Change Your Look, Your Attitude—and Your Influence
You’ve always managed to scrape by.
You weren’t the loudest in the room, but you were smart.
You didn’t love speaking up, but you tried.
You hoped your work would speak for itself.
You hoped people would just get you.
But now?
Now it feels like no one’s listening.
You haven’t made a sale in weeks.
Your ideas get passed over.
You’re starting to wonder if you’re the problem.
If your voice is just… not enough.
Let me say this clearly:
You are not a hopeless communicator.
You are not stuck with the style you inherited.
You are not doomed to repeat the same ineffective patterns.
You’re just unrehearsed.
You’ve been winging it in a world that rewards intention.
You’ve been reacting instead of performing.
And that’s not your fault—but it is your opportunity.
Communication Isn’t a Gift—It’s a Craft
Actor and singer-songwriter Alicia Witt said,
“Acting is magical. Change your look and your attitude and you can be anyone.”
And she’s right.
I’ve watched performers of all ages transform into Cinderella, Gomez Addams, Beatrice and Benedict, Hecuba, and Elle Woods.
They didn’t wait to feel confident.
They rehearsed.
They refined.
They chose how to show up.
And you can do the same.
Strong communicators aren’t born—they’re built.
They:
Decide what experience they want to create
Choose language that moves people to act
Practice tone, timing, and emotional pacing
Show up with presence, not just personality
This isn’t about faking it.
It’s about crafting it.
It’s about becoming the communicator your audience needs—without losing who you are.
What If You Could Be That Person?
What if you could walk into a room and know your words would land?
What if you could speak and see people lean in?
What if you could feel proud of how you showed up—not just relieved it’s over?
What would that version of you sound like?
Feel like?
Look like?
You don’t have to guess.
You can rehearse it.
You can build it.
You can become it.
You’re not stuck.
You’re just one intentional performance away from being heard.
Your First Piece of Equipment: The “Audience-First Rehearsal”
This isn’t a script.
It’s a rehearsal.
It’s how you start showing up with intention, not reaction.
Exercise: Rehearse the Moment Before You Speak
Step 1: Choose a real moment coming up.
Pick one: a meeting, a pitch, a conversation, a check-in.
Something that matters. Something that usually makes you shrink or spiral.
Step 2: Ask the magic question.
Before you think about what you want to say, ask:
“What do I want my audience to do by the end of this moment?”
Write it down.
Not what you want to say.
What you want them to experience.
Step 3: Build your performance around that outcome.
Now rehearse:
What tone matches that outcome? (Warm? Direct? Curious?)
What posture supports it? (Open? Grounded? Still?)
What words move them toward it? (Affirming? Provocative? Clear?)
What emotional pacing helps you land it? (Slow build? Immediate impact?)
Step 4: Practice out loud.
Yes, out loud.
In the mirror. In the car. On a walk.
Rehearse the moment as if it’s opening night.
Not to memorize—but to embody.
Step 5: Debrief after the moment.
Ask:
Did I create the experience I intended?
What landed? What missed?
What will I rehearse differently next time?
Practice the Communicator You Want to Be
Not the one shaped by silence.
Not the one dulled by disappointment.
Not the one who’s just trying to survive.
Practice the communicator who:
Commands attention
Creates emotional resonance
Sparks action
Shows up with consequence
You don’t need to be born with it.
You need to train for it.
You need to rehearse it.
You need to own it.
Acting is magical. So is communication. So are you.