Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style

480: Use This 3% Rule to Show Up Like a Charismatic Leader (Even If You Hate the Spotlight)

Oct 31, 2025

Explore how a small, intentional shift—just 3%—can boost your charismatic presence. Discover Virgil Abloh's approach to creativity and how tiny tweaks can make a big impact. Learn to move past perfectionism and embrace authenticity in your communications. Practical ideas, like handwritten notes and engaging openers, help you stand out without overwhelming effort. Embrace your unique background as a strength and take meaningful action towards becoming a more magnetic leader.

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INSIGHT

Tiny Tweaks Create Big Cultural Impact

Virgil Abloh transformed ordinary items with tiny, intentional tweaks that felt original and cultural.
Small creative shifts can create outsized perception of innovation and influence.

ANECDOTE

From $40 Flannels To High-Value Fashion

Virgil Abloh bought $40 dead-stock Ralph Lauren flannels, screen printed them, and sold them for $550 apiece.
That early gamble demonstrated how modest changes and branding can create huge value.

ADVICE

Apply The 3% Communication Tweak

Take an existing message, presentation, or habit and change about 3% to make it more original.
Use one small, deliberate tweak to spark interest without overhauling your whole approach.

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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.

If you're a high-performing introvert, you’ve probably been told you need to “speak up” more or act more outgoing to succeed. But what if the key to executive presence isn’t about being louder—but about being 3% more intentional?

In today’s episode you’ll discover some ways to be perceived as a charismatic icon without having to make a massive effort or take a huge risk.

By the end of this episode you’ll know:

🔑The low-effort 3% Rule that made Virgil Abloh a global style icon—and how it applies to your communication

🚀 How to ditch perfectionism and build sustainable charisma

🏆 Walk away with real-life tweaks you can apply to emails, meetings, and presentations that make you more magnetic without burning out.

Hit play to learn the simple 3% strategy that helps introverts lead with authenticity and finally get noticed.

So look—if you’re stuck in perfectionism and it’s keeping you from speaking up or taking that next bold step, and it's starting to feel like all your prep still isn’t landing you the recognition you deserve, even though you’re doing everything “right”—that’s exactly why we created the Executive Presence Mastery System. It’s a 90-day coaching intensive designed to help high-performing introverts like you stand out with magnetic charisma—without burning out.

If you’re ready to replace overthinking with innovative communication and sustainable presence, head to the show notes or go to www.speakupwithlaura.com/speakup and book a strategy call.

A brief history of Virgil Abloh.

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.