How to Make Your Ideas Land in High-Stakes Rooms (A Leadership Presence Guide)

Your ideas are right but not landing. Learn how Communication by Design™ helps you translate your message so you're heard—without changing who you are.

"How you're experienced matters."

"Leadership is felt long before it is heard."

"Presence is built, not born."

"Your leadership presence should feel like you—not a persona."

"When you feel like you, you lead like you."

I work with smart, capable women who walk out of meetings thinking, "I said that exact thing 20 minutes ago."

You know the feeling.

You share a sharp insight, it passes by quietly, then someone else repeats it and suddenly the whole room lights up.

You're not confused about your capability. Your track record is solid. You deliver results.

Yet in high-stakes rooms, you can feel yourself:

Making yourself smaller to keep the peace
Second-guessing whether to speak up
Overthinking everything, from your slide deck to your outfit

Here's the truth I want you to anchor into:

How you're experienced matters.

From expert to executive, the gap is rarely your skill. The real gap is leadership presence—how you're being experienced, which determines your influence, not what you're delivering.

In this article, I'm going to show you:

Why your ideas aren't landing, even when they're right
The four ways people actually process information in high-stakes rooms
How your natural communication blueprint shapes your leadership presence
How to translate your ideas so they land, without changing who you are

This is leadership work.

This is Communication by Design™—a core component of the DELIVER phase in my 3D Impact Framework™.

And you cannot outsource it.

Presence is built, not born.

When you feel like you, you lead like you.

Why Capability Isn't Your Real Barrier

If you're moving from expert to executive, or from respected operator to strategic leader, here's what often happens.

Your capability is proven.

You know your stuff.

You have the data, the insight, the experience.

Yet in the room, you notice:

You hesitate before sharing the hard truth
You speak, but the conversation moves on as if nothing was said
Your detailed work gets labelled as "too in the weeds"
Your strategic thinking gets written off as "not practical"

You know you belong at that table and have the credibility, but something isn't landing.

Most women are told this is a confidence problem or a presence problem.

So you're told to improve your communication skills:

Be more concise
Be more strategic
Cut the detail
Get to the point

Helpful on the surface, useless in practice—because no one teaches you how to communicate effectively without losing yourself.

What's really happening is this:

Leadership is felt long before it is heard.

Your audience isn't only listening to what you say.

They're processing how you say it, and whether it matches how they take in information when the stakes are high.

If you care about leadership presence, this is where it becomes real.

To fix the gap, we have to look beyond the outfit and the title, and into how your message lands.

Visual Communication vs Verbal Delivery: The Full Picture

I talk a lot about visual communication.

Your style, how you enter a room, your grooming, your posture, your overall vibe.

All of that shapes your first impression and signals your leadership presence before you say a word.

But here's the part many people skip.

You can:

Walk in looking aligned with your leadership brand
Sit tall, hold eye contact, own the room visually
Feel confident in what you're wearing

...and still walk out unheard.

Why?

Because visual presence is only half the equation.

The other half is verbal communication:

How you structure your ideas
How your words land in the room
How easy it is for others to follow your communication
How your message feels in their body, not just in their mind

You can look like the leader, sound like the expert, and still miss the mark if your communication design isn't aligned with how your audience processes information.

When there's a mismatch:

Brilliant strategy gets dismissed as "not practical"
Detailed insight gets labelled "too in the weeds"
You walk out thinking, "I literally said that earlier—why did it only land when someone else repeated it?"

This isn't about changing who you are.

It's about learning to translate between your natural way of communicating and the way your audience is wired to receive information.

That translation is what makes you impossible to ignore.

The Four Ways People Process Information

Professional coaching programs teach that people take in information through four main channels—fundamental to effective communication.

Active listening helps you tune into the fact that, in any high-stakes moment, your audience is usually favouring one of these channels more than the others:

Visual
Auditory
Kinesthetic
Auditory-digital

Over time, we all use a mix.

In the moment though—especially in board meetings or executive presentations—one channel tends to lead.

This isn't a personality label. I'm not saying, "You are visual, you are kinesthetic."

I'm talking about how people process information in a specific moment. This requires awareness of your audience's processing preferences right then.

Let's break each one down.

1. Visual Processors: They Need to See It

Visual processors are building pictures in their mind as you speak.

They want structure they can see and concepts that feel clear.

They respond to:

Strong visual language
Clear frameworks
Headline then detail

Phrases that work well:

"Picture this..."
"Here's what this looks like across the next 12 months..."
"Imagine the organisation as a series of blocks. Right now, this block is out of place."

If you speak in a long, wandering story with no visual anchor, they tune out.

They're not bored. They just can't see what you're saying, so it's hard to trust it.

2. Auditory Processors: They Tune Into How It Sounds

Auditory processors pay attention to tone, rhythm, and the quality of your voice.

For them, it's not only what you say—it's how you say it.

They notice:

Shifts in your energy
Speed and pacing
Where your voice drops or sharpens

Common phrases you'll hear from them:

"That really resonates."
"I hear what you're saying."
"That sounds right to me."

If your words are correct but your tone is flat, harsh, or uncertain, an auditory processor will feel something is off—even if your content is excellent.

Leadership is felt long before it's heard, and for these people, it literally starts in the sound of your voice.

3. Kinesthetic Processors: They Need to Feel It

Kinesthetic processors need to feel the message in their body or their emotions.

They're looking for:

Tangible examples
Clear actions and decisions
Something they can touch, test, or notice in real life

They light up when you use phrases like:

"When you implement this, here's what you'll notice first..."
"Let's get a handle on this."
"You'll feel the shift in your team within the first two weeks."

If you only give numbers and abstract theory to a kinesthetic processor, you'll lose them.

They want to know, "What will this change in my day, my team, my outcomes?"

4. Auditory-Digital Processors: They Need Logic and Structure

Auditory-digital processors are building a mental framework as you speak.

They need your idea to make sense.

They look for:

Sequence
Process
Clear criteria
Step-by-step reasoning

Phrases that work for them:

"Here's how this adds up."
"Let me break this down systematically for you."
"First, second, third—then we decide."

Traits you'll notice:

They ask clarifying questions
They want to know how you got to your conclusion
They need to see the logic, not just the emotion or the story

When you give them only emotion or vague inspiration, they see you as "not strategic enough"—even when your instincts are dead right.

Mismatches: Why Great Ideas Get Ignored

Here's where it gets interesting.

You also have a natural way of communicating—a channel and style that feels most like you.

When your natural design doesn't match the channel your audience is using in that moment, you get a translation gap.

That gap sounds like:

"Too in the weeds."
"Not strategic enough."
"Hard to follow."
"Undermines your credibility."

Some classic mismatch examples:

You deliver detailed, logical analysis to a room full of kinesthetic processors who want to feel the effect. You get labelled "too in the weeds."
You tell rich, story-driven examples to an auditory-digital leader who wants clear steps. They decide you're "not strategic enough."
You rely on emotional tone and inspiration with visual processors who want sharp structure. The message is strong, but they can't see what you're saying.

The strategy is sound. The idea is right. The delivery is authentic. But the room doesn't take it in.

And then the really unhelpful feedback arrives:

"Be more concise."
"Lift to the big picture."
"Have more gravitas."

You're not being told how to do that while staying true to yourself.

So you try to be someone else in the room. You water down your detail, you cut the story, you flatten your natural voice. You leave feeling like you were wearing a mask.

This is the cost of ignoring communication design. Not because you're not capable, but because you're not translating your communication.

Discover Your Natural Communication Blueprint

Every leader I work with builds awareness of their communication blueprint.

A natural way—aligned with your core values—you're wired to express yourself.

You weren't taught this at school.

You weren't taught this in your grad program.

You were probably told to copy whatever style was rewarded in your organisation.

I see patterns repeat across women in leadership.

You might recognise yourself in one or more of these:

Innovation and possibility: you see what's next long before others do
Emotional resonance and tone: your voice carries meaning beyond the words
Refined expertise and precision: you see details others miss and care about accuracy
Spontaneous, in-the-moment insight: your best thinking happens live in the room
Elegant simplicity: you turn complexity into clear, simple ideas
Focused vision and rallying energy: you point people towards what's next and pull them with you
Teaching through experience and reflection: you bring grounded wisdom and lessons learned
Storytelling and narrative: you connect ideas through real stories
Organising and clarifying information: you turn chaos into ordered thinking
Guiding through resources and timing: you know what's needed and when

You may feel one of these strongly.

You may be a blend of a few.

I sometimes describe this as your human design for communication.

It sits underneath your words and shapes your leadership brand.

Here's the problem.

When you ignore that blueprint and try to force yourself into a style that isn't yours, three things happen:

You feel fake—like you're performing someone else.
You become tiring to listen to, because the audience can sense the disconnect.
You keep getting vague feedback like "more confidence" or "more gravitas" that doesn't help you shift anything real.

This is especially sharp when you're developing your presence:

From expert to executive
From business owner to CEO
From behind the scenes to the front of the room

At that level, how you're experienced becomes as important as what you deliver.

You can't afford to park your natural design at the door.

Your job is to use it on purpose in your leadership.

The Breakthrough: Translate Without Changing Who You Are

You don't need to become someone else to be heard at the leadership table.

You don't need to dumb down your detail.

You don't need to cut every story.

You don't need to copy the loudest voice in the room.

You need to learn to translate.

Your leadership presence should feel like you—not a persona.

The 3 Keys to Communication by Design™

There are three core pieces to this work:

Know your natural communication design How are you authentically wired to express yourself? Where do you default under pressure?
Read the four processing channels in the room In this moment, what does this audience need? To see, to hear, to feel, or to understand the logic?
Translate your message without losing yourself Keep your voice, your value, your insight—and shift the way you deliver it so it lands for them.

This isn't "fake it till you make it."

This isn't performance.

This is strategic—and deeply authentic.

Let me show you how this works in practice.

Example 1: Precision to Kinesthetic

Say your natural design is detail and precision.

You see data patterns, risks, and nuances others miss. That level of detail is your edge.

You're presenting to a room of kinesthetic processors who need to feel the effect and see the action.

Here's the difference:

Version	How You Might Say It	How It Lands
Default precision	"The data shows a 23 per cent variance in Q3 metrics that correlates with implementation timelines, which suggests we need to revisit phase two criteria."	Accurate, but feels abstract and heavy. Kinesthetic leaders switch off and label it "too in the weeds."
Translated for kinesthetic	"When we roll this out, the first thing you'll notice in Q3 is a gap between what we expected and what actually happens. That gap is our early warning that we need to adjust our approach before we move to the next phase."	Same insight, but now they can feel what will happen and see the action.

You didn't lose your precision.

You translated it into experience and action language.

Example 2: Storytelling to Auditory-Digital

Now imagine your natural design is storytelling.

You explain ideas through people, moments, and lived examples.

You're presenting to an auditory-digital CEO who needs clear structure and logic.

Here's how you shift:

Version	How You Might Say It	How It Lands
Default story	You launch into a rich story with detail about a client, their journey, and all the twists and turns —but you only share the point at the very end.	Engaging, but the auditory-digital leader feels lost and decides it's "not strategic."
Translated for auditory-digital	"There are three key lessons here. First, we moved too fast on hiring. Second, we didn't have clear criteria. Third, we waited too long to reset expectations. Let me give you a quick example that shows all three."	The structure lands first, then the story backs it up. They can follow your logic and see you as strategic.

Same you.

Same story.

Same emotional quality.

The only thing that changed is the architecture around it.

That's what translation looks like.

You stay you.

You meet your audience where they are.

High-Stakes Rooms Where This Matters Most

This work matters in every room, but it becomes non-negotiable in high-stakes spaces like:

Board meetings: time is limited and every word shapes perception
Strategy sessions: you're no longer just the expert—you're the leader setting direction
Executive presentations: you're being assessed on how you show up, not just what's on the slide

When you don't understand your communication design and your audience's processing channels, you:

Walk out thinking, "I said that, and it didn't land."
Start shrinking yourself—speaking less, waiting for the perfect moment that never comes
Overthink every word, every outfit, every slide
Get passed over for leadership opportunities because people don't experience you as a strategic leader

How you're experienced matters.

You can't outsource presence.

When you align:

How you show up visually
How you speak
How your audience processes information

...you stop blending in and become impossible to ignore.

Close the Gap: Your Next Steps

If you're honest, you probably know this gap is costing you.

Not because you're not good enough, but because your presence hasn't caught up with your capability.

Here's what I want you to remember:

The gap isn't your capability
The gap isn't even your confidence
The real gap is your communication design—visual and verbal

When you learn to work with it, you move from:

Valued for execution → positioned for strategy
Behind the scenes → the front of the room
Respected → remembered

Work With Me on Your Leadership Presence

If you're in that transition from expert to strategic leader and you're tired of feeling like something isn't landing, it's time to get specific.

We can:

Map your natural communication design
Identify the exact rooms where the gap is costing you—board meetings, strategy sessions, executive presentations
Build a translation roadmap so you walk in clear, grounded, and impossible to ignore

Book Your Leadership Presence Strategy Call

Resources to Deepen Your Presence

Private Podcast: If you want to deepen your leadership presence privately—reconnect with how you want to be seen so your presence reflects your core values, not just what you do: Own The Room

Wardrobe Checklist: If your wardrobe isn't matching your leadership brand yet: Download the Checklist

Full Services: Explore my programs and services: View Services

Watch the Episode

If you prefer video, watch the podcast episode this blog was based on—where I walk through Communication by Design™, the four processing channels, and how to translate your message without losing yourself:

Stay Connected

I love hearing how you're applying this in real rooms.

Share this with another woman who's ready to stop shrinking in rooms she's already earned her place in.

You don't need more proof of your capability.

You need your leadership presence to reflect it.

Key Takeaways

The real gap is rarely capability—it's how you're experienced in the room.
People process information through four main channels: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and auditory-digital. In high-stakes moments, they favour one.
You have a natural communication blueprint. Forcing yourself into someone else's pattern creates disconnect and weakens your presence.
The goal isn't to change who you are—it's to translate your natural design into the channel your audience is using.
Communication by Design™ is part of the DELIVER phase in the 3D Impact Framework™—where leadership becomes felt by others.
When you align visual presence, verbal communication, and audience processing, you stop blending in and become impossible to ignore.