Here. Why and how to advocate and use your
voice for yourself, especially if you're in
corporate. You're going to love this
conversation with our guest, Laura Camacho,
on this episode of the Speaking Your Brand
podcast. More and more women are making an
impact by starting businesses, running for
office, and speaking up for what matters.
With my background as a TV political
analyst, entrepreneur, and speaker, I
interview and coach purpose driven women to
shape their brands, grow their companies,
and become recognized as influencers in
their field. This is speaking your brand,
your place to learn how to persuasively
communicate your message to your audience.
If you are new to speaking your brand,
welcome. If you are returning, welcome back!
I am Diane Diaz and I am lead speaking coach
with speaking your brand.
Now, before I was a speaking coach, I worked
in corporate for many years and honestly,
um, to some degree, that time in corporate
was a struggle because I didn't really know
how to leverage my position or work through
challenges or even really how to identify
anything that might be kind of keeping me
from reaching my goals or holding me back.
And maybe sometimes my challenges with that
were internal with myself.
Maybe I was holding myself back, but I
certainly did not know how to navigate that.
I didn't really know where to get the
resources to do that.
And maybe you're in the same position.
Maybe you're someone who's working in
corporate and you are working your way up
the corporate ladder, but you're looking for
ways to sort of get more action with the
work that you're doing, move up in the
company, get those roles that you want, but
you might be feeling a little bit of
resistance. Things are holding you back.
You're not sure what they are, not even sure
how to identify those.
Well, if you fall into that category, you
are in the right place today because today's
guest, Laura Camacho, is going to share with
us all about that.
Laura is an executive communications
strategist who teaches highly intelligent,
high performers how to connect, engage, and
inspire people to improve business outcomes
and build culture.
Laura is also the host of the Speak Up
podcast, where she shares stories and
experiences of those in corporate on how
they made it, what they changed, and how
they can become more effective.
Welcome to the podcast, Laura.
Thank you Diane, it.
Is so good to see you.
And for everyone listening, I want you to
know that Diane was a guest on my podcast
and her episode was one of our most popular
guest episodes. So you can imagine how
excited I am to be here.
And one more thing.
When you were describing your corporate
experience, I was like, have you been
reading my bio, The unwritten part, because
that was my experience also, but I did.
I have been able to crack the code now that
I'm outside of it.
Yes, I think, you know, I think that's the
key, right? Is like once you get outside of
it, you can see the matrix, so to speak,
right? You can see what those challenges
are. And so and so.
I'm so glad you shared that. So yes, that is
how Laura and I have come to know each other
is that, you know, full disclosure, I have
listened to your podcast, Laura, for
probably about two years, and so I've been
listening to it.
I love the stories and I really relate to
them, because I did come from the corporate
space and I experienced many of those same
things. And I love to hear the stories of
people who've, like you said, have cracked
the code or just hear experiences and how
people have navigated those challenges.
So maybe we can start with if you could just
share with our listeners a little bit more
about you and kind of what your story is and
what you brought you to this point, and tell
us about the work that you do.
Oh, I'm happy to thank you, Diane, for
asking. And I have a very eclectic
background. So those of you who also have
eclectic backgrounds, maybe you're
bicultural, maybe you're from another
country, maybe you're from another industry
and you're new in the industry.
Maybe you're starting a side business.
All of those things, my friends, those are
assets. So.
But, but but it doesn't feel like it in the
moment. So yeah, I was always interested in
being an international businesswoman.
I was extremely fortunate that my
grandmother, who was born in 1917, uh, she
may she rest in peace.
She was friends with two women named Mary,
who both started multi-million dollar
companies. One was Mary Kay Ash of the um
cosmetics company, and she and Mary Kay Ash
actually worked together before Mary Kay
started Mary Kay.
And the other Mary was Mary Crowley, who
started a Home goods.
I mean home decorating, like we would call
it shallots, shotsky or just those little
things. But in the 50s and 60s, post World
War two, women were decorating their homes
and having more money to spend on the home.
And so they they both built up companies.
So I had that, you know, in my DNA.
I don't know if it's in my DNA, but I had
been hearing about that kind of thing from
the beginning, so I was like, well, heck
yeah, that's what I want.
I want to, you know, be.
But I wanted to be international.
I've always been fascinated by foreign
languages. So I double majored in Spanish
and economics and French and then minored in
French and business.
And then, you know, I got out job
interviewing and people would be like, why
do we want somebody who speaks Spanish?
Laura? Like, really?
Why would we want that?
This was a long time ago.
So it's a changed world.
So fast forward.
I married a Venezuelan, moved to Venezuela.
I had a lot of interesting jobs there.
One of that really kicked me into the
personal development space was being the
facilitator for the the seven Habits of
Highly Effective People in Spanish in
Caracas. And you know that it's really a
masterpiece by Stephen Covey as far as a
framework. And I've used that.
And then, you know, we ended up moving back
to the United States, had started like some
women, you know, following my husband,
changing my career to meet wherever we were
living at the time.
And we ended up in eastern North Carolina,
and I ended up teaching at East Carolina
University, and that's where I got my PhD.
And then 2009 happened, and I got my
defended my dissertation, and then shortly
thereafter got a nice email that all the
adjunct faculty would not be needed the
following year. And, uh, fortunately,
College of Charleston brought me to
Charleston. I'd already decided to go and
start that company that I'd been wanting to
start all these years.
And, um, so I did it.
And, you know, it was not a quick path to,
to riches.
It was a very slow and winding path.
And, um, that's, you know, I have three
kids, I have a stepdaughter, I have a couple
of grandchildren now.
So, you know, I did.
I can say I've had it all or I have it all,
but it wasn't all at the same time.
And it wasn't.
It wasn't easy. But it's been great, right?
Right.
Yeah. Well, thank you for sharing that.
So I think that, you know, it's it's
probably a common experience, at least from
what I have seen, that most people and so
forth speaking about women in general or
most of our audience is women.
Uh, that it's the career path is a winding
path. It's never a straight line.
And then you end up doing multiple things,
and then you get to a certain point in your
career where you start to recognize that,
hmm, maybe there is something else, and
maybe you aren't quite getting where you
want to be. And so so the work that what is
the work that you do now? Who do you work
with and how do you help them?
Okay, so I work I do coaching and training.
But my key, the my people are people who
struggle with awkwardness.
Uh, introverts, ambiverts nerds.
A lot of people that work in tech, I do a
lot of work with, you know, people in the
big companies of the tech industry.
I also work with local companies, But
everybody, you know, I work with people like
in finance and programming and insurance,
not usually sales people, unless I'm
teaching them how to give feedback because
they are they know how to schmooze, they
know how to talk.
I'm talking. I help people who don't know
how to talk, who it's not obvious how to see
certain things as assets.
Like I talked about in the beginning, you
know, those diverse experiences.
Nobody's going to say, wow, Laura, that's so
great that you speak Spanish and French and
some German and that you've lived in these
different countries. I think you could even
do this, you know, more elevated role.
No, that does not that is not what happens.
You have to see it and you have to be able
to sell the value.
Yes, yes, yes.
Now, when you and I talked about this, about
having you on the podcast, one of the things
that sparked my interest was your, um, your
comment about how you work with mid-career
women to help them figure out how they might
be self sabotaging.
And that really sparked my interest, because
it made me think back to the time when I was
in corporate.
And, you know, I think it's easy as a woman
in the corporate space at that level to, you
know, you might be able to see like, oh,
I've got these challenges. I can't break
past this glass ceiling, you know, those
sorts of things. But I think it's a little
bit harder to look internally because we
often can't identify the things we might be
doing. Not that it's our fault, but things
we might be doing or things that we can
change and that we have total control over
within ourselves that might be holding us
back. So what do you see as some of those
challenges that might hold back career
women, mid-career women that are keeping
them from getting to those goals and the
roles and the positions that they want to
reach?
Yes. I'm so glad you asked that, Diane.
And I think it's you know, it's a variety of
things, but I'm going to touch on the things
that I think are more impactful.
And, and, and it's almost like we've all
heard, well, what got you here won't get you
there. So it's kind of a variation of that.
It's also a variation of, well, I mean that,
that, that what brought you to success in
the past? Working hard, those deliverables
bright and shiny on time.
A little bit of extra like that brings you
some success, but I think think about it.
So in school, girls tend to outperform boys,
right? We tend to get better grades.
We get more degrees at every level.
Um, we outperform males in school pretty
solidly. And so imagine like I was listen to
this. Y'all are going to be so impressed.
I was valedictorian of my kindergarten.
I love it.
Yes, in Atlanta, Georgia.
I mean, I never reached that high level of
academic achievement again, but hey.
Hey, you still counts.
You still counts. Yeah, but it I mean, I
thrived when, you know, with a teacher
telling me what to, you know, what I needed
to turn in. What? What she wants in this
paper or what he wants on this test, like
over deliver or over deliver.
You know, you have to do some class
participation, but you don't have to really
go out of your comfort zone or you think
outside the box. In fact, you get rewarded
for, um, filling in the box, coloring inside
the lines. And and so since I'm working
with, you know, people who were very
successful in school and, you know, people
that get PhDs in data science or, uh,
machine learning or, you know, a lot just
extremely accomplished, super intelligent
women that are academic success does not
help us to promote ourselves in the in the
way that the corporate, the corporate world
is an entirely different ecosystem with
different incentive structures.
But if you are a successful student from
kindergarten through Masters, how many years
is that like 22 years.
Mhm. That's a lot of programming you know
think about it. And it's not just
programming, it's reward.
A Dean's List, tops.
Oh, your daughter is such a pleasure to
teach that kind of thing.
And I think I think that more than anything
else right now is what bites us in the butt,
so to speak. That's the way we say in South
Carolina. And I'm going to tell you how I
saw this, because I was a good student, and
then I was a teacher in the university for
nine years.
And so I remember as a student, those of you
who are good were good students, and I
imagine most people were pretty good
students that are listening.
But remember those not so good students who
would go to the teacher and like, ask for an
extension and ask for extra credit.
And I remember my disdainful younger self
being like, why don't you just study?
Why don't you just do what you're supposed
to do? And then I was on the teacher's side,
and I was on the receiving end of.
Oh, Doctor Camacho.
I just love your classes so much.
But I had this thing happen and this other
thing, and, wow, I would just really
appreciate it if I could just, you know,
have just a little bit extra time because I
really want to do a great job, you know?
Or as for just some version of that and it
works, even though I know that they're
buttering me up and asking, you know, for
something extra, it works.
And that was like, mind blowing is like, oh,
this is why some of my classmates from high
school who were not top students are
crushing it in their careers because they
know how to kind of ask for a little bit
more, you know, but in a good way, right?
Not just demanding it, but in a way that
establishes rapport. So what do you think
about that?
I think that that's a great observation,
because I think that this idea of
programming, you know, that we've all been
through for ever, it's really hard to shake
those things because it's the unknown.
Like, well, if I don't, you know, we've
we've been successful doing the thing we did
up to that point. Right?
Right, right. So if I don't do that, then
what's going to happen? The world's going to
fall apart. I'm going to lose my job.
Someone's going to reprimand me.
Whatever. Right. So we stay within that
programming. So I think that's a really keen
observation. And you're working with you.
You mentioned to me like these are
observations you've had by working with
mid-career women in high levels of tech
companies. And so exactly, if these
overachievers are struggling with this,
imagine how the rest of us not that I'm not
not that I'm not an overachiever, but.
Well, just everybody is dealing with it.
Right?
Everybody who's listening to this is by
definition an overachiever, because
otherwise they'd be listening to, you know,
As the World Turns, right?
Right. Or, you know, fashion, you know, my
favorite, uh, is fashion.
What are the fashion trends for next fall?
So, but, um, yes, we we are.
Even if you're not, you know, a brainiac, an
artificial intelligence.
I'm certainly not, um, at that level, but we
are all overachievers or we wouldn't be
listening to this and we wouldn't be
frustrated, you know, with with not getting
the recognition that we feel like we we have
earned. And it's the thing is, when you talk
to one person and you think, oh yeah, that
well, maybe this person just, you know,
isn't, um, speaking up appropriately or
maybe, you know, you just think of it, this
one person. But when you see it over and
over and over and over and over again, it's
like, wow, this is a this is it's a
programming problem.
And then another, you know, point to add on
to what you just said about not knowing or
recognizing the the gap, shall we say, is
that we also see these super annoying people
who dominate the meetings.
Speak up just to hear the sounds of their
voice. And we're like, well, alright, I
don't want to sound like Bob.
You know? Bob is just like has zero
self-awareness and is just constantly
chattering. I don't want to be.
So we get this false dichotomy that either
we're quiet and speak when we're spoken to
or, you know, I'm exaggerating a little bit,
but not grossly, or we're going to be
annoying.
Right. Yes, yes.
And so then we stay stuck because we don't
know what to do. And we are having this sort
of like existential crisis of like, well,
I've done all this stuff to get to this
point. I can't speak up and be loud.
So I'm just going to sort of play by the
rules. And at least this is what I
experienced is that I'm we're waiting for
someone to come along and tap us on the
shoulder and say, great job, great job for
coloring in the lines and doing all the
things you were supposed to do. Here's your
raise, here's your promotion.
And I mean, I was as guilty of that as
anybody. And so.
Mhm. So if that's sort of the common
experience then what are you seeing that,
that women might be able to do to sort of
break past that? How what are some tips you
have for how we can, you know, without, of
course, actually jeopardizing our jobs?
Like, how can we break through that and
still still meet all the requirements, but
be able to ask for what we want and get it?
Yes, I am so.
I'm so funny. I wrote some notes here and
number one was waiting for recognition.
Like that is number one thing because the
teachers gave it to us.
Even the really hard teachers we just
studied turning the thing and we got that A
or B plus anyway, you know so it and we're,
we're given these KPIs or metrics or OKRs,
whatever the the acronym of choice we hit
those. And the thing is we're not sometimes
we're not quote unquote perceived as
leadership. But here, here's the here's the
reality. It's not one thing.
It's not. Well, uh, Diane, all you need to
do is blah, blah, blah.
No, it's a lot of little things.
That's the way I teach it.
I don't know, maybe there's there's I'm sure
there are other ways. But as an introvert
who hates conflict, who, um, you know, I, I
know conflict is good, guys.
I do know that. But I, you know, like, I
it's uncomfortable philosophy.
I want us to get more impact out of the
conversations and the meetings and the
presentations that we're already having.
So we already are in these situations.
Let's make a lot of little changes.
And I'm going to tell you what those changes
are. But you have to see that this is this
is like stealth visibility.
Because if you just like radically change
your personality, first of all, it might not
feel authentic. And then you're going to
have need psychic psychological services
because I think, you know, trying to sustain
being someone you're not is probably not
very healthy. But you can be who you are,
but help other people to see the value that
you have to offer.
So, uh, here's, here's I'm going to give
kind of a lot of little things to do.
And one of them is maxing out the time with,
with your boss that your manager, that is
your number one relationship to manage.
And specifically in those one on ones, which
is your time.
It is your time.
It is not your boss's time.
It is your time.
And you know, I won't go into, you know, a
whole how to boss your boss.
But this is what I want you to start doing.
I want you to start feeding your boss some
of your wins, your accomplishments.
Every time you have a one on one.
And. And you're not even going to say, oh,
boss, I have these accomplishments.
I'm so proud. No, we're going to be more
clever than that. We're going to the boss is
going to say, hey, Diane, how are you?
And Diane's going to say, oh, boss, I am so
good. I'm so excited I got this thing done.
I solved this problem.
This client's now happy with us, and I
finished the budget. How about that?
I love that, I love that, yes.
Because you know what? High performers.
This is what we this is our kind of is the
is a good thing for the company.
But it's not good for us that once we
achieve something like that's that's ancient
history. Boring.
Bring me some new problems to solve.
I don't want to talk about it.
I don't want to spend time about it on that.
But if you train yourself with those one on
ones to bring those winds on a weekly basis,
you not only, uh, you know, remind your
boss, I say, giving the boss talking points
in case her boss says, oh, so what's going
on with Diane these days?
Mhm. And your boss says, oh yeah.
She just shared with me, you know, A, B and
C so, so you're doing that.
But you're also reminding yourself because
unless you're in sales or like actually in
the sausage factory making the sausages,
there's really not a metric that measures
your contribution.
Mhm. And you know out of anybody's top 20
priorities you're 21 on a good day as far as
you know all this promotion stuff and
recognition and bonuses Like, if you're not
speaking up, everybody assumes you're super
happy the way you are, that you're you
couldn't be more delighted with what you're
earning with your situation because you're
not nagging them.
You're not being annoying about it.
So I guess Diane really likes being, you
know, team lead. She's been team lead a long
time. She's a good team lead and she seems
to really enjoy it.
Oh my God, I this is mind blowing.
Just the idea of actually speaking up on
your own behalf is so powerful because, you
know, we talk on this, on this podcast all
about using your voice, you know,
championing a cause and, you know, telling
your story. And I think this goes along with
that and you're doing it for your own
personal brand building.
Because if you don't do that, like you said,
your boss is just going to assume that
you're happy, because why wouldn't they?
You're you have not said anything.
Exactly.
And so.
They're contemplating, you know, before they
go to bed. Well, was is Diane truly happy in
her position. Right.
No, no, no.
Even in any given meeting, I can promise you
everybody's thinking about lunch if their
Amazon package is going to arrive.
And why are you talking?
Right, right. Well, so I love this idea of
using your voice to speak up for yourself.
Yes. So. Yes.
Okay. And so what are some of the other tips
that you have.
So so that's number you've got to get that
you can.
Love that.
That's going to build the habit of you
mentioning your wins in a very, you know,
normal way.
Because a lot of you listening, I know you
and you're thinking, I don't want to sound
like arrogant. Yes, it doesn't sound
arrogant. And I'm going to demonstrate that.
But I want everybody to know that speaking
your brand is a lot bigger podcast than
mine. But, Diane, I want you to know that my
podcast just went from top 3% to top 2.5%.
I'm so proud of that.
You should be. That's fantastic.
Exactly. Does that sound like I'm bragging?
Not at all. You're just stating facts.
Exactly.
That's right. Exactly.
That's exactly. If you can back it up.
Like Muhammad Ali said, you are not
bragging. And not only that.
Not only that, folks, you are inspiring
other people. You are encouraging because
the word is going to get out.
You are bringing a level of energy and
positivity to a to a world that's very
anxious and depressed and overworked and
overwhelmed and exhausted.
Just by reminding people, hey, I solved this
problem. I got this thing done.
Isn't that great?
Yes, I think that's such a good point, too,
because I think you're also, when you do
that, you're inspiring those coming up
behind you. Yes, that it's okay to do that.
You're normalizing it for other women so
that they know this is what we do.
We tell others about our achievements.
Exactly. And that and so that that is you
know, that's a like a big mindset change.
Yeah. So another thing would be speaking up
in a meeting. So you need to and I know that
your team meetings you're fine.
You speak up all the time.
I'm talking about the meetings where you're
intimidated, where people, you know, 2 or 3
levels above you.
I want you to speak up in every single
meeting. And I'm going to I'm going to lay
it out for you. So it's not so hard.
I know, you know, ideally, if you had lots
of time to prepare and a copy of the agenda
two weeks in advance, it would be a lot
easier. But I'm going to assume that you
don't have all that, but you should know a
little bit about what the meeting is about.
You should be able to get an agenda, say, 24
hours in advance.
And I'm not talking about spending two hours
to prep, I'm talking about five minutes.
But you over time, this will get become
second nature. But you think, how can I move
the agenda forward?
Like that's your goal is to not to answer
questions that you're asked and not to speak
up, just to speak up, but to add value to
that meeting. And there's a whole boatload
of ways you can do that.
But you you need to know generally like what
is what are we trying to accomplish here?
And, and let's say it's a senior vice
president's meeting, and you have a vague
idea if you can get a hold of that person's
executive assistant, which they are usually
pretty accessible, that's a good source of
Intel. Your boss can be a source of Intel,
and they will be delighted if someone said,
hey, this meeting that we're going to, you
know, what's the like number one goal here?
I just want to get really clear so that the
fact that you even asked that shows that you
are wanting to give more value.
So all right, so you know what the goal is.
And you know, you know that connecting what
you know to that goal sometimes it's easy
and obvious and sometimes it's not.
But that's where you want to go.
But here's some easy ways.
Let's say that, you know, you don't really
see how your domain is going to move the
agenda for like, Laura, I'm they just asked
me to come so I would know what they're
talking about. Okay, fine.
So you we're just gonna I'm just going to
play your game and assume that you don't
have anything from your domain to offer.
You can still add value.
And here are some ways.
Let's say we're in the meeting.
And let's say Diane says makes a suggestion
that I think is really good.
So I say, oh, I'd like to second what Diane
said. I think that is a really good idea.
And then I you can add value to that by
saying because, because we've struggled with
that same problem on my team.
And I see that if we did what Diane is
saying, that would help us also.
Or I can say, you know, I like Diane's idea
and I think we could even change it and do
it faster or better or different, add a
little twist to it, but just affirming what
somebody said. First of all, how do you
think Diane's going to feel?
Really good. Yeah, exactly.
Reported. Exactly heard.
Yeah. And so if you do that for I don't care
if it's the highest ranking or the lowest
ranking person in the meeting, you affirm
and add to what somebody else has said.
That's a win win win.
It's a way for you to speak up, because part
of the whole problem is that your brain is
freezing because it's not.
You're not used to this and you're nervous.
So we need to train your brain, like to find
these small but impactful ways of
contributing. So affirm and add.
That is one way. Another way is simply
asking a question.
And I know you're thinking, well, Laura,
what if it's a dumb question?
Does it matter? Especially if you're new and
if you're a junior, your question is not
going to be considered dumb, but rather
showing interest. And I can remember
everyone is thinking about lunch.
Everyone is thinking about their Amazon
packages. So if you just ask them to restate
what they just said, half the people are
going to be like, oh, I'm glad she asked
that. Yes, yes.
Were they talking about I wasn't listening?
Right, exactly.
It seems like my package was just delivered.
So so adding a question, asking a question.
And and it could be just to make sure I
understand what we're going to do is A, B
and C. I just want to make sure I understand
that is a legit question.
And then finally another way to add value.
And I learned this from a guest on my
podcast a couple of years ago who was the
CTO of McDonald's.
And you know, McDonald's for fast food is
very advanced technology, technology
speaking. So he said, because I asked him
specifically, what does somebody in middle
management, what is something they can do to
add value to a senior executive meeting?
And he said, towards the end of the meeting,
you say, oh, excuse me, I'd like to recap,
You know what? I understand the top
takeaways from today's meetings that they're
A, B and C and that Bob is going to handle
this. And Diane's going to handle that and
that and that we're going to have follow up
in two weeks about this.
Did I get everything he said that is
reminding everybody, kind of, you know, what
what our business is, it's showing interest.
It's showing understanding.
It's showing that you care.
You're showing engagement.
And so there are there are three ways that
you can add value without really under even
understanding the nature of the business
being discussed. Yes.
Do you there are other ways, but that's your
low hanging fruit.
I love that. So, so far we've talked about.
Basically sharing with your boss what you've
accomplished, so speaking up on your own
behalf and speaking up in meetings to ask
questions to add value.
And so I love so far that these tips involve
basically using your voice and
communicating. And so what?
What are the other? Do you have other tips
of things that people can do to break
through this, you know, glass ceiling and
kind of get out of her own way?
Well, you need to build relationships.
You need to add value.
And that's what you need to think about.
What I find as far as the self-sabotage that
people are thinking, oh, should I speak up
or shouldn't I? What will they think that
that that we're thinking about it wrong.
It's just how can I add value?
So how do you add value?
You, uh, you know, recap add to what other
people said, but also something called, um,
like positive gossip.
Like if I tell, well, the mythical Bob, if I
say, I'll Bob, you know, Bob, I just want
you to know, I really enjoy working with
Diane. She always brings the best ideas.
Um, and I really think that she's adding a
lot of value to our company the way, because
she pays so much attention to the details,
that's a way of adding value.
Why? Because there's no matter how great the
culture is, there's a lot of negativity.
So you've got to find ways to speak up that
feel authentic, do not feel arrogant.
And so bragging on other people's
contributions is another way you can do
that. Asking for a skip meeting.
Some people don't even know what that is.
I didn't either, so no shame there.
A skip meeting is a meeting with your boss's
boss and some companies.
It's like, um, you know, of course you're
going to have a meeting every quarter or
every year, so people have never heard of
it. Your boss may have never heard of it.
You can say, hey, I heard it on this podcast
about a skip meeting.
Getting to know your boss's boss gives you
another perspective.
And and again, if you do get that skip
meeting, you're going to lead with your
wins. You're going to share your priorities
and you're going to ask for input.
You know, like what do you think?
Do you have any suggestions?
Is there something else I should be doing?
And then as far as another tip, you know, we
talked about, my thing is like take your
communication tasks that you already have
and make them better is improve your
presentations. Yes, friend.
You know, so many times people assume their
job is to fill up the time.
It is not to fill up the time or they think
that the more data the better.
No. Again, you just send people to the you
know, it's just like Xanax is they they're
just relaxing, thinking about what to order
for lunch. And you know, they just can't
take in information. So there are lots of
things you can do.
But it as far as your presentations, I think
it's and speaking up in meetings it's more
adding your opinion.
Mhm. Which.
Oh it's just my opinion Laura.
No but it's, it's, it's an informed opinion.
Right, right.
And that's where if you've worked in another
industry, if you were home with your kids a
couple of years, or if you were taking care
of a sick family member, if you were like, I
have a friend who spends six months of the
year like the summers homeschooling her kids
in countries like Morocco and Greece.
Like, I went to visit her in Morocco because
she was homeschooling her kids there for a
month. I mean, how cool is that?
Like if you take if you're able to take time
off from doing that, work it.
Think about what's something I saw in this
other country, in this other culture, or
this other job or this other company that's
relevant.
Yes.
It's really thinking it's like taking more
ownership. If I were the like, what would
help us do better?
Really, really.
Not just the, you know, the things that
we're supposed to be doing, you know, you
know, things, but you need to present them
in a way of think of it as like sprinkling,
not a one and done.
Yes, yes, yes, I love this.
And so I love that the theme of everything
that you're sharing and all of these tips is
really it all boils down to speaking up.
Yes it does.
Speaking up using your voice.
And I think I mean, I'll just use myself as
an example. That was probably my number one
thing that I did not do in my corporate time
waiting.
For them to ask you, right?
Just waiting around.
Which it never happened, which, as you
pointed out, why would it?
Because I seemed happy.
I kept doing the job right.
So. And great deliverables kept showing up,
kept performing, and so never asked for
anything. And also didn't get anything
because I didn't ask for it. So.
Exactly.
So to our audience out there, to Laura's
points, this idea of using your voice when
we when we share with you on speaking your
brand podcast about using your voice in
presentations and and your your talks that
you give and your signature talk, that
applies also to helping you position
yourself as a thought leader within.
If you work at a company, positioning
yourself as a thought leader within that
company, but you have to use your voice, you
have to speak up and use these tips that
Laura has shared to position yourself within
that company and let them know why you
deserve more and ask for what you want and
be visible. You really have to create
visibility. I think it's easier in a large
company to sort of blend into the woodwork,
you know?
Oh, absolutely.
Especially if you're working remotely.
I think remote and environment is definitely
harder to get.
Visibility for sure.
Oh my god, yes, such a good point because
you are literally not there, right.
And so you can't make that face time with
the company. Right. And so using your voice
and speaking up and making sure that the
people in the positions to give you what you
want as far as a new role, new
responsibility, a new title, more pay,
whatever it is that they see what you're
doing because you're championing yourself.
Be your own biggest cheerleader.
Right.
Exactly.
Well, self out there.
I think one thing that I haven't mentioned
yet that I should bring up is that the
mindset here.
Yes, yes.
Because, you know, you're seeing yourself as
whatever your title is.
Mhm.
But I want you to think about yourself as the
trusted advisor is, you know, and if a lot
of women we know I know you listening, some
of you, not all of you, but some of you are
what is called underleveled like you were, I
don't know, at, at add in a role at a
certain level, and you know perfectly well
that you could be doing your boss's job with
one eye shut and your hands tied behind your
back.
Right?
Yeah. And that may not be everybody, but
that's some of you for sure.
But especially if you're feeling like you
have a lot more to give.
But even if you're not, I want you to think
about being the trusted advisor.
So if you work for one of the big consulting
companies, you know, they they specialize in
taking young talent, not paying them that
great, but working them hard and training
them extremely well.
And they charge big bucks for their time and
those young professionals all the way up.
But it starts when they're young.
That's why they have that good training.
They know that being inside, you know,
whatever company it is from Pedro's, uh.
Mechanic shop to IBM, like whatever company
if if they if that company is paying for the
consultancy. Everybody there has to be
constantly reminding people of their value
that they're there for a reason, that we're
fun to work with. We're trusted advisors.
We're here to make your company better.
Well, you're there to do that, too.
And if you want to do something other than
your current role, this box that you're in,
then you want to assume the persona.
Assume the trusted advisor that's inside of
you already because you, you know, stuff.
And think about every meeting, every paper,
every presentation, every conversation,
doing the work, but also responding to the
work as a trusted advisor.
How does that sound to you?
I love that, I love that because it's it is a
positioning yourself as someone who can add
more value, who can take on more
responsibility, who knows things, and and
that, you know, your personal brand within
your workplace. Just like we say to all of
our clients when we're working with them on
their signature talk, you're giving that
talk not based on the fact that you did 1
hour or 2 hours or three hours of work to
prepare it, and then the one hour of talk
that you give is based on your whole
lifetime of experience that you bring, that
has allowed you to be able to create a talk
that's going to engage with your audience.
And the same is true for anyone in
corporate. Everything that you bring to your
role. It's not just the showing up every day
and the the things that you the specific
things that you do. It's everything else
that has brought you to that point.
Right? So you have to position yourself as
that trusted advisor in order to then
continue to move to the levels that you want
to get to.
Right. And it could be that you're working at
a homeless shelter as a volunteer for the
last five years informs your trusted
advisor. It doesn't have to be that, you
know, I will.
I went to Harvard and have a master's from
Yale. No, I mean all the experiences.
Everything counts.
Yes, but you have to see it.
Nobody else is going to see it.
You have to think about, okay, what did I
learn from that? And if you think about it,
the evidence of that knowledge, those
insights are in the conversations you have
with your friends, with your mom, with your
kids, with your partner, with your spouse.
Like, you know, I really noticed you know,
how I don't know how they manage inventory
at the at the where they give the hot meals
to the people? I mean, it could be something
as simple as that or how they manage the
donors. Or maybe you're helping with a sick
relative and you notice something in the
hospital where you have to spend a lot of
time, I mean, everything, yes, everything
has value if you see it, if you've learned
from it, if you've noticed it, bring it to
work. Yes.
That's you know, and be that trust.
And that also makes you more interesting.
Yes. Interesting.
You're going to stick in the brain of your
audience. You don't want to be generic,
right?
Right. You're just branding yourself at your
job. Yes, yes yes yes, exactly.
And so, Laura, you as a coach, I'm just
curious to then what what role do you think
having a coach plays in women in these
mid-career positions?
What role does the coaching play in order to
help them get to those next levels and sort
of break through those challenges?
Well, it's having somebody in your corner
who's helped a lot of people who can see
things that when I say them, or any good,
when the coach says them, you're like, oh,
how did you know that?
Well, we know these things because we've
helped hundreds, if not actually thousands
of coaching conversations.
But it's it's not it's not, you know, your
mom can tell you stuff.
And actually what your mom says and what I
say might there might be some overlap, but
I've helped hundreds of people get
promotions and get, you know, jobs by
interviewing. Well, it's that confidence
that I have this, uh, professional,
objective opinion on my work based on
decades of work in this field and this
person says sees A, B and C that I suspected
were there. But I don't want to be all
egotistical and go saying that I have A, B
and C no, and then finding the words like,
oh, I'm so happy that I, I got this done
that done in other in the other done versus
well, why don't you just, you know, tell
people what you're doing?
Well, they should know what I'm doing and
they should and they do have an idea.
But it's those wins, you know, and then
that's reminding you it's helping the other
person. And, um, you know, it's having the
coach can help you see the value because
that is the hard part.
It's hard to see the value, like if you
speak another language because you're from
Cambodia or wherever.
That's more neural connections.
That makes you more intelligent by
definition. But is it? But if it's just like
when I was told when I was young, well, why
would we? Why would we want somebody to
speak Spanish? Laura, I really help me out
here. I can't imagine.
And, you know, I was, you know, right.
Fresh out of college.
I don't know the answer to that yet.
I'm in big trouble.
Right? Um, you have to see it.
And and that's where a coach can really
help. You know, that skill you have, that
quality, that lived experience that has
taught you leadership.
It's taught you resilience.
It's taught you creativity.
It's taught you to speak up in a in a
different context.
It's helped you to see different ways of
saying things and seeing things, all of
that. And, you know, think about it.
You know, we're all being kind of, um,
threatened a little bit by AI, even though I
don't think that AI is going to take our
jobs, maybe it will.
Hopefully it will be, you know, in the
distant future when it doesn't matter to me.
But that's even more reason to lean into
your quirks and your unusual experiences.
Because you.
I can't.
Make that. You're so right about that.
And that's one thing that we tell our
clients, you know, I cannot replicate you as
a human being, being there in person,
showing up, you know, all the experiences
that you have that you bring to the table
that help you deliver whatever product or
service it is that you deliver.
And so, yes, you're 100% I love that idea.
And so I think coaches are almost like a
mirror in that way, right? They hold up a
mirror so that you can see yourself and you
can see what your gifts are, whether it be
for speaking or, you know, in your corporate
space. So.
Right. Because our we're just not trained to
see ourselves in that with that way we're
trained like our whole focus is none of us.
I mean, this is not narcissist anonymous,
right? Like we we're all like helping other
people at work, at home and, you know,
trying to take care of ourselves, trying to
hold it together. Right.
We're thinking about, wow, how great advice
let me think. You know, that's just not
something we.
Well, I know that everybody listening to this
is going to get some valuable tips out of
this. And even if you are not in the
corporate space, you can still use these
strategies with your clients to help your
clients see the work that you're doing and
what value you add.
So I would encourage you to jot down these
tips and then practice with them and see how
how you can ingrain them into your day to
day so that they become more comfortable for
you to do that. So I know that everybody
listening is going to walk away with some
great things today. So thank you so much,
Laura, for coming on the podcast.
Oh, and you're welcome.
And share with our listeners where can they
connect with you?
I would love that. Well, of course I'm on
LinkedIn. Laura m Camacho, of course.
Who knew there's like 20 Laura Camacho
there. But if you I think the PhD helps.
Um, I have a red blazer on, and then the.
Might be easier to go to my website which is
w w w speak up with Laura Dotcom.
There's also links to my podcast, a
newsletter and um, you know, all, all, all
the things in the speak up world where it's,
we're really about, you know, I think that
for some people, it's easier to speak up
than to actually do the things.
And for us, a lot of us, it's easier to do
the things than to talk about it.
But so we we need both.
But the thing for if you feel awkward or
reticent about speaking up, you don't have
to become a chatterbox.
You don't have to dominate the meeting.
It's just being more strategic, using that
good brain of yours to have more impact in
others.
Well, thank you so much for sharing that.
And again, thank you for coming on the
podcast. And and so for our listeners,
whether you are a woman in corporate or
you're an entrepreneur, uh, communication
and speaking is going to factor into the
work that you do in some way.
So if you want to learn about your speaking
style and how you can be a more effective
speaker, take our Speaker Archetype quiz.
You can visit speaking your brand.com/quiz.
Again, that is speaking your brand.com/quiz.
Until next time.
Thanks for listening.