You chose your career because you loved the work, not because you wanted to be in the spotlight. Then, somewhere along the way, leadership, presentations, networking and high-stakes meetings made visibility unavoidable.

That's exactly what happened to my guest, Lee Schneider.

Lee is an introvert, filmmaker, playwright, author and coach who helps people communicate ideas that are difficult to explain. We talk about what happens when technically brilliant, thoughtful people have to step into rooms where there is no script, no familiar role and nowhere to hide behind the data.

We explore stage fright, networking anxiety, embodiment, visualisation, storytelling and the surprising power of having a framework or “home base” when pressure rises.

But underneath all of this is a bigger question: what does it take to be genuinely present when the stakes are high?

For me, that's where confidence and leadership presence meet. You don't necessarily need to become more outgoing or learn to perform confidence. You need to understand what happens to you under pressure and find a way to stay connected to yourself, your purpose and the people in the room.

It's exactly what my 'Stirred not Shaken' series of workshops and programs work on, building confidence from within rather than putting on an act.

Because people may forget your numbers. They may forget your slides. But they're much more likely to remember how you were during the presentation and how you made them feel.

Want to stay up to date with workshops and offers? Click to join my mailing list.

You can find out more about Lee and get in contact here:

https://www.redcupagency.com/red-cup-agency-media

What happens when you realise you don't actually know what you want?

In this episode, I talk to Tanja Fauti about self-awareness, confidence, self-trust and finding your inner compass.

We explore what happens when we become disconnected from our values, our bodies and our sense of what feels right, and why confidence is much more than something we can learn to perform.

We talk about the physical experience of confidence and anxiety, the old inner voices and patterns that can still influence us years later, the difference between self-confidence and self-trust, and why quick confidence hacks may help in the moment but don't necessarily create lasting change.

We also discuss the connection between identity and our roles, particularly for people working in high-pressure environments or communicating in a language that isn't their own.

Tanja shares her perspective as a scientist, coach and advocate for reconnecting with yourself, while we both explore how our work can help people become less dependent on external validation and more able to trust their own judgement.

A conversation about knowing yourself, listening to what your body is telling you, and discovering that self-trust doesn't require certainty. It requires trusting yourself to handle whatever comes next.

The techniques I talk about can be found in my book Enough and How to get out the door - The reluctant networkers workbook

If you're interested in finding out more about working with me you can book a free consultation call here

You can read more about me on my website or connect with me on LinkedIn

You can contact Tanja via her website at: https://www.coaching.fauti.ch

What if trying to sound confident is actually getting in the way of confidence?

In this episode, I talk to communications and vocal coach Helen von Dadelszen about finding your authentic voice rather than trying to perform confidence. We explore voice, nerves, accents, identity and the small courageous actions that help us speak up before we feel ready.

A conversation about sounding like yourself, trusting your voice and communicating with greater confidence and impact.

You can Connect with Louise here: https://www.louisejefferies.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-jefferies-8495a274/

https://www.youtube.com/@Louisejeffferiescoaching

Louise's book Enough: https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/475403/190876035828418299/share

And with Helen here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-von-dadelszen

• https://www.instagram.com/present_potential?igsh=a3p0NXNxMnlwYzM5
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB_2NMosqJQBBiv5ux3mYHg
• https://courageousaction.ch/