What if the way you speak is actually telling people whether or not you deserve to lead?
In this episode, Michael Reddington sits down with Lauren Sergy, a communication expert and author with a background spanning radio, corporate communications, classical rhetoric, and the performing arts. Lauren has built a career helping leaders and organizations master the science, art, and alchemy of speaking so that their message lands with the right people in the right way.
This conversation covers the full landscape of strategic communication for leaders, from building authentic executive presence to applying ancient rhetorical principles in modern high-stakes conversations. Lauren brings a rare combination of academic rigor and practical playfulness to topics that most people either overlook entirely or get completely backwards.
Lauren unpacks what it really means to speak the language of leadership, why the most dangerous thing a leader can do is be unpredictable, and how the three pillars of classical rhetoric can help anyone diagnose communication breakdowns in real time. She also makes a compelling case for why leaning too heavily on AI to write your communication isn't just a style problem — it's a trust problem.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
- What executive presence actually is and why it has nothing to do with being the smartest or toughest person in the room
- Why the person speaking up to a leader carries all the risk and what leaders must do to change that dynamic
- How to use ethos, logos, and pathos to diagnose and fix communication breakdowns before they derail a conversation
- Why trying to imitate another leader's style almost always backfires and what to do instead
- How to listen for the words your audience uses and mirror them back to move people from anxiety to confidence
- Why unpredictability is one of the most damaging things a leader can bring to a team
- The real problem with using AI to write speeches and internal communications
- Why the ability to speak extemporaneously will become one of the most valuable leadership differentiators as AI becomes more common
Chapters:
- (00:00) Welcome and Introduction to Lauren Sergy
- (03:28) What the Language of Leadership Actually Is
- (06:29) How to Develop Your Own Executive Presence Without Imitating Anyone Else
- (12:31) Adapting Your Communication to Different Industries and Audiences
- (17:14) Why Whoever Speaks Up the Ladder Carries All the Risk
- (24:35) Ethos, Logos, and Pathos as a Real-Time Communication Diagnostic
- (33:05) How to Move Someone's Thinking While Keeping Their Trust
- (39:04) How Well Does AI Actually Handle Communication?
- (45:32) Why Extemporaneous Speaking Will Become a Leadership Differentiator
Links and Resources
- Lauren Sergy | LinkedIn
- Up Front Communication with Lauren Sergy: Speaker, Author, Trainer
About the Guest
Lauren Sergy is a communication expert, speaker, and author with a passion for the art, science, and alchemy of interpersonal communication. Her background includes radio, corporate communications, classical rhetoric, and the performing arts. She works with leaders and organizations to help them understand how to make their message impactful — whether it's a technical briefing for the C-suite or a keynote at an industry conference.
Sponsor Links:
- InQuasive: http://www.inquasive.com/
- Humintell: Body Language - Reading People - Humintell
- Enter Code INQUASIVE25 for 25% discount on your online training purchase.
- International Association of Interviewers: Home (certifiedinterviewer.com)
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