Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style

453: The 3 Micro Charisma Skills That Make People Quickly Warm to You Both at Work and Socially

Aug 29, 2025

Find out how to effortlessly start conversations and leave a memorable impression. Discover three micro charisma skills that help build trust and connection without pretending to be extroverted. Learn to ask engaging questions that spark authentic dialogue and make others feel valued. Explore practical strategies to overcome the anxiety of starting chats in any setting, whether at work or social events. Master these techniques to enhance your communication and leadership presence!

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INSIGHT

Conversation Anxiety Is Widespread

Most people feel anxiety not just about public speaking but even starting a conversation.
Laura Camacho notes that conversation skill is eroding and now offers disproportionate career and social advantage.

ADVICE

Open With Context-Based Icebreakers

Start conversations with confidence by being open and using context-based icebreakers.
Smile and make eye contact to signal warmth and make your opener low-pressure and easy to respond to.

INSIGHT

Conversations Improve With Reps

Practice makes conversation easier because each attempt builds skill and confidence.
Treat conversation attempts as reps rather than pass/fail performances to lessen pressure.

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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.

Did you know that 70% of people feel anxiety not just about public speaking—but even starting a simple conversation?

Whether you're in the boardroom, on Zoom, or just standing next to someone at a social event, knowing how to start a conversation (and keep it going) is one of the most undervalued skills in your personal and professional life.

In this episode, Laura Camacho breaks down exactly how high-performing introverts can spark authentic, relaxed, and memorable conversations—even when you don’t know what to say.

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

🧲How to confidently start a conversation in any situation—even when your brain freezes

🚀The secret to asking engaging questions that create instant connection

🎶Get Laura’s go-to strategy for making others feel seen, heard, and eager to talk with you.

Listen now to discover the 3 simple micro charisma skills that will help you build trust, connection, and charisma—without faking extroversion.

To see how you score in all the skills you need to reach that next step at work see my Executive Presence scorecard. It’s based on the 4 pillars in my Executive Presence Mastery System, designed to help you pinpoint what’s holding you back and what to focus on next to communicate with calm authority and charm everyone in the room.

Email me at hello@speakupwithlaura.com with “score” in the subject line and I’ll get that to you asap.

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.