449: Why Playing It Safe At Work Could Be Killing Your Career Progress (and What To Do Instead)

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

Are you holding back in meetings, struggling to speak up around senior leaders, or feeling stuck because you're afraid of saying the wrong thing?

Whether you’re a rising leader or an experienced pro, fear of judgment and the instinct to play it safe can quietly sabotage your influence, credibility, and career advancement. In this episode, courage expert Margie Warrell unpacks what it really means to lead with courage—without blowing up your relationships or career.           

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

🎯How to distinguish courageous communication from reckless confrontation

🚀How to build executive presence by managing fear and ego in high-stakes situations

🔑Actionable scripts and mindset shifts to help you speak up with impact, even when you're intimidated

If you're ready to close your own “courage gap” and unlock influence at every level, press play and take notes on this powerful conversation.

So look — if you find yourself stuck in that pattern where you want to speak up in meetings or give honest feedback, but you're terrified of saying the wrong thing, being labeled “too much,” or damaging your reputation — and you've stayed quiet for months (or even years)...and yet, you still know deep down that your ideas could move the needle if just shared the right way...

That’s why I created the Executive Presence Scorecard — to help high-achievers like you build the executive presence and communication mastery that lets you speak up with power without losing your job, your credibility, or your cool. Take this assessment here.

For more information visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. Our Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning

About our guest:

Margie Warrell, PhD, is a global authority on courageous leadership, sports 30 years of global experience, from rural Australia to Papua New Guinea and Singapore, that shape her insights on managing fear, navigating risk, and driving change.

Margie advises organizations like NASA, Dell, Morgan Stanley, SAP, Novartis, the UN Foundation, HP, Google, and Johnson & Johnson, fostering ‘cultures of courage’ to overcome resistance and spur growth. She coaches Fortune 500 executives, US Congressional Chiefs, and McCain Global Fellows. 

Her sixth book, The Courage Gap (January 2025), follows works co-authored with Stephen Covey and others. A LinkedIn Top Voice and Women’s Economic Forum honoree, she’s part of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council.

Living in Alexandria, Virginia, she’s an aspiring barista and avid hiker, having summited Mt. Kilimanjaro with her husband. Her mission: braver leadership for a better world.

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.