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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171: April Rinne, Rethinking humanity's beliefs

171: April Rinne, Rethinking humanity's beliefs

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 171, an episode with one of the world's leading female futurists, April Rinne. Get April's new book here: https://amzn.to/38iGhFp April Rinne is a navigator in a world of flux. She is guiding individuals and organization operate in these fast-paced changing times. Her solo travels to over 100 countries in a span of 25 years has developed her to see how the world changes and how the trends will be set in the future. April is a well-known advisor of startups, companies, financial institutions, non-profits, think tanks and government agencies around the globe. In this episode, April talked about a few key points that would make us rethink our views and help us be prepared for what's coming in the future. For those who wants to better understand uncertainties in order to anticipate and adapt to what's ahead of us, this is for you. FLUX: 8 Superpowers for Thriving in Constant Change. April Rinne: https://amzn.to/38iGhFp Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo We use affiliate links whenever possible (if you purchase items listed above using our affiliate links, we will get a bonus).

14 Sep 202154min

170: Gary Hamel, Everyone should be the manager

170: Gary Hamel, Everyone should be the manager

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 170, an episode with one of the world's most influential and innovative business thinkers, Gary Hammel. Get Gary's new book here: https://amzn.to/3DkAvRZ Gary Hammel is the founder of the international consulting firm Strategos and the Director of the Woodside Institute. He has worked with top companies around the world and is a sought-after management speaker. Throughout his career, he has helped numerous companies in designing and building innovation-friendly management practices, tools and platforms. His concepts of "strategic intent", "core competence", "industry revolution" and "management innovation" have changed the management of organizations worldwide. He's been teaching at the London Business School for over 30 years now as a Visiting Professor. In this episode, Gary talked about how some of the largest companies in the world has gone ahead of their competition by implementing radical changes inside their respective organizations. For those leaders who also want to have a drastic improvement in their companies, this is for you. HUMANOCRACY: Creating Organizations as Amazing as the People Inside Them. Gary Hammel: https://amzn.to/3DkAvRZ Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo We use affiliate links whenever possible (if you purchase items listed above using our affiliate links, we will get a bonus).

9 Sep 20211h 9min

169: Tom Eisenmann, Startups and their wrong decisions

169: Tom Eisenmann, Startups and their wrong decisions

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 169, an episode with the Howard Stevenson Professor of Business Administration of Harvard Business School, Tom Eisenmann. Get Tom's new book here: https://amzn.to/3Dmxqkl Tom Eisenmann, as a Harvard Business School professor for the past 24 years, has guided over a thousand Harvard Business students and alumni as they launch new ventures up to their success. But not every startup story is like this. In this episode, Tom talked about a glimpse of his new book  where he carried out numerous case studies about failed startups. And from these, he found 6 patterns why a lot of startups fail. For those founders, at any stage of their entrepreneurial journey, this is for you. WHY STARTUPS FAIL: A New Roadmap for Entrepreneurial Success. Tom Eisenmann: https://amzn.to/3Dmxqkl Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo We use affiliate links whenever possible (if you purchase items listed above using our affiliate links, we will get a bonus).

7 Sep 202148min

168: Jeff Kavanaugh, Unleashing your employees

168: Jeff Kavanaugh, Unleashing your employees

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 168, an episode with Jeff Kavanaugh. Get Jeff's new book here: https://amzn.to/3Bfd8Hr Jeff Kavanaugh is the global head for Infosys Knowledge Institute - the research and thought leadership arm of global IT powerhouse Infosys, a leader in digital services and consulting. Aside from speaking on conferences, he also teaches at the Business School of University of Texas at Dallas as an adjunct professor. He serves on boards of the Institute of Business Analytics at Indiana University, and the Marketing Analytics Advisory Board at the University of Texas at Dallas. He is the author of the best-selling book Consulting Essentials. THE LIVE ENTERPRISE: Create a Continuously Evolving and Learning Organization. Jeff Kavanaugh: https://amzn.to/3Bfd8Hr Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo We use affiliate links whenever possible (if you purchase items listed above using our affiliate links, we will get a bonus).

2 Sep 202157min

167: Mike Zani, How data science could boost your workforce

167: Mike Zani, How data science could boost your workforce

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 167, an episode with Mike Zani. Get Mike's new book here: " data-userid="751940007443001344" data-orgid= "751940008097312768">https://amzn.to/3kskiBp Mike Zani is the CEO of The Predictive Index, a platform that is dedicated to talent optimization using over 60 years of proven science and software. They help businesses in creating high-performing teams, making objective hiring decisions, and inspiring greatness in people. They have 8,000+ clients that includes Bain Capital, Blue Cross Blue Shield, DoorDash, LVMH, Nissan, Omni Hotels, and VMware. In this episode, Mike talks about building effective teams, preparing companies for the future of work, developing strategies for long-term success, and more. THE SCIENCE OF DREAM TEAMS: How Talent Optimization Can Drive Engagement, Productivity, and Happinessby Mike Zani. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo We use affiliate links whenever possible (if you purchase items listed above using our affiliate links, we will get a bonus).

31 Aug 202150min

166: Tesla, Elon Musk, and the bet of the century. Tim Higgins (WSJ reporter)

166: Tesla, Elon Musk, and the bet of the century. Tim Higgins (WSJ reporter)

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 166, an episode with Tim Higgins. Get Tim's new book here: https://amzn.to/3BiHWai Tim Higgins is a reporter for The Wall Street Journal. He writes about tech and auto companies, mostly about Apple and Tesla. You can see him regularly on CNBC as an on-air contributor. Prior to this, he worked for Bloomberg News as writer for the Businessweek magazine. Throughout his career of covering big businesses and US Politics, he has won multiple Society of American Business Editors and Writers, Inc. (SABEW) Awards, has received honorable mention from Loeb Awards, and has been a five-time finalist for the Livingston Awards. POWER PLAY: Tesla, Elon Musk, and the Bet of the Century. Tim Higgins: https://amzn.to/3BiHWai Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo We use affiliate links whenever possible (if you purchase items listed above using our affiliate links, we will get a bonus).

28 Aug 202149min

165: Rob Lachenauer, How family businesses span generations

165: Rob Lachenauer, How family businesses span generations

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 165, an episode with Rob Lachenauer. Get Rob's new book here: https://amzn.to/3iRZ531 Rob Lachenauer is a Managing Partner and the founding CEO of BanyanGlobal. He has been both a consultant and entrepreneur throughout his career. He was a Vice President and Director of BCG for 9 years where he helped multi-national companies plan and implement strategies. He has also worked with family businesses throughout the world by helping them with decision-making while strengthening family relationships. Rob has frequently contributed to the Harvard Business Review, which includes "Making Better Decisions in Your Family Business," "What Happens When You Lose Your Mentor," and "Why I Hired an Executive with a Mental Illness." He also co-authored Hardball: Are You Playing to Play or Playing to Win? with George Stalk. HBR FAMILY BUSINESS HANDBOOK: How to Build and Sustain a Successful, Enduring Enterprise. Rob Lachenauer: https://amzn.to/3iRZ531 Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo We use affiliate links whenever possible (if you purchase items listed above using our affiliate links, we will get a bonus).

1 Aug 202156min

164: Josh Baron, Family business during the pandemic

164: Josh Baron, Family business during the pandemic

Welcome to. Strategy Skills episode 164, an episode with Josh Baron. Get Josh's new book here: " data-userid="751940007443001344" data-orgid= "751940008097312768">https://amzn.to/3iRZ531 Josh Baron is a partner and co-founder of BanyanGlobal, a professor at Columbia Business School, a thought leader and author of Harvard Business Review Family Business Handbook: How to Build and Sustain a Successful, Enduring Enterprise (HBR Handbooks). He has worked closely with family-owned companies, foundations and offices for over a decade now. He has been helping these families define their purpose as owners and establish strategies to accomplish their goals. He is also teaching MBA courses on Family Business Management and Managing Conflict in Family Business. He has also written articles for The Huffington Post, Trust & Estates Magazine, and Family Business Magazine, among others. HBR FAMILY BUSINESS HANDBOOK: How to Build and Sustain a Successful, Enduring Enterprise. Josh Baron: https://amzn.to/3iRZ531 Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo We use affiliate links whenever possible (if you purchase items listed above using our affiliate links, we will get a bonus).

31 Juli 20211h 3min

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