Years ago, I was in a productivity bootcamp chasing every tool and hack. Then the leader threw us a curveball: "You need a bigger purpose to drive all this."

When I took my Kindergarten class photo, they said “1…2…3…” and right before the flash, I flipped it all over my face to hide. I was a shy kid.

When I first started presenting and facilitating in C-suite rooms and on bigger stages, I learned that being perfectly polished in my delivery left people checked out and took away from my credibility and influence.

That’s the first thing leaders tell me after we start working on expanding their executive presence. And it makes sense because the process can be uncomfortable, especially at first.