse harmony in the workplaceGroupthink and decision-makingHonest leadership communicationExecutive communication skillsLeadership influenceReceiving feedbackChallenging ideas respectfullyConsensus vs. better decisionsDecision-making frameworksConversational agencyCommunication that drives business valueLeading without formal authorityExecutive influenceHigh-performing teamsLeadership development
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    25 分
  • 602: The Higher You Rise, the Less Your Résumé Matters (The Executive Presence Shift)
    2026/07/20

    Are you Director or Above Who Wants Faster Promotions, More Influence, and Stronger Executive Presence?

    Book a confidential Executive Presence Strategy Call to discover the communication patterns that help high performers get seen as senior leaders.

    👉 Book Your Executive Strategy Call here

    What if the career strategy that got you promoted for the last twenty years is the very thing keeping you from the next level and you’re too busy to do anything about it?

    Most high-performing professionals believe the path to executive leadership is simple: earn another credential, solve bigger problems, and keep proving your expertise. But once you reach senior leadership, the rules change. Organizations stop comparing résumés and start evaluating trust, judgment, influence, executive maturity, and leadership readiness. If you've ever wondered why someone with fewer qualifications was selected over you, this episode explains what's really happening behind closed doors.

    By the end of this episode you’ll know:

    🤫Why executive presence becomes more valuable than credentials as your career advances.

    🔎The hidden factors decision-makers use to identify future executives long before a position opens.

    🎯How to shift from simply being qualified to becoming the obvious choice for leadership opportunities.

    Press play to learn the mindset and leadership shift that transforms exceptional performers into trusted executive leaders.

    If you're ready to stop competing on credentials and start positioning yourself as the obvious choice for executive leadership, I'd love to help.

    That's exactly what we do inside the Executive Presence Mastery System.

    Because at some point in every successful career... your résumé stops being your competitive advantage.

    Your executive presence becomes your résumé. Click here to schedule a call.

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

    The Speak Up Podcast helps high-performing professionals develop executive presence through strategic communication, executive confidence, and leadership influence. Each episode provides practical strategies to help you speak up in meetings, communicate with senior leaders, present ideas with clarity, build executive visibility, strengthen your leadership presence, influence without authority, stop overexplaining, answer difficult questions with confidence, and become a trusted executive leader.

    Whether you're preparing for your next Vice President promotion or looking to communicate with greater credibility and gravitas, you'll learn actionable executive communication skills that accelerate career growth.

    Topics covered in this episode:

    Why do qualified people get passed over for promotion?

    How do I get promoted to VP?

    Why isn't my résumé enough anymore?

    How do executives choose leaders?

    What is executive presence?

    How do I become executive leadership material?

    Why do less qualified people get promoted?

    How do I become the obvious choice for promotion?

    How do I build executive presence?

    What do senior leaders look for when promoting someone?

    How do I move from manager to executive?

    Why does executive presence matter?

    How do I stop being overlooked at work?

    How do I build influence with senior leaders?

    What's the difference between expertise and executive leadership?

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    9 分