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In this latest podcast episode, I’m joined by the straight-talking Laura Barber, founder of Ripple Impact, brand storyteller and experienced brand and insight strategist with 22+ years of experience in global multibillion-dollar businesses.
We explore confidence, the evolving nature of leadership across multinational corporations and entrepreneurial ventures, and why authenticity and cultural intelligence are your greatest assets in developing meaningful communication.
Laura shares practical, down-to-earth advice on pushing beyond your comfort zone, mastering the physicality of confidence, and stepping into leadership without waiting for titles or validation. We also explore the power of storytelling in leadership and the importance of empathy and connection in today’s global business landscape.
What you will learn in this episode:
- Why confidence is a practice, not an automatic state, and how to build it deliberately
- How to use body language and physical presence to project and cultivate confidence
- The myth that extroversion defines leadership, and how authenticity is your unique leadership superpower
- The critical role of storytelling and empathy in communication
- How to stop waiting for permission and start leading now
Reflection questions:
- In what ways are you currently stepping outside your comfort zone to grow your confidence?
- What physical practices might you incorporate to help project confidence in challenging situations?
- Where in your leadership journey are you waiting for permission, and how can you shift that into action?
Laura Barber is the founder of The Ripple Impact, advising businesses on brand strategy and insights taken from her 22+ years of experience in global multibillion-dollar businesses, including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Walgreens Boots and General Mills.
At The Ripple Impact, she helps ambitious brands unlock the power of their story and strategy so they can make waves in their industry. They partner with visionary founders, leaders and teams to uncover the deep insights, bold thinking, and human truths that shape how brands show up in the world. Whether you’re scaling a startup, evolving your positioning, or launching something new, they help you connect the dots and create impact that lasts.
She is also the host of The Ripple Impact podcast, where she goes under the surface of the human stories, those ripple moments that have created waves in business and in life.
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Episode overview:
In this blog, based on the recent podcast episode, I had a fascinating conversation with Laura Barber, founder of Ripple Impact, brand storyteller and experienced brand and insight strategist with 22+ years of experience in global multibillion-dollar businesses.
We talked about developing your confidence muscles, how to be genuinely more authentic in your leadership, the power of storytelling and connection, and why people should stop waiting for permission, and start leading now.
Here are the key topics we explored, followed by questions to help you reflect, and develop your own ripple impact.
Confidence is a Muscle to be Developed, Not Innate
One of the biggest misconceptions about leadership is that confidence simply appears overnight. It doesn’t. Confidence is a muscle you build gradually by pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone. Whether that’s speaking up in meetings, volunteering for challenging projects, or asking questions even when you feel unsure, growth happens through the consistent small steps.
It’s not about faking it till you make it. Instead, it’s about nudging yourself into uncomfortable spaces where you learn and grow. Practising leadership presence is as important, using your posture, voice projection, and physicality all influence how confident you feel and come across to others. Research shows that adopting a “power pose,” like the superhero stance, can genuinely help you feel stronger and more confident before stepping into challenging situations.
Authenticity is Your Leadership Superpower
There’s a persistent myth that to be a successful leader you must be an extrovert. However, whether you’re introverted, extroverted, or somewhere in between, the power of leadership lies in being authentically you. Authenticity builds trust, credibility, and influence in a way that trying to be someone else never will.
Global leadership today requires us to find our own voice, clear, values-driven, and grounded in what motivates and inspires us. When you lead with authenticity, your communication becomes more impactful, and your career growth will follow.
Leadership in a Fast-Changing Global Environment
Leading within multinational organisations is very different from leading as a founder or in smaller, founder-led businesses. Large corporations often rely on structures, governance, and processes that at times can slow down decision-making. By contrast, entrepreneurs and founders have the agility to listen deeply, flex rapidly, and adapt their leadership in real time.
This agility is vital for leaders navigating today’s fast-paced business environment, especially with emerging technologies like AI reshaping how we work. True leadership impact now depends on our ability to combine technical advances with human qualities, such as empathy, nuance, compassion, and cultural intelligence.
Understanding the cultural nuances of communication is a critical part of this. Different cultures have varying behavioural norms around hierarchy, power distance, and individualism or collectivism, which influence how leaders and teams can successfully communicate and connect. Developing cultural intelligence enhances your global leadership effectiveness and helps build genuine influence across diverse teams.
The Power of Storytelling and Connection
Effective leadership communication goes beyond sharing more information or another update. It’s about storytelling that connects authentically with people. Leaders who can share their journey, values, and vision in a way that resonates on a human level create deeper engagement and lasting influence.
For founders, this often means transforming personal lived experience into a compelling brand story. For leaders in larger organisations, it involves orchestrating a consistent and authentic brand voice across thousands of employees and touchpoints, much like conducting an orchestra where each instrument plays its part harmoniously.
Stop Asking for Permission, Start Leading Now
Leadership is not about titles or waiting for permission, it’s about influence and inspiring others, wherever you are in your career. You don’t need a formal leadership role to step up, and you can start from the earliest stages. Begin by leaning in, asking questions, volunteering for projects outside your comfort zone, and expanding into your confidence.
The growth you’ll experience from pushing through your uncertainty will be exponential. With time and practice, confidence builds, your voice strengthens, and your impact multiplies.
Reflection Questions
- How are you currently pushing yourself out of your comfort zone to develop your confidence as a leader?
- In what ways can you use more storytelling to inspire and connect with those around you?
- How well do you understand the cultural nuances that affect communication within your global teams?
- Where in your career or leadership journey are you still waiting for permission, and how can you shift to leading proactively today?
