Episode 8

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Published on:

14th Jan 2026

Live Coaching (Penny 2/2) Stop Verbal Self-Sabotage, Move Into Power & Executive Leadership Presence

Are you unknowingly sabotaging your executive presence by "waffling," apologizing for your ideas, or using weak language?

In Part 2 of this live coaching session, you will hear exactly how high-potential leaders "leak" their power—and how to stop it immediately.

We move from the mindset work of last week to the execution. You will hear Michael coach "Penny" on how to tighten her communication and project unwavering executive presence, even though she had zero management experience for the role she was chasing.

In this episode, you will learn:

-The "Waffle" Cure: How to stop rambling when you are nervous and use silence as a power move.

-Verbal Power Leaks: The three words ("Just," "Might," "Sorry") that kill your authority instantly—and what to say instead.

-The "Experience Pivot": How to answer the "You don't have management experience" question without apologizing or lying.

-The Outcome: The results are in. Did Penny get the job? (Spoiler: Stick around to the very end).

The Challenge Audit your vocabulary for "Power Leaks" this week. Stop saying "I just have a small idea" or "This might be a stupid question." State your idea directly. Speak with the resilience to get shot down; you don't need to preface your value. Just deliver it.


Resources:

-Join the Conversation: Join our Leadership Mindset 2.0 community on LinkedIn or Facebook

-Get Live Coaching: Move from listening to doing inside the Growth Leaders Collective. Start your $1 trial at RMichaelAnderson.com/GLC

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About the Podcast

Leadership Mindset 2.0
Transform From Tactical Doer to Strategic Leader: The Psychology of Scaling for Executives & Entrepreneurs
Leadership Mindset 2.0 is the definitive playbook for executives and entrepreneurs ready to break free from the "Doer Trap" and scale their business using psychology and strategy.

Host R. Michael Anderson has scaled multiple software companies to the Inc. 5000 list and was named Social Entrepreneur of the Year. Now, as a 2x Executive Coach of the Year, he uses that experience to help high-performers transform from Tactical Operators into Strategic Leaders.

In this podcast, Michael blends cutting-edge neuroscience, emotional intelligence (EQ), and battle-tested business strategy to help you overcome burnout, imposter syndrome, and the "Leadership Incompetence Trap" so you can lead with clarity and confidence.

Two New Episodes Every Week which include a mix of:
• Strategy: Neuroscience frameworks & leadership tactics to start your week.
• Mentorship: Live Q&A and specific answers to your leadership challenges.
• Coaching: A fly-on-the-wall look at real, unscripted executive coaching sessions as Michael helps leaders break through their blind spots live.
• Masterclasses: Listen in as Michael and guests teach valuable leadership and management skills to a real-life audience.

Topics include: The Psychology of Scaling, Burnout Prevention, Strategic Planning, Executive Coaching, and Emotional Intelligence.

About your host

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R. Michael Anderson

R. Michael Anderson, MBA, MA has a striking combination that creates truly impactful transformation in leaders – he has the real-life business success of founding, scaling and exiting three software companies, plus the educational background of a Masters Degree in Psychology.



This combination gives him the unique ability to connect to other leaders as a peer, then teaches evidence-based leadership skills that genuinely drive behaviour and performance.