Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style

466: Why Over 80% of High Performers NEVER Become Senior Leaders, And How To Use Executive Presence to Scale Your Influence & Leadership

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Sep 29, 2025

Many high performers feel trapped in execution roles, overlooked for leadership due to mindset barriers. Common issues include perfectionism, time scarcity, and aversion to self-promotion. The shift to a strategic leader involves projecting executive presence and visibility. Learn how to craft a compelling personal brand narrative, share high-level insights in meetings, and delegate effectively. Embracing these changes can elevate your influence and help you break free from being a 'doer' to become a recognized leader.

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INSIGHT

Doer Identity Limits Leadership

High performers get rewarded for execution from early on, which shapes identity and limits strategic growth.
That reward-based doer identity makes shifting to scalable leadership difficult but necessary.

ADVICE

Delegate To Scale Your Time

Stop believing "If it's going to be done right, I have to do it myself" and practice delegation deliberately.
Accept imperfect results and reassign tasks so you can focus on strategic impact.

INSIGHT

Execution Equals Value Trap

High performers often equate their value with execution, which causes a promotion plateau.
Letting go of measurable execution for strategic ambiguity feels risky but is essential to advance.

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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 the go-to person who always gets things done, but feels unable to break into that next level of leadership?

If you feel stuck in the “doer” role despite being a high-performer, you’re not imagining it. Over 80% of top performers are passed over for executive roles—not because they lack skill, but because they haven’t made the mindset shift from executor to leader.

This episode reveals what’s really keeping you stuck, and how to finally scale your influence and visibility.

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

😳The 5 mindset barriers sabotaging your leadership visibility—and how to overcome them

💰The secret to projecting executive presence without faking it or “self-promoting”

🔥3 small but powerful shifts to reposition yourself as a strategic, scalable leader

Listen now to learn the real reason high performers are overlooked—and how you can break out of the "doer" trap and start leading at the level you’re meant for.

If your calendar is jam-packed, you're constantly putting out fires, and still feeling like you’re not getting the recognition you deserve—you’re not alone.

It’s what happens when your value is tied to execution, not leadership. But here's the thing: high performers don’t get promoted. Strategic leaders do.

That’s why I built the Executive Presence Mastery System—to help you shift your identity from “doer” to leader and finally get seen by the decision-makers who hold the keys to your next level. If you’re ready to get your time, your confidence, and your visibility back, go to the show notes, click the first link, or head over to www.speakupwithlaura.com and find a time that works for you. Let’s talk about how this system can change the game for you.

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.