Welcome to Day 6 of the 12 Days of Readiness. Today we’re focusing on something every leader needs but few ever measure well: your impact as a communicator. One of the best career practices you can build is updating your manager or evaluator 2–4 times a year on how you’re growing – and to do that well, you need clear signs that your communication is actually working.

In this episode, I walk you through the subtle, but powerful, indicators that your communication is landing: why influence shows up first in behavioral shifts, not dashboards; how to tell whether people understand and act on your direction; what it means when others start using your phrases and language; the surprising signals that people are truly listening; why improving your on-camera presence dramatically expands your reach; and how we help you assess your progress inside the new 2026 tracks. Measuring impact is not about perfection. It’s about noticing the evidence that you are moving people, aligning them, and inspiring them consistently, and using that data to tell a clear growth story to your leaders.

Registration for Speak by Design University 2026 is now open at speakbydesign.com/join. If you’re ready to turn these daily insights into a full year of deliberate practice, this is your moment to step in. The program combines 4 pillars of learning: with private coaching, cohort support, and a portfolio of powerful communications. We built this with our coaches from what we have seen be the most transformative moments with clients.

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Your relationship with your boss is one of the most powerful forces shaping your career: more than your title, your projects, or the org chart. In this Day 5 episode of the 12 Days of Readiness, we flip the script on “managing up” by starting where influence actually begins: your thoughts about the person you report to.

How you see your leader quietly determines how you show up with them.

Look for what’s true and positive about your boss: their experience, the complexity they manage, the invisible stress they carry and then align your behavior with that perspective. That mental reset leads to practical changes: shorter emails, clearer asks, cleaner links, proactive reminders, helpful suggestions, and well-timed recognition that lands on their hardest days.

When you make it your mission to help your leader be successful, you bring more energy than you take — and the dynamic shifts for both of you. This episode helps you build that kind of relationship on purpose.

Registration is now open for the 2026 Speak by Design University program at speakbydesign.com/join.www.speakbydesign.com/join. We will close registration December 31st at midnight.

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High-stakes moments define careers.

In Day 4 of the 12 Days of Readiness series, Stephanie Bickel shows you how to communicate with clarity and authority when the spotlight is brightest—on stage, on panels, in media interviews, and in recorded settings where your message lives far beyond the room.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why larger audiences become easier when you center the message—not yourself

• How to design content that shines in high-visibility environments

• A simple sequence for crafting strong executive messages

• How data strengthens credibility and logical flow

• What leaders must prepare for when facing media-style questions

This is your blueprint for showing up clear, composed, and compelling when it matters most.

Enrollment for Speak by Design University 2026 opens December 1. Join the waitlist to get first access. www.speakbydesign.com/join. That's our 2026 leadership communication experience that includes private, group, and self-paced learning for every learning style.

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Great leaders are great storytellers.

In Day 3 of the 12 Days of Readiness series, Stephanie Bickel reveals why storytelling is one of the most powerful tools in leadership communication—and how the right story, told well, can shape how people think, feel, and act in 2026.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why your personal story builds trust and credibility

• A simple structure for telling concise, compelling stories

• The five stories every leader needs for a successful 2026

• Why new stories influence more than old ones

• How to position yourself as the guide, not the hero

If you want your message to stick and your leadership to resonate, start by sharpening your stories.

Enrollment for Speak by Design University 2026 opens soon. Learn more and join the waitlist.www.speakbydesign.com/join. That's our leadership communication program that includes private, group, and self-paced learning for every learning style.

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Executive presence isn’t a title. It’s a set of behaviors.

In Day 2 of the 12 Days of Readiness series, Stephanie Bickel breaks down what it truly means to show up with clarity, credibility, and calm authority in 2026’s highest-stakes rooms.

We cover:

• The four behaviors that instantly elevate senior presence

• Why stillness, posture, and gesture drive trust

• How facial expression and eye contact project confidence

• What to remove from your language to sound more senior

• How to tell stories that influence decisions and move people forward

Let 2026 be the year you communicate with more poise, power, and intention.

Enrollment for Speak by Design University 2026 opens December 1st. speakbydesign.com/join

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Lead your 2026 like it matters.

This Day 1 episode of the 12 Days of Readiness series is your reset: we focus on the one thing that separates exceptional leaders from everyone else—habits.

In this short, powerful lesson, Stephanie walks you through how great leaders think, plan, and move so that 2026 becomes a year of clarity, confidence, and real momentum.

You’ll learn:

• Why leadership begins with a point of view, not a job title

• How mission, vision, and values create clarity for your entire team

• The four sources of strong decision-making

• A simple lens for choosing the right type of solution

• How great leaders set goals that motivate people all year long

If you want to show up in 2026 as a more decisive, intentional, and trusted leader, start with the habits that quietly shape everything else.

Registration for Speak by Design University 2026 opens December 1. Want to be first in line? Join the waitlist at www.speakbydesign.com/join.

This isn’t a "check the box" program. It’s a new category of development: a full leadership communication system that combines tailored private coaching, a cohort at your level, and our 12 signature trainings on demand.

You won’t just “take a course.” You’ll build a living portfolio of messages, stories, and strategies that change how you lead every day in 2026.

There’s nothing else like it, because we built it with our clients to replace the one-off workshops and disconnected trainings that just don’t move the needle anymore.

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What happens after the conflict is often more damaging than the conflict itself. Most of us retreat, replay the moment endlessly, or vent to the wrong people—quietly eroding trust and making repair feel impossible. In this episode, you’ll learn how to bounce back stronger with simple mindset shifts, powerful self-talk, and a heart-to-heart approach that restores confidence and connection. Tune in to build real resilience for the toughest conversations at work.

How you speak is how you lead. Want to study this with other leaders? Take a look at www.speakbydesign.com/join. That's our leadership communication program that includes private, group, and self-paced learning for every learning style.

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When the disagreement happens, how do you show up? Are you frowning? Raising your voice? Or cowering?

The difference between leaders who crumble and those who command calm isn’t temperament. It’s a practiced mindset. Conflict doesn’t have to drain you; it can define you. The most influential leaders turn tense moments into turning points. In this lesson, we explore how to rise above the heat and handle disagreement with ease. You’ll walk away thinking differently about conflict and maybe even proud when people disagree with you.

Speak by Design University begins again January 1, 2026, with registration opening December 1. Join the waitlist now at speakbydesign.com/join

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We just hosted Sharpen and Elevate 2025. Save the date for 2026: July 15th in Chicago

Stephanie is sharing how she kicked off the day with a focus on how to live into your future self.

You cannot be it if you cannot see it.

Confidence and clarity are the 2 best predictors of leadership advancement.

Your self image may be making it impossible to improve your communication skills.

Confusion is killing our productivity and business growth.

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Schedule a call: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/278468f8/appointment/60626897/calendar/any?appointmentTypeIds[]=60626897

How you speak is how you lead. Want to study this with other leaders? Take a look at www.speakbydesign.com/join. That's our leadership communication program that includes private, group, and self-paced learning for every learning style. If you register by December 31st, you will receive the full Anniversary plan in its entirety and the discounts.

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How do great leaders create lasting communication habits? If you have followed all 50 lessons you are now wondering, "How do I take what I've learned and turn it into lasting change?"

Start with believing the change is possible and then build your desire for change. Want to deliver clearer updates, craft more compelling stories, and exude confidence every time you speak. You’ll learn the proven steps to developing new communication habits—starting today—and hear inspiring stories of how others have elevated their skills.

While this is the end of the lesson series; it’s the beginning of your practicum. Now, practice is required to create those new habits.

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How you speak is how you lead. Want to study this with other leaders? Take a look at www.speakbydesign.com/join. That's our leadership communication program that includes private, group, and self-paced learning for every learning style. If you register by December 31st, you will receive the full Anniversary plan in its entirety and the discounts.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.