You're a seasoned executive who's weathered countless storms, made million-dollar decisions under pressure, and built your reputation on steady leadership presence. But mention that upcoming keynote, and suddenly you're that terrified kid in third grade again, voice barely above a whisper, palms sweating at the thought of all those eyes on you.

Your voice is either your greatest leadership asset or your biggest liability. And most leaders have no idea which one theirs is.

My guest Jimmy Cannon has spent over a decade cracking the code on why accomplished executives still struggle with performance anxiety and what to do about it. He's not just a voice coach—he's a behavioral therapist who understands that managing leadership anxiety starts with understanding the deep connection between your nervous system and your vocal cords.

What Jimmy reveals in our conversation will change how you think about executive presence forever. We're talking about somatic techniques that immediately calm your system, voice training exercises that build natural authority, and why the way you breathe before speaking can make or break your leadership self confidence.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Learn the three-part breathing technique that instantly signals your nervous system to relax and transforms your speaking presence in under 30 seconds
• Discover how to access your "chest voice" for natural executive presence that commands respect without trying too hard
• Uncover the connection between your physical voice and leadership self confidence that most coaching executive leadership programs completely miss

What's one speaking situation that still makes your heart race, even though you've mastered so many other aspects of leadership? If today's conversation resonated with you, I'd love to continue this dialogue—connect with me on LinkedIn where I share more insights on the inner work of leadership that creates lasting impact.

More About Jimmy Cannon

Jimmy Cannon helps business leaders and entrepreneurs overcome nerves and master their voice for powerful group presentations. As a seasoned public speaking coach and stage performer, Jimmy understands the anxiety many feel when stepping in front of an audience. Through his Cannon Method, he guides clients to speak with confidence and clarity, helping them connect authentically, command attention, and ultimately close more deals.

Connect with Jimmy

https://jimmycannon.com

https://www.youtube.com/@jimmycannonvoicecoach

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmycannon

Connect with Janet Ioli:
Website: janetioli.com
Linkedin: Janet Ioli
Instagram: @janetioli

Janet is the founder of Leadership Presence. She helps leaders ground themselves with confidence, connection, and purpose and lead with Less Ego, More Soul.

If you want to become more grounded, confident, and aligned with your deeper values in just 21 days. Check out Janet Ioli’s book Less Ego, More Soul: A Modern Reinvention Guide for Women.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Select “Listen in Apple Podcasts,” then choose the “Ratings & Reviews” tab to share what you think.

Produced by Ideablossoms

Are you drowning in uncertainty while everyone expects you to be the calm in their storm? In the third episode of this three-part series, I talk about leading through change and uncertainty when you're battling your own leadership anxiety behind closed doors. Hear what it really takes to maintain executive presence when everything feels like it's falling apart. Whether you're navigating government transitions, organizational chaos, or any limbo that has you questioning your leadership self confidence, this episode is your roadmap to transforming panic into presence.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Learn the difference between communicating with "clarity and care" versus falling into leadership despair—and why this distinction could save your team's morale
• Discover how to create "micro certainties" that anchor your people when everything else feels unstable, giving you practical tools for authentic leadership during crisis
• Uncover the secret to "holding your own center" so your energy becomes your greatest leadership asset instead of your biggest liability when managing leadership anxiety

What resonates most with you from today's conversation—is it the idea of creating micro certainties, or maybe the reminder that your energy speaks louder than your words? If this episode spoke to your heart, I'd love to connect with you over on LinkedIn where I share more insights on leading with less ego and more soul.

Connect with Janet Ioli:
Website: janetioli.com
Linkedin: Janet Ioli
Instagram: @janetioli

Janet is the founder of Leadership Presence. She helps leaders ground themselves with confidence, connection, and purpose and lead with Less Ego, More Soul.

If you want to become more grounded, confident, and aligned with your deeper values in just 21 days. Check out Janet Ioli’s book Less Ego, More Soul: A Modern Reinvention Guide for Women.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Select “Listen in Apple Podcasts,” then choose the “Ratings & Reviews” tab to share what you think.

Produced by Ideablossoms

The ground is shifting beneath your feet. Contracts are uncertain. Funding is up in the air. And as a leader, you're expected to have all the answers when you're barely keeping your own head above water. In this raw and powerful episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on what it really takes to lead when the world feels like it's in free fall.

In this episode, you will:

• Learn the three pillars of internal career security that make you invincible regardless of job market chaos or organizational upheaval
• Discover how to transform uncertainty into your competitive advantage by staying visible and valuable when others are hiding in the shadows
• Uncover the one reflection question that will shift your entire leadership approach and help you rise above any crisis with unshakeable confidence

Ready to stop letting external circumstances control your leadership destiny? Connect with me on LinkedIn to continue your journey of mastering the inner work of leadership and building unshakeable presence.

Connect with Janet Ioli:
Website: janetioli.com
Linkedin: Janet Ioli
Instagram: @janetioli

Janet is the founder of Leadership Presence. She helps leaders ground themselves with confidence, connection, and purpose and lead with Less Ego, More Soul.

If you want to become more grounded, confident, and aligned with your deeper values in just 21 days. Check out Janet Ioli’s book Less Ego, More Soul: A Modern Reinvention Guide for Women.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Select “Listen in Apple Podcasts,” then choose the “Ratings & Reviews” tab to share what you think.

Produced by Ideablossoms

Right now, seasoned executives everywhere are waking up in the middle of the night with that familiar knot in their stomach, wondering if their teams will survive the next policy shift or funding cut. In this raw and honest episode, I don't sugarcoat the reality that many leaders are facing. I dive straight into the messy, uncomfortable truth about managing leadership anxiety when your entire professional world feels like it's hanging by a thread.

If you're tired of generic leadership advice that tells you to "just stay positive" while your nervous system is screaming danger signals, this episode is your lifeline. I’ll address what's really happening in your body and mind when uncertainty takes over, and more importantly, I’ll show you how to lead authentically from that space instead of pretending everything is fine.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Learn the three powerful grounding techniques that bring you back to center when anxiety starts spiraling out of control
• Discover how to differentiate between feeling scared and being led by fear so you can maintain your leadership presence
• Uncover why grieving what you thought was certain is actually essential work that most leaders skip—keeping them stuck in cycles of overwhelm and reactivity

This isn't just another leadership episode—it's a permission slip to be human while still being the steady presence your team desperately needs.

If this episode resonated with you and you're ready to dive deeper into the inner work of authentic leadership, I'd love to connect with you. Follow me on LinkedIn or visit my website janetioli.com for more insights on leading with less ego and more soul.

Connect with Janet Ioli:
Website: janetioli.com
Linkedin: Janet Ioli
Instagram: @janetioli

Janet is the founder of Leadership Presence. She helps leaders ground themselves with confidence, connection, and purpose and lead with Less Ego, More Soul.

If you want to become more grounded, confident, and aligned with your deeper values in just 21 days. Check out Janet Ioli’s book Less Ego, More Soul: A Modern Reinvention Guide for Women.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Select “Listen in Apple Podcasts,” then choose the “Ratings & Reviews” tab to share what you think.

Produced by Ideablossoms

What if everything you've been taught about leadership is actually holding your team back? Join me as I sit down with Mike Abrashoff, former Navy commander and bestselling author of "It's Your Ship," who shattered traditional leadership paradigms by asking one simple question: "What do you think?" When Mike took command of USS Benfold, it was near the bottom of Navy performance metrics with an abysmal 8% retention rate. Through his revolutionary leadership approach of empowering his crew rather than controlling them, he transformed it into the best ship in the Navy—and his insights are even more crucial for today's executives than they were two decades ago.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Learn how to create a culture of ownership where team members step up and drive performance without micromanagement
• Discover how to break free from command-and-control leadership that drives away top talent in today's workplace
• Uncover the counterintuitive strategy that allowed Mike to reduce his workload by 70% while dramatically improving performance

Mike's profound wisdom about "excellence without arrogance" offers exactly what today's leaders need—connect with me on LinkedIn or subscribe to my Power Presence Academy newsletter for more insights on leading with less ego and more soul.

Grab all the links and resources mentioned in this episode HERE.

More About Mike Abrashoff

Mike Abrashoff is at the center of one of the most remarkable modern day stories of organizational transformation.

At 36, he was selected to be Commander of USS Benfold and was the most junior commanding officer in the Pacific fleet. The challenges of this underachieving destroyer were staggering, with low morale and the highest turnover rate in the Navy. Few thought the ship could improve. Yet 12 months later it was ranked #1 in performance -- using the same crew. How did Mike do it? By replacing command and control leadership with commitment and cohesion. The lesson was clear: Leadership matters and culture is everything.

Since leaving the Navy, Mike has worked with over 1200 organizations instilling leadership initiatives at every level – achieving phenomenal change in unexpected places. Leaders especially identify with Mike being accountable for results in an environment where he couldn’t make the rules. He focused on the one thing he could influence: his crew’s attitude, because culture is the ultimate competitive weapon for any organization. That’s why Wall Street Journal, Fast Company and others have cited Mike’s story. It’s also why Mike is so popular with such a wide range

Connect with Janet Ioli:
Website: janetioli.com
Linkedin: Janet Ioli
Instagram: @janetioli

Janet is the founder of Leadership Presence. She helps leaders ground themselves with confidence, connection, and purpose and lead with Less Ego, More Soul.

If you want to become more grounded, confident, and aligned with your deeper values in just 21 days. Check out Janet Ioli’s book Less Ego, More Soul: A Modern Reinvention Guide for Women.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Select “Listen in Apple Podcasts,” then choose the “Ratings & Reviews” tab to share what you think.

Produced by Ideablossoms

When was the last time you heard your true inner voice speaking through all the noise of expectations? In today's powerful episode of Leadership Presence, I (Janet Ioli) share the thunderbolt moment that changed everything for me—losing my father at age 60 before he could enjoy the retirement he'd been waiting for. This wake-up call sent me on a journey to discover my authentic leadership voice beneath layers of conditioning about being "nice," "pretty," and "agreeable." If you've been shape-shifting to please others or wearing masks of perfection in your leadership role, this episode offers the soul work needed to break free and lead with genuine presence.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Learn the exact process for creating your personal leadership manifesto that grounds you in who you truly are and what you stand for
• Discover how to identify and shed the masks you've been wearing that no longer serve your authentic leadership journey
• Uncover the powerful question your 90-year-old self wants you to answer about what truth you're avoiding in your leadership right now

What mask have you been wearing in your leadership journey that no longer feels true to who you are? I'd love to hear your reflections on this deeply personal work of uncovering your inner voice.

For more resources on authentic leadership and to continue this important conversation, join me on LinkedIn where I share weekly leadership insights.

Connect with Janet Ioli:
Website: janetioli.com
Linkedin: Janet Ioli
Instagram: @janetioli

Janet is the founder of Leadership Presence. She helps leaders ground themselves with confidence, connection, and purpose and lead with Less Ego, More Soul.

If you want to become more grounded, confident, and aligned with your deeper values in just 21 days. Check out Janet Ioli’s book Less Ego, More Soul: A Modern Reinvention Guide for Women.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Select “Listen in Apple Podcasts,” then choose the “Ratings & Reviews” tab to share what you think.

Produced by Ideablossoms

Do you find yourself constantly seeking approval before making decisions at work? In this transformative episode of Leadership Presence, I tackle the confidence-crushing habit of seeking external validation in the workplace. I share the story of "Tanya," a brilliant executive who remained stuck in perpetual approval-seeking mode, and reveal the four powerful tools that can help you break free from this leadership trap.

In this episode, you will be able to: Learn the difference between gathering valuable feedback and the soul-draining habit of requiring constant approval from others. Discover how to create a self-reference point that grounds you in your own voice before important meetings. Uncover the reward-loop rewiring technique that builds your self-trust muscle even when nobody else is applauding your decisions.

If you're tired of diluting your voice and delaying your impact while waiting for others to validate your worth, this episode offers the roadmap to authentic confidence you've been searching for.

I'd love to continue this journey with you—join me on LinkedIn where we dive deeper into these transformative leadership principles, or sign up for my weekly insights newsletter at janetioli.com to receive exclusive strategies for mastering the inner work of leadership.

Connect with Janet Ioli:
Website: janetioli.com
Linkedin: Janet Ioli
Instagram: @janetioli

Janet is the founder of Leadership Presence. She helps leaders ground themselves with confidence, connection, and purpose and lead with Less Ego, More Soul.

If you want to become more grounded, confident, and aligned with your deeper values in just 21 days. Check out Janet Ioli’s book Less Ego, More Soul: A Modern Reinvention Guide for Women.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Select “Listen in Apple Podcasts,” then choose the “Ratings & Reviews” tab to share what you think.

Produced by Ideablossoms

Ever stood at your own success party and talked people OUT of celebrating you? That's exactly what I did at my own book launch, paralyzed by a merciless inner critic that had me rewriting the same book SIX times over SEVEN years. In this raw and revealing episode, I pull back the curtain on my battle with self-criticism and share the exact moment I realized my inner critic (whom I named "Esmeralda") was sabotaging my leadership and creative voice. Even after coaching C-suite executives at Fortune 200 companies, that voice telling me "I'm not good enough" still tried to drown out my achievements. The journey to authentic leadership isn't about silencing your critic forever—it's about recognizing it and moving forward anyway.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why your inner critic gets loudest right before your most important leadership moments, and the counterintuitive approach that turns down its volume
• My embarrassing confession about what I said to guests at my own book launch party (and how it reveals the sneaky way imposter feelings show up even after achieving success)
• The simple naming technique that instantly creates distance between you and your critical inner voice
• How trying to avoid criticism actually smothers your authentic leadership voice and creative expression
• The question I ask myself whenever self-doubt creeps in that instantly reconnects me with my leadership purpose and silences criticism

Connect with me on LinkedIn or join my monthly newsletter for exclusive strategies that go beyond what we cover in the podcast—because your leadership journey matters, especially when your voice shakes.

About the Leadership Presence podcast

Leadership Presence | Mastering the Inner Work of Leadership is your guide to leading with less ego and more soul. Your host is Janet Ioli, leadership and human development expert, sought-after coach, advisor to global executives, and former executive with experience in four Fortune 200 companies. In this podcast, she digs into the real deep work and empowers leaders to show up with authenticity, build emotional intelligence, and lead in a way that leaves a lasting impact.

Connect with Janet Ioli:
Website: janetioli.com
Linkedin: Janet Ioli
Instagram: @janetioli

Janet is the founder of Leadership Presence. She helps leaders ground themselves with confidence, connection, and purpose and lead with Less Ego, More Soul.

If you want to become more grounded, confident, and aligned with your deeper values in just 21 days. Check out Janet Ioli’s book Less Ego, More Soul: A Modern Reinvention Guide for Women.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Select “Listen in Apple Podcasts,” then choose the “Ratings & Reviews” tab to share what you think.

Produced by Ideablossoms