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What does it really mean to communicate with impact?
In this conversation with Andrea Wojnicki, executive communication coach and Harvard Business School PhD, we look at a topic that sits at the heart of leadership- how you communicate in a way that influences others, builds credibility and ultimately drives results.
As we explored, impact is not about speaking more, but helping others think differently or take action. Whether that is contributing in a meeting, influencing a decision, or progressing your career, your communication is a critical lever.
Andrea shares a clear and practical framework to understand how impact is built, and importantly, where most leaders get stuck.
At the centre of this conversation is a simple but powerful idea- impact is not the starting point, it is the outcome of building strong foundations.
What you will learn in this episode:
- What impactful communication means and how it shows up in leadership
- Andrea’s leadership presence framework
- Why early career professionals focus on speaking up, while senior leaders elevate their brevity and precision
- The shift from executive presence to leadership presence, and why language matters
- How to think about personal branding as your professional identity
- Andrea’s simple three-step framework to introduce yourself with confidence
- Why clarity is becoming increasingly important
One of the most important takeaways from this episode is that many leaders are trying to jump straight to impact, without strengthening the layers beneath it.
Strong communication foundations build confidence. Confidence strengthens how others perceive your credibility. Credibility then enables you to have real impact.
Another important shift is moving away from trying to be a ‘better’ communicator and instead focusing on being ‘distinct’. Your accent, your background and your experiences are not limitations, they are part of your value.
And finally, effective communication is not about saying more. In fact, at senior levels, it is often about saying less, but with greater clarity and precision.
Are you trying to sound like someone else, or are you leaning into what makes you unique?
How confident do you feel introducing yourself?
What is one way you could simplify and sharpen your communication this week?
Find out more:
Episode overview:
Impactful Communication Starts with what Makes you Different
What does it actually mean to communicate with impact?
It is a phrase that gets used often, but is rarely defined clearly. In my recent conversation with Andrea Wojnicki, executive communication coach and Harvard Business School PhD, we cut through the noise and focused on what really matters. Impact is not about speaking more, or sounding impressive. It is about helping others to think differently or take action.
That might be contributing a question in a meeting that shifts the conversation. It might be influencing a decision. It might be positioning yourself for a promotion. Impact shows up in many ways, but the common thread is this- something changes because of how you communicate.
Impact is built, not performed
One of the most useful frameworks Andrea shared is that impact sits at the top of the pyramid in the Leadership Presence Framework. At the foundation are your communication skills, then comes confidence, next credibility, and then finally you reach impact.
This is where many leaders get frustrated. They are aiming for impact, but skipping the layers that make it possible. If your communication lacks clarity, your confidence will waver. If your confidence is inconsistent, your credibility will be questioned, and without credibility, your message simply will not land.
The shift here is to stop trying to ‘perform’ impact, and instead build it deliberately, step by step.
The challenge changes as you grow
Another insight that stood out is how communication challenges evolve over time. Earlier in your career, the challenge is often about speaking up, finding your voice, contributing in meetings and overcoming hesitation.
As you become more senior, the challenge flips- it is no longer about saying more, in fact, it is about saying less, but with greater precision. Senior leaders are not rewarded for volume, but are recognised for clarity, brevity and judgement. That is a very different skill set, and one that requires conscious development.
Rethinking leadership presence
We also explored the idea of executive presence, or as Andrea reframes it, leadership presence, something I very much align with. For many people, the term ‘executive presence’ carries baggage- it can feel like a narrow, outdated model of leadership that does not reflect who they are.
Leadership presence, on the other hand, feels more accessible – it’s how you show up, communicate, and build trust and credibility in your own way. There is no single mould, and that matters, particularly in global and diverse environments where different styles of leadership are both valid and necessary.
Your uniqueness is your advantage
One of the most powerful parts of the conversation was around personal branding, which is often misunderstood. People associate it with self-promotion, or with needing to ‘sell’ themselves, and feel uncomfortable.
However, a more useful way to think about it is your professional identity, and you get to choose whether you actively shape it or not, as people are forming perceptions of you all the time.
So, the key is not to aim to be better than others, but to be clear on what makes you distinct. Andrea shared a brilliant thought in this part of the conversation, “Unique is better than better”.
Your background, your experiences, even the areas you may have previously seen as limitations, can become your strongest differentiators when you frame them intentionally.
A simple way to introduce yourself with impact
Andrea is known for her practical approach to introducing yourself, and she recommends this three-part structure: Present, past, future.
First, start with who you are today, your current role or expertise.
Then share relevant past experience that builds your credibility.
Finally, say something about the future, ideally connected to the person or situation in front of you, and how you are looking forward to the next steps.
It is simple, flexible and highly effective, and importantly, it allows you to adapt your message depending on your audience.
Clarity is becoming a competitive advantage
One final point that is becoming increasingly important is clarity, something I highlight as a pillar in my work as well.
We are all operating in an environment of constant information overload, attention spans are shorter, and expectations are higher. So, leaders who can communicate clearly and concisely have a significant advantage.
This does not mean stripping out all detail, but intentionally choosing what matters, and expressing it in a way that others can absorb and act on.
Where are you currently in your impact journey: building foundations, confidence, credibility or impact?
How clear and concise is your communication, particularly in high-stakes situations?
What is one area of your communication that, if improved, would have the greatest impact?
Next steps
If you take one action from this, make it practical.
Refine your self-introduction using the present, past, and future structure. Test it, adapt it, make it your own.
Then identify one area where you can simplify your communication this week- say less, but make it count.
If you want to explore how to strengthen your leadership communication and increase your impact, reach out to me on LinkedIn. I would love to hear what resonated with you and continue the conversation about helping you to elevate your impact.
Impact is not about doing more. It is about communicating with intention.
