Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style

433: Why You End Up Sounding like a Robot in High Stakes Meetings and How to Fix It Now

6 snips

Jul 14, 2025

Many professionals freeze in high-stakes meetings, feeling unconfident and robotic. This discussion delves into why introverts struggle under pressure, highlighting that this response is learned, not inherent. Listeners gain insights into overcoming these challenges, leveraging their unique strengths to communicate authentically. A structured framework is presented to help reclaim confidence and enhance executive presence, empowering individuals to navigate important conversations with poise and authenticity.

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INSIGHT

Robot Mode Is Learned

Robot mode in high-stakes meetings is a learned, not fixed, response that many default to for professionalism.
Introverts can unlearn this and show up authentically by leveraging their natural strengths like thoughtfulness and analysis.

ANECDOTE

Freezing From Team To Execs

Many feel confident and engaging in team meetings but freeze and become robotic in executive sessions.
This shift hides their true potential despite having valuable insights ready to share.

INSIGHT

Brain Freeze Is Changeable

Brain freeze and robotic speech in meetings aren't due to introversion but are habits that can be changed.
Senior introverted executives also face this but master techniques to remain authentic and influential.

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Have you ever walked into a high-stakes meeting, heart racing, knowing it’s your moment to shine… only to freeze?

If you’ve ever frozen in a high-stakes meeting or felt like a shadow of your true self around senior leaders, you’re not alone. This episode reveals the real reason introverts shut down under pressure — and how to break the cycle for good.

To chat with Laura to see if her Executive Presence Mastery System is right for you click here.

By the end of today’s episode you’ll know:

🤖The reasons behind your "robot mode" in high-stakes meetings, recognizing it’s a learned response, not a fixed trait

🥶 How freezing up in key moments can stall your career by limiting visibility and opportunities

🔥A framework to leverage your natural strengths, like introvert qualities, to stay authentic and influential, plus a clear next step to build executive presence

Listen now to reclaim your confidence, boost visibility, and show up powerfully in every leadership conversation.

If you’re tired of freezing in high-stakes meetings, of watching opportunities pass you by because you’re not showing up as your best self… and if you’re ready to finally show up as your authentic, confident self—whether you’re with your peers or the CEO—I’ve got something for you.

That’s why I created the Executive Presence Mastery System, a 90-day intensive designed for directors and senior managers who are done letting “robot mode” hold them back. This program helps you diagnose exactly why you’re freezing up and gives you the step-by-step techniques to stay grounded and influential in any room.

Here’s what to do next: Look up in the show notes and click the first link you see, or visit speakupwithlaura.com. Book a strategy call with me, and we’ll pinpoint what’s triggering your freeze response and map out a plan to help you show up as the leader you’re meant to be.

For more information visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. Our 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.