601: Former CNN and NBC News Anchor Lynn Smith on Building Authentic Presence and Excellent Communication

601: Former CNN and NBC News Anchor Lynn Smith on Building Authentic Presence and Excellent Communication

Lynn Smith, former national news anchor for NBC News, MSNBC, and CNN Headline New, and now executive communication coach, reframes public speaking as an internal leadership skill, not a performance. She identifies the recurring obstacle as the "brain bully", the inner critic that turns preparation into paralysis, and shows leaders how to retrain it so that clarity, calm, and connection become repeatable outcomes.

This episode translates decades of live television experience into actionable communication tools for high-stakes settings—from boardrooms to keynotes to broadcast media.

Key takeaways:

  • Name and neutralize the "brain bully." "It's that inner saboteur saying, 'You're not good enough' or 'What if you say the wrong thing?'" Smith explains. She traces these patterns back to early experiences and teaches clients to "control–alt–delete our prehistoric code" so fear no longer drives performance.

  • People don't want perfection, they want resiliency. Recalling a keynote where she froze on stage, Smith says, "I had to stop and tell the audience, 'I'm so sorry, I'm failing at this.'" That failure became the basis for her coaching framework. "People don't want perfection, they want resiliency. They want to see people overcome."

  • Replace over-scripting with intentional structure. "Executives spend hours memorizing, but the result is robotic. The big revelation is… it has nothing to do with your prep; it has everything to do with your mental game." Instead, she recommends bullet-pointing key ideas for authenticity and flow.

  • Drill down, don't dumb down. Smith's "Goldilocks effect" balances preparation, "not too much, not too little", so communication stays sharp and digestible: "If you communicate everything, you communicate nothing."

  • Make voice and presence technical. Drawing from broadcast training, Smith advises projecting "from your diaphragm, not your chest," and using "the power of enunciation" and pauses to improve recall and connection.

  • Manage energy deliberately. "Everything is energy," she notes. High-frequency energy, calm, clear, positive, creates magnetism. "When you're vibrating at the level you want others to meet you at, people lean in."

  • Model resilience for the next generation. Her children's book Just Keep Going distills the same mindset for young readers: that fear and failure are not endpoints, but steps toward growth.

For executives preparing keynotes, investor meetings, or media appearances, this conversation provides a research-informed playbook to quiet the inner critic, align mindset and message, and lead with authentic, repeatable presence.

Get Lynn's book, Just Keep Going, here: https://tinyurl.com/ymt4jvtv

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107: Consulting workshop best practices

107: Consulting workshop best practices

Get access to free training episodes: https://www.firmsconsulting.com/promo SUBSCRIBE TO FIRMSCONSULTING'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL http://bit.ly/Firmsconsultingsubscribe CONNECT WITH FIRMSCONSULTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA https://www.youtube.com/user/firmsconsulting https://www.instagram.com/firmsconsulting/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/firmsconsulting/ https://www.facebook.com/Firmsconsulting/ https://twitter.com/firmsconsulting https://www.pinterest.com/firmsconsulting/

9 Kesä 20209min

106: Overall goal of every consulting interaction

106: Overall goal of every consulting interaction

Get access to free training episodes: https://www.firmsconsulting.com/promo SUBSCRIBE TO FIRMSCONSULTING'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL http://bit.ly/Firmsconsultingsubscribe CONNECT WITH FIRMSCONSULTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA https://www.youtube.com/user/firmsconsulting https://www.instagram.com/firmsconsulting/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/firmsconsulting/ https://www.facebook.com/Firmsconsulting/ https://twitter.com/firmsconsulting https://www.pinterest.com/firmsconsulting/

2 Kesä 20208min

105: Advanced predictive problem solving (Turquoise Eyes: A Novel about Problem Solving & Critical Thinking)

105: Advanced predictive problem solving (Turquoise Eyes: A Novel about Problem Solving & Critical Thinking)

Turquoise Eyes started off the groundbreaking new genre developed by FIRMSconsulting that combines compelling narrative while teaching problem solving and critical thinking skills. Set after a bank begins implementing a new retail banking strategy, we follow Teresa García Ramírez de Arroyo, a director-general in the Mexican government, who has received some disturbing news. A whistleblower has emailed Teresa with troubling news about a mistake in the loan default calculations and reserve ratios. The numbers do not add up.   The Turquoise Eyes: A Novel about Problem Solving & Critical Thinking is available on Amazon.   Buy a copy by midnight EST June 10 2020 and receive 1-month complimentary access to the accompanying video course.   BUY THE BOOK HERE: https://amzn.to/3bzVa6g   To celebrate the launch week for Turquoise Eyes: A Novel about Problem Solving & Critical Thinking, until midnight EST June 10 2020 only, we offer this purchase gift to customers as our way of showing that we're truly thankful that you chose FIRMSconsulting. This is the 1st episode of the accompanying program. To Claim Your Complimentary 1 Month Access to the Accompanying Program:   1) BUY THE BOOK HERE: https://amzn.to/3bzVa6g 2) Reply to this email by midnight EST June 10 2020 with the following: Your Name Your receipt for the book (Kindle, paperback or hardcover) A Mention of Your Review for the above book If you've left a Review, please include a link - we'd love to read it and sincerely appreciate it. Even if you haven't left an Amazon review but only left Goodreads review, your training program 1 month access will still be sent to you! While we cannot require Amazon review to take advantage of our free gift to you, we would certainly appreciate your feedback and it will be a great way to support the book and FC. YOU CAN LEAVE A REVIEW FOR AMAZON HERE: https://amzn.to/3bzVa6g AND HERE FOR GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53252396-turquoise-eyes We look forward to hearing from you! Kris CEO, FIRMSconsulting   P.S. Please help us get the word out by sharing the purchase link with friends, family, and colleagues. This purchase gift is limited to the launch week only. Your friends can reach out to us about claiming their launch purchase gift at support@firmsconsulting.com. Thank you in advance!! Some links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/xQqufjwFm9E

26 Touko 202029min

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