Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style

481: 5 Signs You’re Overexplaining and How It’s Blocking Your Executive Presence

Nov 3, 2025

Discover the hidden impact of overexplaining on your executive presence. Learn the three key reasons why smart professionals fall into this trap. Hear about five telltale signs that you might be diluting your message. Explore how unnecessary tangents undermine your influence and audience connection. Find out why clarity is essential for trust and effectiveness in leadership. Simplifying your communication could be the key to getting the recognition you deserve!

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INSIGHT

Why Smart People Overexplain

Overexplaining often comes from the “curse of knowledge” and habit rather than lack of expertise.
Cutting words requires higher-level thinking and deliberate filtering of your message.

INSIGHT

Fear Masks As Verbosity

Overexplaining can be driven by fear and a sense of safety from using airtime.
That padding actually makes your message more forgettable and weakens impact.

ADVICE

Stop Circling The Topic

Watch for circular explanations and stop after the core point unless there’s a clear reason to revisit it.
Read audience nods and body language to decide when you’re done.

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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 working overtime to “prove” your value with long updates, detailed slides, and full-context explanations—yet still not connecting and influencing the c-suite?

In today’s episode, we’re unpacking a silent credibility killer that’s holding back countless high-performing professionals: overexplaining. If you’ve ever walked out of a meeting wondering why your brilliant insight didn’t land—or why someone else got credit with a 60-second update—this episode is for you.

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

3️⃣The 3 core reasons smart people tend to overexplain (and how to shift this habit)

😱What overexplaining signals to senior leadership—and why it’s the opposite of confidence

🔑How getting to the point is an act of respect and executive leadership

Listen now to learn how simplifying your message can unlock executive-level trust, influence, and recognition.

If you’ve ever walked out of a meeting thinking, ‘They just don’t see my value,’ this is your wake-up call. Clarity isn’t optional—it’s your leadership language. That’s exactly why I developed the Executive Presence Mastery System - to prepare high-performing introverts to be successful senior leaders.

If you’re a senior leader tired of feeling unheard or overlooked, head to www.speakupwithlaura.com/speakup and book a clarity call. Let’s make your brilliance impossible to ignore.

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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.