Picture a woman entering a meeting room, standing tall, walking with confidence and composure, and greeting the other attendees with a warm, engaging smile.

Picture this: You're part of a project team trying to come up with a solution to a critical challenge. Without a facilitator, the conversation jumps from topic to topic. Some voices are louder than others, and the team leaves without any clear consensus or actionable takeaways.

In the nearly 40 years since PowerPoint was released, there have been countless books, webinars, and workshops on how to use it (and other similar tools) to create eye-catching, effective presentations.

Decades ago, I worked with an incredibly articulate executive who was always cool and composed when he presented. He had a tendency, however, to click his heels periodically while talking. 

by Carrie Beckstrom, Chief Executive Officer, PowerSpeaking, Inc.

Last year I had the privilege of introducing a number of speakers at the Women in Tech World Series conferences. All the speakers were powerful. When it comes to courage, however, there was one woman who stood out above all the rest.

I’ve said over and over throughout my career that improving your communication skills is a lifetime journey. You can never refine them too much.

I want to tell you a story about the importance of connecting as humans at the start of a meeting.

In May of 2022 our executive team gathered to talk about budgets. I was so deep in task mode when the meeting started, that I dove immediately into the topics at hand.

As more Fortune 500 companies issue sweeping edicts making a return to the office mandatory, I confess, I’m surprised—and disappointed. 

What is it that makes us decide it’s time to rethink our professional or personal goals? An unsatisfying job? A career that no longer feels “right”? A nagging sense that we’d like to contribute more to solving community—even global—issues?

The world is changing, and so are stakeholders’ expectations for communication from the C-suite. Today, employees, customers, and partners demand a new level of authenticity, transparency, and engagement from business leaders.