Speak Up Summer Camp (July 6 – Aug 1)

A private podcast with 24 short daily leadership reps to help you build the communication habits senior leaders actually notice. The waitlist closes soon.

→ Join the waitlist: here

What does it really take for an engineer or other technical leader to quickly earn trust, influence decisions, and lead at the executive level?

As AI, automation, and robotics rapidly transform industries, leaders everywhere are being forced to adapt faster than ever before. In this episode, Chang Robotics CTO Ross Barnard shares what’s actually happening inside the world of advanced automation, how companies are preparing for the “factory of the future,” and why communication skills are becoming just as valuable as technical expertise.

By the end of this conversation with Chang Robotics CTO Ross Barnard, you’ll know:

🔑How technical professionals can successfully transition into executive leadership roles

🚀Why communication and alignment are critical in high-growth technology companies

🎯Ways AI, robotics, and automation are changing manufacturing, healthcare, and the future of work

Press play to hear how today’s smartest tech leaders are navigating AI disruption while building stronger teams, clearer communication, and future-ready businesses.

Click here if you’re a senior leader who’s ready to recalibrate how you’re perceived at the executive level — in the next 90–120 days. The Executive Presence Mastery System may be your logical next step.

If you know you have valuable ideas, expertise, or stories to share — but you’re still holding yourself back from speaking up consistently, showing up confidently, or putting yourself out there in a bigger way…you’re probably also holding yourself back from bigger opportunities.

That’s why we built Speak Up Summer Camp — a private podcast experience created specifically to help listeners sharpen their communication skills, grow their confidence, and learn how to speak with more clarity, authority, and impact.

So if you’re ready to become the kind of communicator people actually remember and listen to, go to the show notes, click here to join the Speak Up Summer Camp waitlist now.

About our guest:

When automation has to work in the real world, companies call Ross Barnard. As Chief Technology Officer at Chang Robotics, Ross leads the integration of autonomous systems and advanced automation technologies that deliver measurable results across industries.

With 16+ years of global engineering experience, Ross has overseen multimillion-dollar projects for brands like Coca-Cola, coordinated design and implementation teams across 13 international sites, and spent 18 months embedded at an Airbus supplier learning how to make complex systems succeed. His career spans factories, breweries, and hospitals— bringing automation into some of the toughest realworld environments and making it work the first time, without derailing operations.

Ross is known for translating “engineer speak” into plain English, helping leaders cut through the hype to see where automation and AI deliver actual ROI. He equips industries to prepare for the coming reshoring wave so they can move fast when the market unfrozen. Off the mic, you’ll find him rock climbing, hiking the Rockies with his family, or sharing funny stories.

To learn more visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. New 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.

Topics in this episode:

• executive presence for engineers
• engineer to CTO
• technical leadership skills
• communication skills for engineers
• CTO leadership advice
• robotics industry leadership
• AI and automation leadership
• engineering leadership communication
• introverted leaders communication
• executive presence for technical professionals