What is your body saying when you’re not speaking, and how could it be holding you back? In this episode, world-renowned body language expert Mark Bowden explains how nonverbal signals impact trust, credibility, and executive presence. Discover how our brains instinctively scan for safety cues, and why understanding body language is critical for anyone who leads, presents, or communicates under pressure.

“What instantly comes to your mind when you see me cross my arms?”

Andrea Wojnicki – Talk About Talk:

Mark Bowden:

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AW: Mark Bowden is a world-renowned body language expert, and he’s been on my radar for a while. When we finally connected for this interview, we discovered that we live and work near each other. What a coincidence! We both share a passion for helping others communicate more effectively.

But I have to say: Mark blew my mind.

This conversation took twists and turns I didn’t see coming. So buckle up. You’re about to learn a ton about body language, perception, credibility, and so much more.

Welcome to the Talk About Talk Podcast!

In this episode, you’ll hear my conversation with body language expert, keynote speaker, and bestselling author Mark Bowden. You’ll learn the one key thing you need to focus on to instantly improve your body language, and your communication overall. You’ll also gain insight into how our motivations, including our primal survival instincts, shape our perceptions of others, especially when it comes to interpreting body language. And finally, we’ll bust a few body language myths that you’ve probably accepted as truth…until now.

If you’re a returning listener, welcome back. I’m so glad you’re here. And if you’re new to Talk About Talk, welcome! Please subscribe to the podcast on your platform of choice (Apple, Spotify, or YouTube), where you can actually see me and Mark in action. Subscribing ensures you never miss an episode and that you receive ongoing communication coaching from me every two weeks.

We cover topics like:

You can also find free learning resources, coaching services, and more on the Talk About Talk website: talkabouttalk.com.

First, I’ll introduce Mark, then we’ll dive into our interview. Afterward, I’ll summarize with three key learnings that I hope you’ll take away. You don’t need to take notes. Just keep doing whatever you’re doing: walking, driving, lounging on the couch. I’ve got you covered. And of course, you can always reference the show notes in your podcast app for more details.

Mark Bowden is a globally recognized authority on body language. He’s been named the No. 1 Body Language Professional in the world multiple times by Global Gurus.

His unique GesturePlane™ system of nonverbal communication empowers audiences to use body language to stand out, build trust, and gain credibility.

Mark is the founder of TRUTHPLANE®, a communication training company that serves major organizations including Zoom, Shopify, Real Madrid, Toyota, the U.S. Army, and NATO. He’s also worked with G7 prime ministers and business leaders worldwide.

He’s a bestselling author, a popular instructor in Canada’s top-ranked EMBA program at the Kellogg-Schulich School of Business, and the current President of the National Communication Coach Association of Canada.

You might’ve seen Mark on the Dr. Phil Show, CNN, CBS, or Global News, or watched his TEDx talk, “The Importance of Being In-Authentic,” which has reached tens of millions of viewers. He’s also a co-host of the YouTube hit The Behavior Panel, which has garnered more than 75 million views.

Thank you so much for being here today, Mark, to talk with me, and the Talk About Talk listeners, about body language.

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Well, we could come up with all kinds of explanations that aren’t really true. But the reality is, we form (and continue to form) judgments based mostly on how people behave in front of us. What their face is doing. What their body is doing. What their hands are doing. How they’re dressed. The environment they’re in.

We judge partly by vocal tone, but we barely judge each other on what’s actually said. In fact, we often just make up what we think someone said based on how they behaved. So if you change, or more importantly, choose, your behaviors, you stand a much better chance of shaping how someone judges you. That influences how they interpret what you’ve said and even what they imagine you said.

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My clients say the same thing. As soon as we talk about body language, especially when they’re on stage or leading a meeting, it’s like, “Where do I look? What do I do with my hands?” So what should executives prioritize when it comes to body language and being perceived as credible leaders?

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When you’re under pressure and still use open-palm gestures at navel height, you create what I call a “cascade effect.” It triggers certain behaviors in your audience, and those behaviors influence the rest of the room.

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But it’s not just the hands. The navel area represents the body’s center of gravity. It reveals your true intention. People say, “Watch their feet.” No, watch where their center of gravity is going. If the torso doesn’t move, the feet don’t matter.

This area here (your stomach, your navel) is incredibly vulnerable. We haven’t evolved to have ribs protecting it all the way down. Why? Because our ancestors needed to be able to duck, run, and twist quickly to survive. If we had a rigid ribcage extending all the way down, our agility would be compromised.

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That’s why I created a simple three-point scan:

Now I’ll say “Open palms at navel height.” What do you think about that framework?

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That’s why I try to get clients down to just one behavior. When they’re under pressure, dealing with a big presentation or unexpected scrutiny, they can’t manage everything. So I say, “Just do the one thing that will create a cascade effect.”

Forget what you’re feeling. I don’t care if you’re scared or confident. It’s not about you, it’s about the audience. We’re trying to change their minds. That’s the hardest thing in the world to do.

So I tell clients: open-palm gestures at navel height. They’ll ask, “Should I make eye contact?” Don’t worry, it will fall into place.

This moment is extraordinary. You’re in an extraordinary situation. Ordinary behaviors, what feels natural or “authentic,” won’t cut it. Authenticity is about survival. It’s designed to keep you where you are, safe and small. But you’re not trying to be small, you’re leading. You need extraordinary behaviors for an extraordinary moment. And yes, it will feel odd. Do it anyway. Do it on purpose.

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We’d have to travel to meet. That’s time and money. We’d have to find a venue. That’s even more risk, logistics, insurance, and a physical audience. There’s a reason insurers require waivers for live events, it’s risky.

Now compare that to this. What’s the risk assessment here?

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If you met me in person, you’d think, “Wow, Mark’s amazing!” Why? Because you would’ve invested time and energy. Your brain would say, “This must be valuable, why else would I have spent all this effort?”

So here in this low-cost environment, I need to raise the perceived value. I do that by making this conversation feel more alive. More animated. I need to give your brain the sense of social risk, like we’re breathing the same air, even though we’re not.

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But humans are visual. Some people claim they’re more auditory or tactile, but look at how much brainpower is dedicated to vision. Evolution figured out that sight is our best survival tool. So most of our attention goes to what people are doing, not how they sound.

Now, the sound part of the brain doesn’t like to make stuff up. Unlike vision, where your brain fills in the blanks, hearing is more binary. That’s why you’ll crash your car if you talk on a phone while driving. The low audio quality forces your brain to work harder on decoding sound, stealing resources from vision. Your peripheral vision narrows, and you don’t see danger coming.

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So when I’m on a video call or a podcast, I’m really trying to animate the frame. I’ve got 30 frames per second. If I’m not using them, I may as well send a still image. But I’m not doing that. I’m sending a moving image, one that wakes up your brain.

I’ll often break the frame slightly to get your attention. You’ll notice I use baton gestures, too. These gestures match the rhythm of my speech. They help you not only hear the cadence, but also see it.

That helps the Broca’s area of your brain (where speech processing happens) get more confident that it’s predicting me correctly. Because really, you don’t hear what I’m saying; you predict it. Then based on whether your prediction matches, you feel like, “Oh, I understand Mark!”

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But the moment those guesses stop working, your brain says, “I don’t get it.” First, it’ll assume the world is wrong, or that other people are wrong. If that doesn’t hold, the brain gets discouraged and says, “I don’t understand the universe anymore.” That’s because it’s not working from knowledge, it’s operating from predictions.

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Our brains are pattern recognition machines. They spot patterns, and they like consistency. But when that pattern gets disrupted, the brain wakes up and re-evaluates.

If the new pattern is subtle or consistent, the brain keeps its judgment. But when it meets the “min spec” (the minimum specification needed to change its mind) it does. It flips.

So, when you’re trying to change a first impression, the key is understanding what that minimum trigger is. What’s the hair-trigger that shifts their perception?

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Now, why do people automatically assume crossed arms mean someone’s “closed off”? Why make that judgment?

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That’s why open palm gestures work so well. They give your audience enough information to make a safe, positive assumption. Crossed arms do the opposite.

So when I cross my arms, your brain reassesses. It goes: “I don’t know what that means. It’s a big enough shift to warrant re-evaluation, but I don’t have enough info.” So, instinctively, the brain defaults to negative: “Mark is bored, angry, or defiant.”

But maybe I’m just thinking. Or I’m cold. Or I’m trying to reduce neural load to help with decision-making.

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The more information you provide, the better people behave. Their judgments are more accurate, and they’re less likely to spiral into fear or doubt.

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If someone crosses their arms and you do the same? Now you’re both closed off. You lean back, they lean back, you spiral downward. Instead, only mirror the behaviors you want to see more of.

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Here’s another take: All body language is either a response to power or a display of power.

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Every movement you make is about power. Recognizing this helps you decode behavior more effectively.

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People will tell you: Our brains love answering hierarchical, evaluative questions. It’s hardwired.

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Okay. Ready for rapid-fire?

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But ask me about food? Pet peeves galore!

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Well, that was a fascinating conversation, wasn’t it?

I didn’t expect we’d end up discussing our evolutionary path from ground-dwelling mammals to upright hominids on the African plains, but I’m so glad we did. That’s why I love bringing expert guests on the podcast. We get to learn together.

Now, let me reinforce the three key takeaways from my conversation with Mark Bowden:

Mark strongly emphasized this single technique. If you want to appear credible, trustworthy, and influential, use open palm gestures at navel height. This is your center of gravity. It’s also a vulnerable area. By exposing it, you signal trust and reduce perceived risk.

We instinctively scan our environment for threats, and we default to negative interpretations when information is missing. As communicators, and especially as leaders, we must recognize this and over-communicate clarity and safety, both verbally and nonverbally.

First, crossed arms don’t always mean defensiveness. They can indicate thoughtfulness, comfort, or even that you’re cold. Second, don’t mirror others’ body language indiscriminately. Only mirror behaviors that you want to reinforce. Otherwise, you risk reinforcing negativity or detachment.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating or review on your podcast app, and don’t forget to hit subscribe so you can continue improving your communication skills with Talk About Talk.

Thanks again to Mark Bowden.

And thank YOU for listening.

Talk soon!

The post BODY LANGUAGE, a Matter of Survival – with Expert Mark Bowden (ep.191) appeared first on Talk About Talk.

Feeling like a fraud? You’re not alone. In this episode, Dr. Andrea Wojnicki and Kim Meninger explore the roots of imposter syndrome and share actionable strategies to move through it with courage, clarity, and impact. Learn how to lead more inclusive meetings, build authentic confidence, and reframe self-promotion as a meaningful contribution.

Self-promotion, when approached strategically, is a service…to others and to ourselves. Nobody is hired just to fill headcount; they’re brought on because of their unique combination of skills, strengths, and capabilities. If you don’t share what you know and what you can do, it becomes harder for others to leverage your strengths. That creates inefficiencies and redundancies.

Thinking of self-promotion as an act of service allows us to reframe what might otherwise feel selfish or boastful. Instead of asking, “How can I tell everyone how great I am?” consider asking, “How can I help?”

Meet my new friend, Kim Meninger. Kim is an expert on imposter syndrome. In this episode, you’re going to hear our conversation (yes, conversation, not interview) about this powerful and often misunderstood topic. We take turns asking questions, building on each other’s ideas, and sharing practical strategies.

You’ll learn new mindsets and actionable tactics to help you combat imposter syndrome and communicate with confidence. These are tools you can start using right away. Ready?

Welcome to Ep.190 of the Talk About Talk Podcast

Yes, we’re getting close to 200 episodes, and you know there’s going to be a party! If you’re not already subscribed, please hit that follow button on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening. You can also watch full episodes on YouTube.

In case we haven’t met, I’m Dr. Andrea Wojnicki, but please, call me Andrea. I’m the founder of Talk About Talk, where I serve as your executive communication coach. Through private coaching, workshops, and keynotes, I help ambitious executives master formal presentations, establish executive presence, build personal brands, and yes, overcome imposter syndrome.

If you want to stay up to date with my latest tools and coaching insights, go to TalkAboutTalk.com and subscribe to my newsletter.

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Framing Self-Promotion as a Service

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Final Thoughts on Imposter Syndrome

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Rapid Fire Q&A

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Andrea’s Top 3 Takeaways from Kim

If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit. Thank you for listening, and as always, talk soon!

The post New Strategies to Overcome IMPOSTER SYNDROME with Kim Meninger (ep.190) appeared first on Talk About Talk.

You’ve heard of the glass ceiling, but what about the glass walls? Dr. Andrea Wojnicki speaks with Dr. Amy Diehl, co-author of Glass Walls, about six subtle yet powerful gender bias barriers still limiting women at work. Learn how these biases show up in communication in the workplace and what individuals and leaders can do to recognize and dismantle them.

“Female hostility. I always get the question. Sometimes people say that the women in the workplace are worse than the men. I don’t know whether that’s true or not, but I will say that when women don’t support other women, it hurts us more. We expect solidarity from our female colleagues.”

That was Dr. Amy Diehl, co-author of the book Glass Walls: Shattering the Six Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work. In the next 45 minutes, we’re going beyond the glass ceiling and glass cliffs. You’re going to learn what those six glass walls are, how they manifest at work, and what we can do about them. Especially in the context of communication, we’ll explore the power of labeling these barriers and talking about them.

We all witness these glass walls at work. Whether you’re a woman directly affected, an ally observing them, or a leader with the power to influence change, this episode is for you.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t about complaining. This is about using real research to identify, label, and discuss gender bias.

Welcome to the Talk About Talk podcast. If you’re a returning listener, welcome back. If you’re new, let me introduce myself. I’m Dr. Andrea Wojnicki. Please call me Andrea. I’m an executive communication coach at Talk About Talk. You can learn more about me at talkabouttalk.com. While you’re there, I encourage you to sign up for my email newsletter. Between this podcast and the newsletter, you’ll get valuable communication coaching.

I help leaders improve their communication: presentation skills, executive presence, precision, and personal branding.

All of these skills are hard enough without the additional challenge of gender bias.

Recently I read Glass Walls by Dr. Amy Diehl and Dr. Leanne Dzubinski. From a communication perspective, I saw insights that I knew would resonate with you. So I reached out to Amy, and here we are.

Here’s how these 45 minutes will go: I’ll first introduce Dr. Diehl (Amy) and then we’ll jump into the interview. At the end, I’ll share three key takeaways. Yes, always three; the power of three.

OK, let me introduce Amy.

Amy Diehl, PhD, is an award-winning IT leader and Chief Information Officer at Wilson College in Pennsylvania. She’s also a gender equity researcher and co-author of Glass Walls. Her work has appeared in scholarly journals, Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Ms. Magazine. She’s a sought-after speaker, consultant, and expert witness. Her passion is gender equality in society and the workplace. You can find her at amy-diehl.com.

Here we go!

Thank you so much, Amy, for being here to talk about glass walls with me and the Talk About Talk listeners.

Amy Diehl: Thanks so much for having me, Andrea. I’m excited for this conversation.

Andrea Wojnicki: We’ve all heard about the glass ceiling and the glass cliff, but can you define what glass walls are and walk us through the six described in your book?

AD: When my co-author Dr. Leanne Dzubinski and I wrote the book, we didn’t initially have the title. It came together after we finished the manuscript and realized what we were really talking about—barriers in every direction. Not just a ceiling above, but walls all around. Invisible, like glass, you often don’t notice them until you run into them. So the metaphor of glass walls made sense.

These barriers are baked into workplace cultures. Our goal was to name them, make them visible, and start discussions about how to dismantle them.

AW: It’s a perfect metaphor. Can you walk us through the six walls?

AD: Absolutely. The first is male privilege: A dominant workplace culture that includes male gatekeeping, the boys’ club, and even the glass cliff, where women are set up in risky roles and then blamed when things go wrong.

AW: And that first wall, male privilege, forms the foundation for the others, right?

AD: Exactly. The other five barriers build on that base.

AW: Before you go further, I want to encourage listeners to do a mental checklist as they hear about these barriers. Ask yourself: Have I experienced this? Have I observed this?

AD: That’s great advice. For context, we developed a tool, the Gender Bias Scale for Women Leaders, while researching. It identifies the six barriers and is available on my website as a quick self-assessment.

AW: Fantastic. I’ll include that link in the show notes.

AD: The second wall is disproportionate constraints. Women are in the workplace, but with limitations, fewer choices, more scrutiny. From career paths to communication, women face muted voices and are held to unequal standards. Their appearance, tone, and behavior are under constant watch.

The third is insufficient support: lack of mentorship, sponsorship, and access to informal networks. Women are often left out of spaces where decisions are made. One insight from my dissertation: the most confounding barrier for women was unsupportive leadership. Being hired, but not backed when challenges arise, is demoralizing.

AW: That’s especially confusing. “You hired me. Why aren’t you supporting me?”

AD: Exactly. They couldn’t make sense of that.

The fourth wall is devaluation. Women’s contributions are diminished. Salary inequality is one example. Others include being interrupted, called pet names, or not addressed by their professional titles. And there’s office housework (taking on tasks like organizing lunch or cleaning the fridge) without recognition.

AW: Linda Babcock’s work on “non-promotable tasks” comes to mind.

AD: Yes. These tasks are necessary but should be shared. Better yet, hire admin staff to handle them.

AW: Leaders must ensure tasks are equitably distributed.

AD: Right. The fifth glass wall is hostility. Harassment, discrimination, and, yes, female hostility. People often ask whether women in the workplace are worse than men. I don’t know if that’s true, but when women don’t support other women, it hurts more. We expect solidarity from each other. When another woman blocks your opportunity, it feels more shocking.

AW: Can you talk about the queen bee phenomenon and female-only versus mixed-gender dynamics?

AD: Yes, and the sixth and final wall is acquiescence. After repeatedly hitting barriers, women may give up. They stay silent, limit aspirations, or leave entirely. Not because they’re incapable, but because the emotional toll is too high.

AW: So we’re talking to women, allies, and leaders; people who can help create equitable, productive, happy workplaces.

AD: Exactly.

AW: Let’s shift to communication. One strength of your book is the vocabulary. You and Leanne coined many terms to describe these phenomena.

AD: Yes. When we couldn’t find terms in the literature, we created them. For example, role incredulity: assuming a woman isn’t in charge. A director mistaken for an assistant. A physician assumed to be a nurse.

AW: One of my clients is a global CEO, and people often assume she runs just the Canadian division. It’s a classic case.

AD: Yes. It’s often unintentional, but impactful. That moment can change a person’s perception.

Another term is credibility deficit: women’s statements aren’t believed unless confirmed by someone else. My co-author Leanne once had a man turn to her husband to verify what she said, even though she was the expert.

AW: That example stuck with me. What about terms like mansplaining and he-peating?

AD: Mansplaining: Explaining something to a woman in a condescending way. He-peating: A woman’s idea is ignored until a man repeats it and receives credit. If done intentionally, that’s called bro-propriating.

AW: The intent matters. Sometimes it’s unintentional, but still harmful.

AD: Right. One of the biggest issues is interrupting. Men’s voices are privileged. They’re taught it’s acceptable to dominate conversations. If you’re interrupted repeatedly, especially by peers, it undermines your credibility.

AW: I coach women through this all the time. They need strategies, from jokes to private conversations, to enlisting allies.

AD: Yes. Sometimes the most effective approach is pulling someone aside, assuming positive intent, and addressing the pattern.

AW: Let’s talk about a story from a workshop participant. A senior OB-GYN received feedback that she was difficult. She believed female nurses were biased against her.

AD: That’s the status-leveling burden. Women in higher roles often go above and beyond (baking cookies, being extra nice) to gain cooperation from other women. It’s about navigating the contradiction between gender and organizational hierarchies.

AW: Leaders should be aware and provide training so teams understand these dynamics.

AD: Yes. Raising awareness helps people recognize patterns and adjust their behavior.

AW: You mentioned experiencing this personally.

AD: Yes. I had to spend extra time connecting with a secretary who didn’t support me. In the end, what changed things was her retirement. I even sent male colleagues to ask for things because they’d be more successful.

AW: It’s about recognizing the situation and working around it strategically. Let’s talk about flip it to test it.

AD: A simple but powerful tool from sociologist Kristin Pressner. If you say, “Maria is too assertive,” flip it: “Would I say Mario is too assertive?” Probably not. It reveals gender bias in assumptions.

AW: Great for self-checking and for leaders in hiring or evaluations.

AD: Exactly.

AW: What’s your take on Adam Grant’s article about women using “weak” language strategically?

AD: His mistake was calling it weak. It’s not weak, it’s smart. Women are adapting to navigate male-normed environments. Maybe men should adopt these techniques, too.

AW: Like imposter syndrome. Maybe men should question themselves more!

AD: Yes. These strategies make women effective communicators.

AW: Tell us about your next book, Excuses, Excuses.

AD: It explores six myths about why women are never “just right” at work, excuses based on age, appearance, race, etc. The subtitle is The Six Myths Why Women Are Never Quite Right at Work and How We Can Shatter Them. Many of these judgments are contradictory: too quiet, too outspoken, too young, too old. It’s not about the woman. It’s about systemic bias.

AW: Sounds like a powerful follow-up.

AD: We aim to name these issues so they can be addressed.

AW: Let’s end with three rapid-fire questions. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

AD: Introvert. I think before I speak, and I listen a lot. I believe introverts make great leaders.

AW: What’s your communication pet peeve?

AD: The expectation that women fluff up their emails with pleasantries. It’s time-consuming. With close colleagues, I skip it. But with others, I feel I have to include it so I’m not perceived as cold.

AW: Should men do more of that, too?

AD: Yes. It builds relationships and improves communication for everyone.

AW: Final question. Any books or podcasts you’re recommending?

AD: Yes—Powerfully Likable: A Women’s Guide to Effective Communication by Kate Mason. It offers practical tips without telling women to change who they are. It’s about authentic, effective strategies.

AW: Thank you, Amy. Any final words for listeners?

AD: Gender bias is solvable. It takes all of us working together. And if you’re experiencing bias, remember: it’s not about you. It’s a systemic issue. Don’t take it personally. Strategize and persist.

AW: Thank you, Amy. I learned so much from our conversation.

AD: Thank you for having me.

AW: Most of my guests are doing good in the world, but Amy truly stands out. Her research and advocacy are making workplaces better.

As promised, here are the three takeaways I want to reinforce:

Thank you again, Amy. And thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the podcast. It helps others discover us.

Talk soon!

The post Gender Bias and Communication in the Workplace: 6 GLASS WALLS with Dr. Amy Diehl (ep. 189) appeared first on Talk About Talk.

Are you ready to go beyond the basics with AI? If you’re only using it for simple tasks, it’s time to level up. Andrea shares three powerful strategies that move past the fundamentals to elevate your communication, deepen your audience connection, and help you integrate AI seamlessly into your workflow.

Most of the executives I coach are already using AI in their day-to-day work. They’ve mastered the basics, but they know there’s more potential.

If that sounds like you, you’re in the right place.

Welcome to the Talk About Talk podcast. I’m Dr. Andrea Wojnicki (but please, call me Andrea). I’m an executive communication coach who helps leaders communicate with confidence and credibility. Through private coaching, workshops, keynotes, and this podcast, I empower professionals like you to level up your executive presence and personal brand.

In this episode, I’m sharing three next-level strategies for using AI to supercharge your communication effectiveness.

But first: let’s talk about how most of us are already using AI.

AI has become a behind-the-scenes partner in our daily workflows. If you’re using it this way, you’re not alone:

These tools are powerful, but they’re just the beginning.

If you’re ready to go beyond spellcheck and tone tweaks, here are three powerful ways to use AI to improve your communication strategy:

Metaphors are one of the most underused tools in business communication. They help clarify complex ideas and make your message memorable.

💡 Example:

When used well, a metaphor can become the centerpiece of your pitch, deck, or keynote.

AI isn’t just for text. It can also generate or inspire visuals that elevate your communication.

Here are some ways to use AI to create effective visuals:

💡 Pro Tip: I used AI to create the cover art for this episode. Check it out at talkabouttalk.com on the podcast tab (link in the show notes!).

Would you rather get constructive criticism from your audience, or from AI before you hit send?

Use AI to anticipate issues with your communication by simulating tough critics:

Asking AI to play devil’s advocate helps you spot blind spots and strengthen your message before it goes live.

Before you go all-in, keep these best practices top of mind:

How are you using AI to enhance your communication?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram, or comment on YouTube.

If you found this episode helpful, please share it with a colleague, and don’t forget to subscribe to the Talk About Talk podcast for more communication tips.

Thanks for listening. Talk soon! 

The post How to Use AI to Improve Your COMMUNICATION (ep.188) appeared first on Talk About Talk.

Bad habits in your communication, like apologetic language, upspeak, and jargon overload, can undermine your credibility. Dr. Andrea Wojnicki shares fixes for 10 bad habits so you can start communicating with confidence and credibility. 

Get the free “Bad Habits” download: https://www.talkabouttalk.com/badhabits

Let’s be honest—we all do. Yes, even communication coaches like me. I’m not talking about quirks my teenage kids tease me about. I mean legitimate habits that undermine how we show up—especially as leaders.

Recently, I caught myself overusing the word “right?” at the end of sentences. It was like I needed agreement from you, the listener. Once or twice per episode? Fine. But it got repetitive—and annoying. So I stopped. I also caught myself saying “you guys” instead of something more inclusive like “everyone.” Not great.

One benefit of podcasting (and YouTube)? You get to review your own communication patterns. And let me tell you—it’s eye-opening.

Bad communication habits can be distracting, annoying, and worst of all—they erode your credibility. That’s a big deal, especially if you’re an ambitious professional or executive (which I bet you are, since you’re here!).

Welcome to Talk About Talk. I’m Dr. Andrea Wojnicki—please, call me Andrea. I coach executives to communicate with confidence and credibility. At TalkAboutTalk.com, you’ll find info on 1:1 coaching, corporate workshops, a free communication skills newsletter, and more.

Ready to level up your communication?

Let’s dive in.

Download the Free Checklist

Follow along with this episode using the free downloadable checklist at talkabouttalk.com/badhabits. It lists all ten habits and what to do instead. Great for self-evaluation or as a conversation starter with colleagues or your boss.

Bad Habit No. 1: Weak, Apologetic Language

Fix:

Try reviewing transcripts of your meetings and searching for “sorry,” “just,” and “maybe.”

Bad Habit No. 2: Upspeak

Fix:

Bad Habit No. 3: Rambling (a.k.a. “Epic Storytelling”)

Fix:

Bad Habit No. 4: Filler Words

Fix:

Bad Habit No. 5: Lack of Eye Contact

Fix:

Bad Habit No. 6: Monotone Delivery

Fix:

Bad Habit No. 7: Getting Interrupted

Fix:

Bad Habit No. 8: Using Corporate Jargon

Fix:

Bad Habit No. 9: Dodging Tough Questions

Fix:

Bad Habit No. 10: Confidence Without Warmth

Fix:

That was a lot—but it’s worth it. Visit talkabouttalk.com/badhabits for your free checklist. Use it to evaluate your habits and prioritize your improvement.

📩 If you enjoyed this episode:

For more communication tips, sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter or explore executive coaching options at TalkAboutTalk.com.

Thanks for listening—Talk soon!

The post 10 Bad Communication Habits That Undermine Your CREDIBILITY (ep. 187) appeared first on Talk About Talk.

Ready to improve your Elevator Pitch? Your elevator pitch is an asset that can optimize high-stakes conversations. Learn a dynamic 3-point framework that will help you confidently engage with critical stakeholders, ensuring you make a positive, memorable impact.

Recently, one of my long-time executive communication coaching clients sent me an urgent message: “Can you help me with my elevator pitch?”

He had a high-stakes meeting coming up and wanted that perfect, polished paragraph—something he could memorize and deliver on cue.

My response?

No. (Yes, you heard that right.)

Of course, I helped him prepare for his meeting, and yes, he knocked it out of the park. But I didn’t give him a scripted elevator pitch. Instead, I coached him using a proven 3-step framework that works in any high-stakes conversation.

And now, I’m sharing that framework with you.

Welcome to the Talk About Talk Podcast, Episode 186: Elevate Your Elevator Pitch. (See what I did there?)

In this episode, we’ll explore how to communicate effectively in high-pressure situations, whether you’re networking, pitching to an investor, or seizing a spontaneous opportunity to leave a lasting impression.

Forget memorized scripts. I’ll show you how to elevate your elevator pitch using a customized, authentic approach that resonates every time.

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re:

We’ve all been told that having an elevator pitch is essential. Whether you’re growing your business, pitching clients, or aiming for a promotion, that 30-second spiel is supposed to be your golden ticket.

But a scripted elevator pitch often backfires.

Here’s why:

So, instead of a stiff, rehearsed speech, I recommend a disciplined, authentic, and flexible framework.

Whether you’re in a spontaneous hallway chat or a planned meeting, this framework will help you communicate with confidence and impact.

Before you say anything about yourself, shift the spotlight to the other person.

✅ Ask about their recent projects

For example: “I saw your team just launched an innovative campaign—congrats! What inspired it?”

This approach builds connection and shows empathy.

Pro Tip: It’s NOT all about you.

Positive energy is contagious. Research shows that enthusiasm leads to better outcomes across negotiations, sales, teaching—and yes, job interviews and networking.

Smile. Use an upbeat tone. Let your body language reflect your excitement.

Remember:

Here’s where you highlight your strengths and expertise—your personal brand.

But don’t just list achievements. Frame your experience in a way that resonates with what the other person cares about.

For example:

“I recently led a project that improved customer retention by 25%. I know that’s a big focus for your team as well.”

This shows credibility and relevance.

To elevate your elevator pitch, ditch the robotic, self-serving monologue.

Instead, remember:

This is how you turn high-stakes conversations into genuine opportunities—whether you’re in a boardroom, at a networking event, or yes, even in an actual elevator.

No scripts required.

🎧 Listen to the Full Episode

Being prepared for impromptu conversations with clients, investors, or senior leaders is critical for career growth.

Next time you face one of these moments:

That’s how you communicate with confidence—and leave a lasting impression.

✨ If you found this helpful:

For more communication tips, sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter or explore executive coaching options at TalkAboutTalk.com.

Thanks for listening—Talk soon!

The post Elevate Your ELEVATOR PITCH (ep. 186) appeared first on Talk About Talk.

Looking for guidance on how to ace your job interview? Andrea shares an interview preparation checklist, focused on your preparation before the interview, your communication during the interview, what to do after the interview, and how to answer specific Qs. You can download the free downloadable checklist at talkabouttalk.com/interview

Any epic fails—either as the interviewer or the interviewee?

I do. And while it wasn’t exactly a disaster, it still haunts me.

This story takes place when I was finishing my doctorate and actively looking for a faculty position. I was in my early 30s, super keen, and well-prepared. Most of my first-round interviews were held back-to-back at a conference hotel—efficient, intense, and generally successful. I turned most of those interviews into second-round invitations.

But not all of them.

There was one interview that didn’t go well. In fact, it was a complete miss. And to this day, I still think about it.

This interview was with a state school in the U.S. I walked into the room and was met by two middle-aged white men. As soon as they looked at me, they exchanged a glance… and then rolled their eyes. One of them said, “You probably wouldn’t accept a job here anyway. But why don’t you tell us about yourself and why you want to work here?”

Yep—the H-bomb. That’s what we call it when the Harvard credential backfires.

In hindsight, I should’ve stood up, thanked them for their time, and walked out. But I didn’t. I stayed. For the full 45 minutes. And let them grill me.

It. Was. Torture.

Walking out of an interview is a bold move. And honestly, staying was probably the right call. What if those two professors later talked to faculty at another school and said I walked out mid-interview?

Still, that moment sticks with me as my worst interview ever.

And here’s the kicker—I hadn’t even opened my mouth, and they had already decided they didn’t like me.

Even when the interviewer wants to hire you, job interviews can be incredibly anxiety-inducing.

That’s why, in this episode, we’re covering four key things to help you ace your next interview:

Let’s dive in.

Hi there! I’m Dr. Andrea Wojnicki, but please just call me Andrea. I coach ambitious executives—just like you—to communicate with confidence and credibility.

If you’re new here, check out TalkAboutTalk.com to learn more about:

Lately, I’ve had a lot of clients in career transition ask me for help with interview skills.

Good news: Interviewing is all about communication.

And that’s exactly my sweet spot.

To succeed in your next job interview, you need to confidently and clearly communicate your true and best self to the interviewer.

So I created something just for you:

Yes, it’s completely free. And yes, it covers everything we’re about to discuss.

Press pause and print it now, or listen and come back to it later. Either way, go to:  talkabouttalk.com/interview

Before you focus on interview prep, there’s one other thing you need to manage:

Your confidence.

I won’t cover confidence in this episode, but don’t worry—I’ve got you.

Check the show notes for links to other Talk About Talk episodes that focus on building confidence and managing nerves.

1. Before the interview: Preparation is everything

Start by researching the company, the role, and your interviewers if possible. Prepare examples that showcase your experience and align with the job description. Practice your self-introduction and key talking points.

Bonus: Use the checklist I created to guide your prep. It’s all there. Download it now.

2. During the interview: Communicate strategically

Your job in the interview is to communicate your value clearly and confidently. Be concise, positive, and focused. Use frameworks like STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses.

And remember: Your personal brand matters. Every answer should reinforce who you are and what sets you apart.

3. After the interview: Follow up like a pro

Always send a thank-you note—ideally within 24 hours. Reinforce your interest in the role, recap a highlight from your conversation, and reiterate how you can add value.

A thoughtful follow-up can help you stand out and leave a lasting impression.

4. Answering specific interview questions

Prepare for common questions like:

And don’t forget to prepare smart questions to ask the interviewer too. Curiosity signals engagement and critical thinking.

Want to feel calm and confident before your next interview?

Want a tool to help you stay on track during your prep?

Grab the free downloadable checklist here: talkabouttalk.com/interview

Use it to prep for your next big opportunity—whether it’s your dream job, a board seat, or an internal promotion.

One last reminder:

If you’re on the job market, download the ace your interview checklist at talkabouttalk.com/interview.

If you found this episode helpful, please:

Thanks for listening—and as always…

Talk soon.

The post How to Ace Your INTERVIEW (ep.185) appeared first on Talk About Talk.

#BeYourSelfOnPurpose: Five words packed full of meaning. Andrea shares the power of developing your strong unique personal brand by doing two things: 1) being yourself, 2) on purpose. You’ll also learn three specific contexts when you can put this mantra into action.

Recently, I hosted a live virtual webinar on personal branding—and I have to say, it went really well. Now, my corporate workshops and webinars usually go great, but this one felt different. I was vibing, and I could tell by the audience’s reactions and questions that they were really getting something valuable out of it.

After the webinar, I received a ton of positive feedback. One message stood out: a woman messaged me on LinkedIn almost immediately. She told me she takes her dry erase whiteboard very seriously—it’s where she puts her goals, meeting notes, follow-ups. After the session, she erased everything on it and wrote just five words: Be Your Self On Purpose. Then she sent me a photo. I was floored.

A couple hours later, I posted the webinar video on LinkedIn, and a senior executive I deeply respect commented with a hashtag: #BeYourSelfOnPurpose. That’s when I knew—this concept really resonates. It’s clear that being your self on purpose is an idea that sticks.

So, in this episode, we’re going to double down on those five powerful words: Be Your Self On Purpose. You’re going to learn what it means, why it matters, and how you can apply it to build a strong, unique personal brand.

Welcome to Talk About Talk – Episode #184: Be Your Self On Purpose

Hi there! I’m Dr. Andrea Wojnicki. Please just call me Andrea. I’m an executive communication coach at Talk About Talk, where I help ambitious executives communicate with confidence and clarity so they can succeed and reach their career goals.

You can learn more about me and all the coaching and resources I offer—one-on-one coaching, small-group bootcamps, corporate workshops, this bi-weekly podcast, and my newsletter—at TalkAboutTalk.com. And if we’re not connected yet on LinkedIn, I’d love to change that.

Let’s Talk Personal Branding

Before we dive into what it means to Be Your Self On Purpose, I want to briefly revisit the roots of personal branding and share a few definitions.

In 1997, when I was a brand manager at Kraft Foods, I received a physical copy of Fast Company magazine. The cover looked like a box of Tide laundry detergent—but instead of “Tide,” it said “You.” The headline: “The Brand Called You” by Tom Peters.

This article blew my mind. Peters didn’t invent personal branding, but he brought it into the corporate mainstream. He suggested that everything we apply to marketing products and services—differentiation, target markets, brand values—can and should be applied to ourselves. Personal branding was born.

Fast forward to my time teaching MBA students at Rotman. At the end of every branding course, I would dedicate a class to personal branding. Why? Because everything we learned about branding applies directly to you.

Another powerful definition comes from Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon:

“Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”

That’s a great thought experiment. Ask yourself: what are your stakeholders—your clients, your boss, your team—saying about you when you’re not there? If their perception doesn’t align with how you want to be seen, that just means you’ve got some work to do. That’s what personal branding is for.

Then, during a podcast interview with marketing legend Seth Godin, I asked him how he defines personal branding. His response?

“Your brand is what people think you’re going to do next.”

Another brain explosion moment. This forward-looking definition adds a sense of momentum. It’s not just about your past—it’s about what people expect from you next.

Taking Control: You Have Agency

What’s missing in both Bezos’ and Godin’s definitions is agency. Yes, your brand is what others perceive—but you have the power to shape that perception.

So here’s my definition:

Personal branding is about being your self on purpose.

Instead of passively going with the flow in your career, it’s about stepping into your power and making intentional choices. It’s about owning your reputation, your professional identity—your brand.

Be Your Self. On Purpose.

Let’s break it down:

Be Your Self

On Purpose

The Wardrobe Metaphor

Here’s a great metaphor I first heard from Ron Tite: Think of your brand like your wardrobe. All your clothes are authentically you. But you choose what to wear depending on the day—movie date, big meeting, networking event. The same is true for your personal brand. You are always you, but you decide what to highlight in each situation. That’s being your self—on purpose.

Expansive & Focused

This idea might feel messy—and that’s okay. Human beings are complex. You are being expansive by embracing your full identity, and focused by strategically choosing what parts of your brand to share. That balance is where the magic happens.

Three Ways to Practice Being Yourself on Purpose

1. Your Self-Introduction

2. Comments in Meetings

3. The Stories You Tell

Final Thoughts

Write these five words down: Be Your Self On Purpose.

Put them on a sticky note, on your whiteboard, at the top of your to-do list. Let them remind you to show up as your best, most authentic self—strategically, intentionally, and unapologetically.

If you want more coaching on personal branding, head over to TalkAboutTalk.com. You’ll find my podcast archive, my newsletter, and information on coaching and bootcamps. Just search “personal branding” in the search bar.

That’s it for episode #184. Now go out there—and Be Your Self On Purpose.

Talk soon.

The post #BeYourSelfOnPurpose – Be Your Self On Purpose and build a strong personal brand (ep.184) appeared first on Talk About Talk.

What’s your archetype? Knowing your archetype can help you control your narrative, provide you with focus, and boost your confidence. Take the Archetypes Quiz at www.talkabouttalk.com/archetypesquiz. Archetypes are shared, universal patterns that help us understand characters, stories, and even ourselves.  

This might be one of the shortest and most impactful podcast episodes you’ve heard in a long time.  I hope so!

Of all the topics I coach people on and that I speak about, I’d say Personal Branding, and helping people articulate or narrate their unique brand makes the biggest impact. Typically I run my coaching clients through several exercises to help them identify their unique brand, including but not limited to: seeking input from others, taking personality tests, creating your personal Venn diagram, running through mental exercises, reviewing formal work feedback and evaluations, completing worksheets that I assign, and lots more. 

And of all these personal branding exercises, identifying their archetype is the one that they often tell me is the most helpful.

So I thought I’d spend an episode coaching YOU on how to identify your unique professional identity archetype, and what to do with it to help you be your happiest and most successful self. Sound good?

Welcome to talk about talk podcast episode 183: what’s my archetype. In case we haven’t met my name is Dr. Andrea Wojnicki. Please just call me Andrea. I’m an executive communication coach at talk about talk where I coach ambitious executives like you to communicate with confidence and establish credibility so they can achieve their career goals. The topics I cover are all focussed on communication, including things like overcoming imposter syndrome, becoming a great storyteller, listening like a leader, nailing your formal presentation, establishing executive presence, and establishing your unique personal brand.

You can learn from me through private one on one coaching, corporate workshops and keynote speeches, the boot camps that I lead, the archive of this podcast, and through my email newsletter. If you go to talk about talk.com you can sign up for the newsletter there. It’s like getting free coaching from me every two weeks.

While you’re there on the talkabouttalk.com website, I encourage you to take the archetypes quiz. That’s the topic of this weeks episode. I’m going to help you identify which of the 12 professional identity archetypes resonates most with you and what you can do with this insight. Just go to talkabouttalk.com/archetypesquiz.

OK – By the end of this episode: You’ll understand the power of identifying your professional identity archetype and how you can use your archetype to accelerate your career trajectory.

First I’m going to define archetypes for you. Give you the archetypes 101 lecture.  Don’t worry – it’s brief. Then, I’ll share a list of 12 professional identity archetypes.  Your challenge is to identify which 1-2 of these archetypes resonate for you. I encourage you to do this both qualitatively – by listening to my descriptions and thinking about which 1-2 resonate with you.  Then also by taking the archetypes quiz at talkabouttak.com/archetypesquiz. This quiz is kind of like a personality test. It will help you validate which archetype resonates for you.

So Let’s start with this.

Simply put: ARCHETYPES are UNIVERSAL PATTERNS. Got that? Universal patterns. Universal as in broadly understood – by many or most – as well as universal as in over time.

Many archetype researchers highlight that archetypes, these universal patterns, have been around since stories were told. Think Athenian philosopher Plato, way back in 400 B.C.  Think mythology.

If you consider the etymology of the term archetype, there’s ἀρχή archḗ, which means “beginning or origin”,[4] as in the word archaic.  And then there’s type or τύπος týpos, as in pattern or model.

More recently, just 100 or so years ago, Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung talked about how archetypes relate to our collective unconscious.  (An aside. Carl Jung also developed several other important psychological concepts such as the persona and such as extraversion and introversion. You know, at the end of every Talk About Talk podcast interview, when you hear me ask the guest expert “are you an introvert or an extravert?” Well, that’s Carl Jung too. Anyway, I digress.  But hat tip to Carl Jung.)  

So Carl Jung is the scholar who established that archetypes are innate representations that universally exist in our minds. These archetypes, or universal patterns, typically come in the form of two things: characters and/or stories. And these universal patterns are commonly adopted by fiction writers, as a means to help us as readers or audiences members to make sense of the story.

Many of the papers you’ll find about archetypes identify 12 common archetypes.

So why should we identify our archetype? 

Based on my experience coaching thousands of executives, I can tell you that this can be a powerful exercise. First of all, people love being diagnosed.  Who doesn’t love copleting a personality test, then reading the results and thinking, WOW.  That’s me. To a T.  We feel seen, recognized. That’s a good thing.  But there’s more to this. 

Understanding your archetype can help you create your narrative- you can adopt the words and phrases associated with your archetype to describe your leadership style, your personality, your values. And you can do so knowing that this description, this archetype, will make sense to others.  Based on all the research on archetypes, we know this is a universal pattern. It’s not that you’re walking up to people and explicitly declaring: “I am a Magician and a Sage!” But rather, you reference your strengths and passions in these terms/ So Archetypes can help you clarify your narrative.  

They can also provide you with focus and direction. It’s not that you won’t evolve or grow, but chances are the themes associated with your archetype will describe your strengths, perhaps things you could focus on and succeed.

And last, people tell me that knowing their archetype provided them with a confidence boost!

We’re not all Heroes, are we?  I know I’m certainly not a hero.  But I do know which archetype resonates with me.  Do you know yours?

Before I read you the list, I want to share something important with you. For our purposes, I substituted several of the archetype labels to make them more relevant for this professional context. There are some words that, even if they accurately define us, are less suitable for our career context, I mean,.. Imagine being on a job interview and telling the interviewer that you are a “Lover.” Or “Innocent,” or even a “Rebel.” So I changed a few of the labels, without changing the main idea.:  

“Lover” became “Impassioned”

“Innocent” became “Optimist”

“Rebel” became “Revolutionary”

The main theme for each of these remains the same.  Just the labels changed, to make them more relevant for our professional, career context. 

OK – To make this easier for you, there’s a list in the shownotes that briefly describes each of these 12 archetypes.  Whether youre watching on Youtube, or listening on Spotify or Apple or wherever, just click on the shownotes and you’ll see the list there.

Now I’m going to briefly take you through 12 of the most common archetypes.  And I have a challenge for you.  Listen to the descriptions and think about the extent to which each archetype resonates.  

Are you ready?  OK- here’s the list – in alphabetical order: 

Im going to read that list again, this time with a brief summary of how you might show up at work if this archetype resonates for you.  In your mind, for each of the 12, I encourage you to decide which of three categories it belongs.  It could be:

SO YES, Sort of, Or No.  Again, in alphabetical order:

That’s it! Just 12. Sure, its just 12, but I know it’s a lot. That’s why included the list for you in the shownotes.

I mentioned that I’m a Sage.  Actually, I’m a combination of Sage and Magician. So Sage as in the learner, the teacher, the academic.  Yep. That’s me.  Also known as a nerd.

I’m also a Magician.  .  I hope to help you transform into a confident, exceptional communicator. My best day at work is when someone tells me that I helped them improve or transform.

excited, satisfied,… 

Stories should come easy to illustrate you in your role as this archetype

This is your happy place.

Help you create your narrative- you can adopt the words and phrases associated with your archetype to describe your leadership style, your personality, your values.

Provide you with focus and direction

Boost your confidence!

There is no hierarchy of archetypes. No one archetype is better than another. The Hero is no better than the Optimist.  And the Sage is no better than the Caregiver. The true power here, lies in identifying which 1-2 archetypes truly, deeply resonate with you and your true essence.  Your purpose.  Your default.  Your essence.

Your goal is to identify which 1 or 2 archetypes resonate for you. No more than two! I used to think identifying your one archetype was the goal.  But witnessed for many clients the powerful identity that can come from the unique intersection of two archetypes (like for me, Magician and Sage). If you narrow it down to 3, then I challenge you to identify which one is primary and which two are secondary. In other words, three primary archetypes is too many. Your goal is to identify your top one or two archetypes.

yes your archetype can change.  I’ve had a few meaningful conversations about this. First with UofT professor Maja Djikic, whom I interviewed in episode 157.  Then more recently with Harvard Professor Jerry Zaltman, who shared his concern with me of pigeon holing people. Yes, we evolve as humans.  We have chapters or seasons in our lives, when particular archetypes might be more resonant. Your archetypes can change. 

Got that? So there is noo hierarchy of archetypes. Theyre all good. Your goal is to id 1 or 2 – not more than two archetypes that resonate for you. And yes, your archetype can change.

I should mention 1 more thing. I touched on this briefly when I was describing the 12 archetypes. Sometimes, people with a particular archetype might be drawn to a particular vocation. Like say caregivers might be drawn to nursing.  That’s an obvious example. But you get the idea. But don’t take this to mean you have to conform to succeed.  In fact, being unique can be part of your strength. Some of the most successful people in a certain vocation are successful because of something that makes them stand out relative to their peers.

And that’s the main point of this episode.  Identifying your unique strength can make you more successful and more satisfied than ever.  Identifying your archetype can help you get there.

Take the quiz. 

It’s at TAT.com/archetypes quiz.

Please email me and let me know which archetype resonates for you.  And also what you thought about this podcast. I love hearing from you! You can connect with me through the TalkAboutTalk.com website, or you can connect with me on Linkedin and message me there.

Thanks for listening.  And TALK SOON!

The post What’s Your ARCHETYPE? (ep.183) appeared first on Talk About Talk.

Learn three ways to control your narrative and steer your professional identity. Andrea will teach you how to introduce yourself with purpose, reframe perceived weaknesses as strengths, and narrate your career transitions and your career journey. There are a million ways to tell the same story.  Why not tell yours in a way that serves you? 

At a recent live workshop I led on personal branding, I kicked things off by sharing three definitions of a personal brand—each one packed with meaning and offering a unique perspective. I started with Jeff Bezos’ infamous definition: “A brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” Think about that for a moment. It’s powerful, isn’t it? Imagine the conversations happening about you—when you’re not there to guide them. Are they speaking about your leadership? Your creativity? Your dependability? That’s your brand.

Then I highlighted the definition that Seth Godin shared with me when I interviewed him for Talk About Talk episode XX. This really struck a chord. Seth says your brand is what people think you’re going to do next. Wow. Let that sink in. Your brand isn’t just what you’ve done or who you are right now—it’s about expectations, trust, and your potential. Here’s a challenge: take out a sheet of paper. In one column, write down what YOU want to do next—your goals and aspirations. In the second column, write down what you think OTHER PEOPLE expect you to do next. Are those two lists aligned? If not, that’s where the real work begins. The gap between those two lists is where your brand needs some serious attention.

Back to the definitions of personal branding that I shared in the workshop.  Finally, I shared my own definition of personal branding, which isn’t just about a thought exercise—it’s about action. Here’s how I define it: personal branding is about being yourself on purpose. Being yourself—your true, authentic, unique, and best self. And on purpose—as in unapologetically, deliberately, and strategically managing your brand. It’s about being disciplined and stepping into your story with intention and owning it. One of the most powerful ways to do this is by controlling your narrative.

And that’s exactly what we’re covering today in this episode. I’m going to walk you through three impactful ways to control your narrative and steer your professional identity. Trust me, these strategies can transform the way people perceive you. Ready to get started?

Welcome to Talk About Talk podcast episode #182: “3 Ways to Control Your Narrative and Steer Your Professional Identity.”

Hi there! In case we haven’t met, I’m Dr. Andrea Wojnicki, executive communication coach at Talk About Talk. But please, just call me Andrea. My mission is to coach executives and professionals like you to communicate with confidence, establish credibility, and achieve your career goals. I’m here to help you take charge of your narrative and own your story—and I couldn’t be more excited to share this episode with you.

You can learn more about me and what I do on the talkabouttalk.com website, where you’ll find details about my 1:1 private coaching, small group bootcamps, keynote speeches, and corporate workshops. I’ve also put together some amazing free resources for you, like the Archetypes Quiz and the Personal Brand Self-Assessment. They’re all on the website, and I’ll leave links in the show notes so you can dive in.

Alright, let’s do this! Let’s talk about how to control your narrative and steer your professional identity exactly where you want it to go.

After working with hundreds—maybe thousands—of executives, I’ve identified three specific ways you can take control of your narrative in a disciplined and strategic way. Here they are:

Let’s break these down, starting with the first one.

The first and most direct way to control your narrative is by introducing yourself with purpose. Let me be clear: your self-introduction is the cornerstone of your personal brand. It’s the most direct way that you can reinforce your identity.  It’s your words, about you, from you. It’s YOUR chance to own your story and reinforce exactly how you want to be perceived. If there’s one thing you focus on to take control of your narrative, make it your self-introduction.

If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a while, you probably know that the number one most downloaded episode of this podcast is the one where I explain the three-point self-introduction framework. It’s resonated with so many people because it’s simple, actionable, and effective. In fact, I recently re-released this episode as number XXX, and if you haven’t listened to it yet, I highly recommend it. This framework was also featured in an August 2022 Harvard Business Review hbr.org article, and in 2023, it was one of the top three most downloaded articles on hbr.org. That’s how powerful this topic is—it’s a game-changer.

Here’s a quick recap of the framework. The first step is present—as in present tense. This is where you share your name and what you do. For example: “Hi, my name is Chris, and I’m the Chief Financial Officer at the bank.” Straightforward, right?

The second step is past—as in past tense. This is where you establish credibility. You might talk about how long you’ve been in your role, highlight our credentials, or talk about an award. Think about what reinforces your credibility in that context.

The third and final step is future—as in future tense. This is where you inject some energy and enthusiasm. Share a statement about what you’re looking forward to. For example: “I’m really excited to get to know you better and work together on this project.” Or, if you’re in an interview: “I’m excited to learn more about this position because, based on what I’ve heard and read, I think I’m a great fit.”

The beauty of this framework is that it’s simple, yet endlessly adaptable. And here’s the magic: within each of these three steps, you can weave in elements of your personal brand that you want to highlight. Let me show you how this works with an example.

Imagine you’re trying to establish yourself as a strong people leader. In the present step, you could say: “Hi, my name is Alex, and I lead a team of 26 in the finance department.” In the past step, you could mention a successful program you launched to develop your team’s skills. And in the future step, you could share: “I’m passionate about helping my team members thrive, and I’m looking forward to seeing them achieve even more.” See how this reinforces your strengths at every step?

Let me give you another example. This one is  personal. Often, I’m asked to introduce myself to HR leaders who are considering me for executive coaching or workshops. Before I introduce myself, I pause to think: what aspects of my personal brand do I want to emphasize in this context? Maybe it’s my academic background paired with my high energy. So, I might say something like: “People tell me that my workshops are uniquely engaging and impactful, thanks to my academic training and the energy I bring to the stage.” That’s not just an introduction—it’s a narrative that reinforces exactly who I am.

So, here’s your homework: make a list of three to five strengths or superpowers that define you. Then, depending on the context, incorporate them into your self-introduction using the present-past-future framework. Trust me, this simple exercise can do wonders for your personal brand.

Okay, that’s the first way to control your narrative. Let’s move on to the second strategy, and this one’s a game-changer.

We all have something we perceive as a weakness, don’t we? But here’s the thing: often, those so-called weaknesses can be reframed into strengths. I’ve seen this transformation happen time and again with my clients, and the results can be life-changing.

Let me tell you a story. A while ago, I met a mixed-race gentleman who shared with me how exhausted he was with people constantly asking, “Where are you from?” He was frustrated. “I’m Canadian,” he’d reply. But his grandparents were from four different continents, and that seemed to invite even more questions. Instead of letting that frustration fester, we worked on a new narrative. Now, when people ask him where he’s from, he smiles and says, “My ancestry is a mix of A, B, C, and D. I also travel extensively for work and pleasure, so I bring a truly global perspective to my leadership style.” Powerful, right? He turned what felt like a nuisance into a compelling part of his story.

Here’s another example that hits close to my heart. . I was hosting a big Q&A focussed on personal branding. A brave woman raised her hand and shared that she’s a lawyer and she’s tired of being known as an immigrant. She wanted to change her brand, but wasn’t sure how. Here’s what I said: “based on your accent, am I right in detecting you maybe from India?” “Yes,“ she nodded. “Well here’s the thing. We all have accents. They just become more noticeable when our accent is different from others around us. But your English is very clear and the research shows that as long as we can understand each other, an accent is not a bad thing. And in your case, your accent may actually be an asset” I paused. She raised her eyebrows and looked at me expectantly. I continued. “you said you’re a lawyer. What kind of law? Corporate. Where do you practice law? New York. OK. I thought about it for a moment and then I said, here’s how you can introduce yourself. “I am a corporate lawyer in Manhattan with global experience.” And here’s the thing. Your accent serves as evidence of your global experience. Now, your accent is an asset. How does that sound? I don’t think I’ve seen a bigger smile on anyone’s face. She was thrilled.

And then there’s the story of a CEO I coached. This CEO spoke at warp speed. People struggled to keep up, and they’d often ask for clarification. Instead of seeing this as a flaw, we reframed it. Now, when the CEO introduces themselves, they say, “I think fast, and I speak fast—it’s how my brain works. But please let me know if I need to slow down.” Suddenly, their rapid speech became a reflection of their intelligence and agility.

Here’s a common one: being an introvert. Now, I want to make this clear. Introverts are no worse or better than extroverts.  But I know many people who are introverts who would rather be an extrovert. My answer to that is that we should all be our true, authentic selves. And we should also control our narratives. If youre an introvert, I encourage you to steal these insights. To start, Introverts are typically fantastic listeners. So if youre an introvert, you could make this part of your brand. Or introverts could also reference the fact that while they don’t say much, when they do, people lean in to listen. 

Here’s another example – your sense of humor. I’ve had a few clients who told me that they try to hide their sense of humor. One was a global chief of staff and the other was a psychiatrist. One of them referenced their sense of humour as a wicked sense of humor. They both tried to conceal their desire to crack jokes, at least when they were at work. After working with each of these individuals on their personal brand narrative, they both ended up focussing on their unique ability to bring LEVITY to otherwise negative situations and contexts. Of course, they checked their sense of humour at the door when it wasn’t appropriate. But they also had a unique talent for establishing camaraderie, encouraging joy, and like I said, bringing levity to otherwise dire situations. Suddenly, their sense of humour became their superpower.

Hmm.  I love it.

Do you see the pattern here? What you perceive as a weakness might actually be your secret weapon. It’s all about reframing. So here’s my challenge for you: think about something you’ve been trying to hide. Could it be turned into an asset? If you’re not sure, talk to someone you trust. Sometimes, it takes an outside perspective to see the potential in what we’ve been holding back.

The final way to control your narrative is by owning your career transitions. Whether you’re meeting someone for coffee, networking, or interviewing for a job, how you tell the story of your career matters—a lot. And let’s face it: transitions can feel tricky. But with a little strategy, you can turn them into powerful moments of connection.

Here’s the framework I teach my clients for narrating career transitions: the 3 Ts. Talent, Timeline, and Tomorrow.

Talent: When sharing the story of their career transition, many people start with the past, and they are often negative. They start listing everything wrong with their last employer, their position, their boss, and their colleagues. Sound familiar? 

Instead, start with YOU. Start with your talents and strengths. What makes you unique? What’s your superpower? This anchors your story in who you are, not what happened to you. For example: “I thrive in fast-paced environments where I can lead change.” Or: “I’ve always been known for my ability to build strong, collaborative teams.”

Once you’ve established your brand, then you can start to tell the story. That’s step two.

Timeline: Next, share a tight, positive summary of your career journey. Highlight the moments that matter, but don’t dwell on negativity. 

Whether you’re gainfully employed and curious about other opportunities, or perhaps you were fired, keep your messaging professional and positive, or at least neutral. 

While it’s tempting, avoid blaming and avoid venting. 

And of course, don’t ever share sensitive or confidential information.

Instead of saying, “I left because my boss was terrible,” try: “I realized I was ready for a new challenge and decided to explore opportunities where I could grow.” Keep it concise, and keep it professional.

So you’ve nailed your Talent, and you’ve shared your Timeline. Now what? 

Tomorrow: Finally, end with enthusiasm about the future. (Yes, this might sound familiar if you’ve heard me talk about the 3-point self-introduction framework!) 

Share what excites you and where you’re headed next. For instance: “I’m energized about finding a role where I can drive meaningful impact and continue to grow as a leader.” Or: “I’m excited to explore opportunities in [specific field] and see where I can make a difference.”

And there you have it—the 3 Ts framework: Talent, Timeline, and Tomorrow. It’s simple, effective, and helps you own your story with confidence.

One quick note: be intentional about the language you use to describe your transition. Words matter. 

The question of how you “label” your transition is significant. 

Recently, I was coaching an impressive executive who resigned from his employer of over 20 years to reset and try something completely new. Unfortunately, he created a LinkedIn post announcing he had “retired.” He meant “retired from the firm,” but the hundreds of folks who commented on his post understood he was retiring from work altogether.

Oops. Words matter.

So are you taking a “sabbatical” or a “gap year”? Did you get “downsized” or were you “packaged out”? Are you “re-setting” or making a “career pivot”?  Choose terms that feel authentic but also convey strength and professionalism.

Let’s recap. We talked about three powerful ways to control your narrative and steer your professional identity:

I hope these strategies inspire you to take charge of your narrative and step into your story with confidence. Remember, your personal brand is all about being yourself on purpose.

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