Speaker Dynamics | Leadership, Communication & Public Speaking

EP20: Mission Possible: Fight Imposter Syndrome with Julia Korn

“What do Michelle Obama, Sheryl Sandberg, and potentially you all have in common? Imposter syndrome,” begins Karin Reed. She’s joined by Julia Korn, founder and CEO of The Authenticity Guide, to dive into how widespread imposter syndrome truly is—impacting 70% of people across all demographics. It’s a universal feeling, and Julia explains that—contrary to popular belief—imposter syndrome is not exclusive to women. This misconception arises from the term’s origins in a study conducted at an all-female university in the 1970s, which led to the mistaken belief that it predominantly affects women.
 
Karin and Julia talk about how increased self-awareness can sometimes make imposter syndrome worse that causes us to doubt our abilities even more. Julia offers practical tips for navigating these feelings, highlighting the power of vulnerability and taking small steps to build confidence. How can you embrace these moments of self-doubt and turn them into opportunities for growth? This episode encourages listeners to embrace imposter syndrome and turn it into a tool for building confidence through self-affirmation and solid preparation. Tune in to gain practical, useful strategies to foster authenticity and confidence in your professional life.
 
Quotes
“Imposter syndrome goes beyond just a lack of confidence. It really is this deep feeling of phoniness, of feeling like you’re faking it, and of feeling unintelligent or incapable, despite evidence of high achievement. You might find that you’re highly motivated to achieve and have a lot of history of doing really well, but you still have this fear of being exposed as a fraud.” (01:43 | Julia Korn)
“I think the biggest preface that comes to mind with imposter syndrome and speaking is, “Who am I to…?” Who am I to get on stage in front of all these people and tell this story? Who am I to command the attention of all these people? I’m ordinary. I’m just me. We tend to really discount the power that our own voice and our own stories have.” (10:50 | Julia Korn) 
“Imposter syndrome loves shame; that’s its breeding ground. It loves secrecy. Feelings of imposter syndrome will grow when you keep them as a deep, dark secret and feel like you’re the only one suffering from them…. The thing that the data shows works the most is actually the simplest: getting vulnerable and simply talking about it.” (17:08 | Julia Korn)
“The question I get most often from clients is, ‘How do I build confidence?’ I want to give your listeners a little answer: don’t wait for confidence to come to act. Engage in small, scary, risky things now. Watch your confidence increase just a little bit, and let that lead to the next small risk. Think of confidence as a staircase that builds over time, like a muscle, versus a binary state of ‘I have it’ or ‘I don’t have it.’” (21:59 | Julia Korn) 
 
Links
Connect with Julia Korn:
Website: www.theauthenticityguide.com
Emerging Leader Collective Application: https://4mlz9tjnoss.typeform.com/to/eyTYdtxp?typeform-source=www.theauthenticityguide.com
Connect with Karin Reed:
Website: www.speakerdynamics.com
Speaker Dynamics University: https://university.speakerdynamics.com/
Speaker Dynamics on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakerdynamics/
Karin Reed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-reed/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP19: Speaking Like a Leader: Stop Avoiding the Conversations That Matter Most

Speaking Like a Leader is tested most when the stakes are high and emotions run stronger than we would like. In this conversation on leadership communication, Karin Reed sits down with Emily Gregory, co-author of Crucial Conversations, to explore why avoiding hard feedback quietly erodes trust. Speaking Like a Leader means stepping into discomfort instead of sidestepping it. If leadership communication is about building credibility and connection, then feedback is where it either strengthens or fractures.
Emily shares a clear framework for handling tough conversations without damaging relationships. From doing the internal preparation before you speak, to stating your positive intent, to describing the gap between expectation and reality, this episode delivers practical tools you can apply immediately. Speaking Like a Leader requires clarity, ownership, and the discipline to protect trust even when accountability is necessary. The reminder is simple but powerful. Connection is the goal. Accountability follows.
You will also hear how these principles translate into virtual communication skills. How do you create psychological safety when you are speaking on camera? How do you compensate for limited nonverbal cues? How can leadership communication maintain executive presence when body language is less visible? For leaders focused on executive communication across in-person and remote environments, these skills are essential.
 
If you want confident communication that allows you to give feedback without fear, this episode will help you rethink how you approach discomfort. Whether you are presenting to senior leaders, managing a team, or communicating with influence across a distributed workforce, the real differentiator is this: do people trust that you care?Episode Breakdown:
00:00 What Defines a Crucial Conversation in Leadership Communication07:27 A Practical Framework for Giving Feedback with Confidence12:06 Delivering Feedback Effectively in Virtual Communication27:40 How to Create Psychological Safety During Tough Conversations31:36 Why Avoiding Feedback Erodes Trust and Weakens Leadership
 
Connect with Emily Gregory:
Visit Crucial Conversations for additional leadership tools
Read more on how to handle constructive criticism
Read the Harvard Business Review article on giving and receiving negative feedback
Connect with Karin Reed:
Visit Speaker Dynamics
Explore Speaker Dynamics University
Follow Speaker Dynamics on Instagram
Connect with Karin Reed on LinkedIn
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP18: Pay Attention People!

“Imagine what it’s like trying to keep people’s attention in a virtual meeting—one they might not be interested in, a meeting they might even feel they don’t belong in. Yet, there they are, and it’s your job to keep them focused and get business done,” begins Karin Reed.
 
In this episode, Karin addresses the challenges of keeping participants engaged in virtual meetings and offers practical strategies to maintain active involvement. The first step, she suggests, is to assess whether the meeting should even happen in the first place and offers two questions to ask to ensure that it does, based on insights from her co-author, Dr. Joe Allen, from their books Suddenly Virtual, Suddenly Hybrid, and Running Effective Meetings for Dummies. Dr. Allen suggests that in some cases, asynchronous communication may be a more effective option.
 
Karin emphasizes the importance of setting clear expectations from the start—defining the meeting’s purpose and agenda upfront and encouraging participants to turn on their cameras to enhance communication through non-verbal cues.
 
What can you do to make virtual meetings more dynamic? Karin suggests breaking content into smaller, manageable segments and incorporating interactive elements like polls, Q&A sessions, and chat participation. She also points out the value of allowing some non-business small talk, mimicking informal in-person interactions, which can help build rapport and lead to more meaningful contributions.
 
Another key tip? Start the call early and stay until everyone has left. This approach opens up opportunities for one-on-one interactions that might otherwise be missed. Karin stresses the importance of keeping participants engaged throughout the meeting, whether through discussions or interactive tasks.
 
Quotes
“If a virtual meeting does not require input and interaction from your audience, don’t make people sit there and listen to you spout off that information. Send it out in a way they can consume on their own time without disrupting their workflow.” (03:12 | Karin Reed) 
“When we have virtual meetings, we’re expecting people to be active participants through a screen. And boy, it’s really hard to get people out of that passive observer position. They just want to show up, put themselves on mute, and sit there. But nobody can pay attention for that long if they’re just sitting there and watching… It’s a big challenge—keeping people tuned in and engaged.” (04:37 | Karin Reed) 
“Keeping the camera on allows people to communicate fully. It enables you to use non-verbal cues to deliver your message more effectively. People can read the intent of your message more easily, and when their cameras are on, you can also see the impact of your message on them.” (08:35 | Karin Reed) 
 
Links
Connect with Karin Reed:
Website: www.speakerdynamics.com
Speaker Dynamics University: https://university.speakerdynamics.com/
Speaker Dynamics on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakerdynamics/
Karin Reed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-reed/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP17: Women in the Workplace: Communicating Your Worth

“Wouldn’t it be great if you had someone to guide you through writing your next chapter? Marcy Bullock is one of those people,” says Karin Reed in today’s episode of Speaker Dynamics - “Own the Room.” Joining Karin, Marcy emphasizes the importance of viewing life and career as a series of chapters, encouraging us to focus on “what’s next” rather than feeling overwhelmed by planning our entire future at once. How often do we burden ourselves with trying to figure it all out, instead of just concentrating on the next step? Marcy’s approach can help ease the pressure that many high achievers feel when facing major life decisions.
 
The episode delves into gender disparities in the workforce, with Marcy addressing challenges women face, such as unnecessary apologies, the struggle for equal pay, and the impact of the #MeToo Movement. Drawing from her experience teaching at NC State, she shares strategies for self-advocacy among women and marginalized groups. Despite progress, significant gaps remain in areas like parental leave and salary transparency. Marcy also uses a sports analogy to illustrate how cultural conditioning contributes to the confidence gap, with women often internalizing criticism while men tend to deflect it.
 
To help listeners overcome self-doubt and assert their worth, Marcy offers practical strategies—such as using data in salary negotiations and avoiding “glue work” that doesn’t align with strategic goals. She also emphasizes the importance of professional development and aligning your actions with your personal values. Marcy’s house analogy vividly illustrates how to prioritize your values, from foundational deal-breakers to minor preferences, urging us to focus on what truly matters.
 
Marcy leaves us with a powerful message: get out of your own way. She encourages us to treat ourselves with the same compassion we’d offer a best friend and to be intentional in our life choices. 
 
Quotes
“I realized that any marginalized group needs role models, needs tools in order to be able to succeed. And so, I decided to design this course and after teaching it for a few years, it was one of the most rewarding things I did because I’m very excited about helping women to advocate for themselves, to get what they are worth.” (06:09 | Marcy Bullock) 
“I think one of the biggest factors at play is women going into the workforce often being apologetic. They don’t want to step on anyone’s toes… So I think with gender parity, one of the big issues is, well, let’s just be real—parental leave and women being primary caretakers in a lot of families... Also, I just feel that overall, when women go into the workforce, we know they don’t make as much money as men do.” (07:32 | Marcy Bullock) 
“Don’t raise your hand for that unless that’s part of your job description… How does your job match with your boss’s priorities? How are you prioritizing things, and can you tie your accomplishments to impactful action items that have made a big impact on that organization? That’s how you’re going to be able to advocate yourself. But if you’re continually agreeing to do some of these things that women typically do, you’re going to find that when it’s time to advocate, you don’t have as much to pull for.” (18:44 | Marcy Bullock) 
 
Links
Connect with Marcy Bullock:
Marcy Lee Coaching Consulting - https://sites.google.com/view/marcylee/home?authuser=0
Instagram - @marcyleecoaching
The Confidence Code - https://learnconfidencecode.com
 
Connect with Karin Reed:
Website: www.speakerdynamics.com
Speaker Dynamics University: https://university.speakerdynamics.com/
Speaker Dynamics on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakerdynamics/
Karin Reed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-reed/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP16: Five Ways to Build Authentic Leadership Communication

Executive presence used to mean fitting a mold. Sound a certain way. Look a certain way. Smooth out the edges. Today, executive presence is rooted in authentic leadership communication. Instead of sanding down what makes you unique, she explains how leaning into who you are strengthens your authentic leadership communication and helps you communicate with influence.
 
Through real stories, Karin outlines five practical shifts. Show up as a whole person, not just a title. Help people understand why you lead the way you do. Listen to learn, not to respond. Speak in plain language that drives clarity instead of confusion. Stop overcorrecting every verbal stumble. Own your expertise while being honest about what you do not know.
 
This conversation is a timely reminder that confident communication is not about perfection. It is about presence. When you give yourself grace, you create psychological safety for others. When you admit you do not have every answer, you build trust instead of eroding it.
 
For leaders navigating today’s workplace, including those thinking about women and executive presence, this episode offers a grounded path forward. Executive presence is no longer about performance. It is about connection. When you lead from that place, your executive presence becomes both credible and relatable.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 The Shift in Executive Presence Toward Authentic Leadership
03:21 Why Being a Whole Person Strengthens Leadership Communication
06:02 Listen to Learn, Not Just to Respond
08:41 Speaking in Plain Language to Communicate With Influence
10:00 Why Confident Communication Includes Imperfection
12:45 Admitting You Do Not Know Everything Builds Trust
15:06 The Five Pillars of Authentic Executive Presence
Connect with Karin Reed:
Visit Speaker Dynamics
Explore Speaker Dynamics University
Follow Speaker Dynamics on Instagram
Connect with Karin Reed on LinkedIn
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP15: Hybrid Meetings: Designing for Real Participation and Better Results

Hybrid meetings are not going away. In fact, hybrid meetings may become the most common format you lead this year. The real question is not whether you prefer them. It is whether you know how to run them well.
 
In this episode, Karin Reed sits down with Dr. Joe Allen, co-author of Suddenly Virtual and Suddenly Hybrid, to unpack the research behind hybrid meetings and why they can outperform both in-person and fully virtual formats when led intentionally.
Dr. Allen shares his research on five types of meeting participation: full participation, non-participation, pretending to participate, token legitimacy, and on-off participation. Once you understand these patterns, you see hybrid meetings differently. Engagement is not automatic. It must be designed.
 
The conversation moves beyond technology into meeting equity. Being seen and heard is not just about strong Wi-Fi or high-quality audio. It is about executive presence on video, thoughtful room setup, and avoiding the common trap of overlooking remote attendees. Karin explains how small adjustments in camera placement, body language, and facilitation dramatically shift connection across formats.
 
You will also hear practical guidance on:
Pre-meeting setup and connectivity
Assigning in-room allies to advocate for remote participants
Using clear agendas and defined roles
Structured follow-up and reinforcement
 
Dr. Allen also addresses the cost factor. One ineffective meeting often creates three more. When you calculate opportunity cost, poorly run hybrid meetings are expensive. Well-designed hybrid meetings, however, increase clarity, save time, and improve satisfaction.
 
If you lead hybrid meetings, this episode offers research-backed structure and facilitation skills that elevate participation, strengthen virtual communication skills, and improve leadership effectiveness across formats.
 
Episode Breakdown:
02:11 The 5 Types of Meeting Participation Explained
08:11 Research Findings on Hybrid Meeting Satisfaction
12:06 The Two Critical Success Factors: Being Seen and Heard
14:17 Meeting Equity and Executive Presence on Video
17:41 Common Hybrid Meeting Pitfalls and In-Room Allies
19:35 Post-Meeting Follow-Up and Accountability
20:41 The True Cost of Ineffective Meetings
21:52 Final Takeaway: Don’t Be Afraid of Hybrid Meetings
Connect with Dr. Joe Allen:
Visit the Joe Allen website
 
Connect with Karin Reed:
Visit Speaker Dynamics
Explore Speaker Dynamics University
Follow Speaker Dynamics on Instagram
Connect with Karin Reed on LinkedIn
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP14: It’s Not About the Ring Light

“It is critical that our digital impression is a good one, reflecting your personal leadership brand and your corporate brand,” says Karin Reed. Is your digital impression a good one? In this episode, Karin delves into the importance of creating a strong digital impression and maintaining a compelling virtual presence. She shares insights from her TV journalism career, illustrating how appearance and presentation impact audience perception.
 
Karin emphasizes that a good digital impression isn’t about vanity but about respect for the audience and distraction-free communication. She offers practical tips, covering essentials like background setup, lighting, audio quality, and camera positioning. Karin highlights the importance of an uncluttered background, proper lighting to allow the audience to read your facial expressions, clear audio, and eye-level camera placement. Additionally, she addresses the challenges of maintaining a strong digital presence while working from various locations, offering a bonus video on her website for finding the best lighting in any space.
 
This episode can be a comprehensive guide to improving your digital impression and virtual presence, with actionable tips for professional communication. Tune in to Speaker Dynamics for Karin’s expert advice on making a strong digital impression.
 
Quotes
“First impressions matter. They matter a lot. And oftentimes, that first impression is delivered digitally. With us showing up so often via webcam, it is critical that our digital impression that we are giving off is a good one, that it’s a good reflection of your personal leadership brand and a good reflection of your corporate brand.” (00:00 | Karin Reed)
“Be aware that people are more tolerant of poor video quality than they are of poor audio quality. So if there is a place to invest your time and energy in improving, it would be in your audio.” (09:33 | Karin Reed)
“We’ve talked about your background, we’ve talked about your lighting, we’ve talked about your audio, we’ve talked about your camera position. All of this is critical for you to ensure that your digital impression that you’re giving across is a good one, because you want to make sure that it is a great reflection of your personal leadership brand and that you have presence in the virtual room.” (18:04 | Karin Reed) 
 
Links
Connect with Karin Reed:
Website: www.speakerdynamics.com
Speaker Dynamics University: https://university.speakerdynamics.com/
Speaker Dynamics on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakerdynamics/
Karin Reed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-reed/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP13: Playing the Long Game with Dorie Clark

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” asks Karin Reed. She argues this question is just as relevant for adults as it is for children, leading to a discussion about balancing immediate productivity with strategic, long-term goals. In this episode, Karin talks with Wall Street Journal bestselling author Dorie Clark about the critical practice of long-term thinking in a society fixated on immediate results.
 
Dorie, known for her work in the Harvard Business Review and Forbes, shares insights from her book, “The Long Game.” She highlights the struggle of finding time for strategic thinking in our busy lives and emphasizes the importance of structural changes for sustained success.
 
Dorie provides practical advice for leaders to foster a long-term mindset despite short-term pressures and introduces the concept of “optimizing for interesting”—pursuing meaningful activities that lead to fulfillment and success. Her personal anecdotes illustrate how small, consistent steps yield significant outcomes. She also discusses how to effectively communicate strategic visions, balancing humility with necessary self-promotion. Her straightforward approach helps listeners share achievements without boasting.
 
Dorie’s advice emphasizes the power of small, consistent steps and pursuing meaningful activities to achieve long-term success. Tune in to gain invaluable insights from Dorie Clark and learn how to develop a strategic mindset and optimize your path to fulfillment and achievement!
 
Quotes
“I’m always interested in questions about how people make meaning in their lives. And it seems like in our modern society, there’s really kind of two pat answers that, in the discourse, are often viewed as diametrically opposed… You optimize for money or for meaning. And I actually think that there’s a useful third way that we can be thinking about, which is optimizing for interesting. (08:29 | Dorie Clark) 
“If you’re optimizing for money, a lot of times, we know, culturally, people can be quite unhappy. Money gets you to a certain place, but it doesn’t get you to the finish line. It is necessary but not sufficient. But if you’re optimizing for interesting, you’re choosing things that are genuinely meaningful and cool to you.” (09:18 | Dorie Clark) 
“It’s important to remind people: It’s not that whenever you were pursuing whatever goal it was, or career it was, you weren’t just sitting eating bonbons. You actually did things. You met people, you made connections, you learned skills. And many of those skills and many of those connections are probably transferable. It also means that you see the world in a slightly different way, which sometimes can be extremely helpful.” (25:13 | Dorie Clark)
“One thing that I want to encourage people to think about—and this is a concept that I share in the long game—is that, ultimately, if we’re all sort of suffering under the yoke of being pulled in too many directions, having too many things to do, we have to recognize that, inevitably, there are going to be times and there are going to be moments when that is necessary. About short term results, sometimes you gotta just make it happen. But it’s also true that if we want to be smart about long-term thinking, we can’t always be doing that.” (27:44 | Dorie Clark) 
 
Links
Connect with Dorie Clark:
https://www.dorieclark.com/thelonggame
 
Connect with Karin Reed:
Website: www.speakerdynamics.com
Speaker Dynamics University: https://university.speakerdynamics.com/
Speaker Dynamics on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakerdynamics/
Karin Reed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-reed/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP12: Five Lessons Learned from My Time in TV News

What we say and how we say it matters, whether we are speaking over the airwaves or in front of the boardroom. In this episode, Karin Reed shares how the lessons she learned as an award-winning broadcast journalist shape her approach to her work today in the business world—lessons that you can apply in your role as well. Whether she is pointing out potential pitfalls or highlighting how you can communicate to inspire, this episode offers a series of lightbulb moments that you can put into practice.
 
Karin’s top five lessons are:
Technology is fickle. Always have a backup plan when dealing with technology.
Butterflies can be a good thing. Nervous energy can enhance performance.
People move people. Focus on personal stories to create strong emotional connections.
There can be unexpected blessings. Embrace the unexpected rewards that come from your work.
There can be unexpected consequences. Deliver news with empathy, understanding its impact on others.
 
By applying these lessons, listeners can become more empathetic leaders and communicators, adept at creating meaningful connections in every interaction. Let’s take these lessons to heart, recognizing the influence our words can have in shaping our relationships and environments.
 
Quotes
“There can be unexpected consequences of your message. I share this with you because I think it was valuable for me to learn it in my career as a reporter, and perhaps it’ll be valuable for all of you who are listening in your sphere of influence.” (12:19 | Karin Reed) 
“That was a hugely impactful day for me as a reporter because I realized these aren’t just stories. These aren’t just messages that we are delivering in a vacuum. All of the things that we say, whether you’re a reporter, whether you’re a leader delivering a tough message to your team, that has a direct impact on the people you’re delivering it to. And it made me a much more empathetic reporter after that day.” (13:33 | Karin Reed) 
“If you are hearing this message, and you are a leader, and you are charged with delivering some difficult news, always keep in mind that what you say impacts people. And you want to keep that in mind so whenever you deliver it, you can deliver it with empathy and you can be that empathetic leader. So, I wanted to share these lessons with you because hopefully you will find that they resonate in your world in some way.” (14:13 | Karin Reed) 
 
Links
Connect with Karin Reed:
Website: www.speakerdynamics.com
Speaker Dynamics University: https://university.speakerdynamics.com/
Speaker Dynamics on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakerdynamics/
Karin Reed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-reed/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP11: Think Remarkable with Guy Kawasaki

“If you want to be remarkable, you seek to make a difference,” says renowned author and chief evangelist Guy Kawasaki. In this episode, Karin Reed sits down with one of her professional heroes to delve into the essence of his latest book, “Think Remarkable.”
 
Kawasaki shares his innovative approach to writing, using AI tools like ChatGPT and Quillbot to enhance his process without compromising quality. His reflections on concise communication and authenticity in leadership offer valuable takeaways for engaging today’s audiences, particularly Gen Z.
 
The discussion also touches on his time at Apple and the inspiration behind the book’s title, a nod to the iconic “Think Different” campaign. Through themes of growth, grit, and grace, Kawasaki draws from interviews with over 200 remarkable individuals, sharing profound insights and memorable anecdotes from figures like Jane Goodall and Margaret Atwood.
 
Kawasaki’s career advice emphasizes the importance of reliability and embracing often overlooked tasks to become indispensable. Tune in to gain invaluable insights from Guy Kawasaki and learn how to transform your life and make the world a little (or a lot) better!
 
Quotes
“Some writers are suspicious or maybe they are jealous or maybe they are hostile to AI. That’s not the case for me at all. I believe my responsibility to the reader is to produce the best book I can. And whether that means using LLMs or not, is not the point. The point is to get the best book.” (05:59 | Guy Kawasaki) 
“My concept is that if you want to be remarkable, the way you do that is you make a difference. You make the world a better place… When you make a difference, then the natural outcome is people will think you are remarkable.” (17:48 | Guy Kawasaki)
“You don’t catch 100% of the waves that you don’t turn and paddle for. So at some point, if you want to make a difference, you just have to turn and burn. In other words, you have to turn and start paddling and you have to actually do something as opposed to thinking about doing something (25:59 | Guy Kawasaki)
“We spend too much time making the right decision. What we should do is make the decision right.” (26:19 | Guy Kawasaki) 
 
Links
Connect with Guy Kawasaki:
Order the book: https://amzn.to/4ckKsQE
TR landing page: https://guykawasaki.com/books/think-remarkable/
Guy's podcast: https://guykawasaki.com/remarkable-people/
Connect with Karin Reed:
Website: www.speakerdynamics.com
Speaker Dynamics University: https://university.speakerdynamics.com/
Speaker Dynamics on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakerdynamics/
Karin Reed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-reed/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm