Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style

458: How to Speak Up With Senior Leadership—Even When You Don’t Know All the Answers

Sep 10, 2025

Matthew Hill, a leadership and communication expert, shares invaluable insights for navigating global team dynamics. He unpacks why even the most capable individuals can struggle with outdated communication instincts. Hill emphasizes the power of cultural awareness in leadership, exploring strategies to engage senior leaders through provocative communication. He suggests using personal stories and creating a psychologically safe environment to foster open dialogue. Tune in to discover how to enhance your influence and presence on the global stage!

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ANECDOTE

From Factory Boss To Respected Leader

Matthew described coaching a former Soviet-style factory supervisor into a modern, empathic leader who used active listening.
The leader's influence and results improved dramatically after the communication shift.

INSIGHT

Small Cues Carry Big Cultural Weight

Smiling and other small cues carry very different meanings across cultures and can create big misunderstandings.
Do cultural homework before interacting to avoid unintended offense or confusion.

ADVICE

Do Cultural Homework Before Meetings

Do homework on your counterpart's cultural norms for eye contact, tone, and gestures before meetings.
If addressing mixed groups, use neutral international-English behaviors to avoid cultural clashes.

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To see if Laura’s Executive Presence Mastery System 90-day coaching intensive is right for you, set up a strategy call here.

Are you great at what you do but still struggling to be heard, respected, or promoted on the global stage? Maybe your communication instincts are outdated.

If you’ve ever been overlooked in meetings, misunderstood by international colleagues, or unsure how to handle cultural differences in communication, this episode is your wake-up call.

High performers often assume excellence speaks for itself—but in today’s multicultural business world, influence demands more than results. It requires strategic, culturally aware communication.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

⁉️Why even top talent can be held back by outdated communication instincts

😅 How cultural missteps—like eye contact, tone, or “saying no”—can quietly derail your leadership presence

💰The power of pre-engagement, storytelling, and even strategic confession to earn trust and influence across cultures

If you're ready to become the kind of leader who gets heard, respected, and remembered—anywhere in the world—hit play and start mastering the global influence game.

For more information and or to get on our insiders email list visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. Our Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

About our guest:

Matthew Hill discusses leadership and communication, crucial for global leaders amid challenges of remote and cross-cultural team dynamics.

Effective communication is critical for leaders managing global teams amid increasing remote work and international expansion. A recent McKinsey report showed that effective communication can improve team performance by 25%. Matthew expands on unwritten leadership rules by providing practical insights into effective communication strategies for senior leaders.

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.