How to Talk to Higher Ups Without Fear - Communicate With Executives

Why does speaking in front of senior leaders make you afraid? The fear comes from trying to impress, because impressing someone requires you to place yourself above them, and focusing on impact instead restores the equanimity that makes the fear unnecessary. You are paid for output. The next level pays for outcomes. See where you stand: https://www.masteryinsights.com/start... ▶ Read the full article: https://www.masteryinsights.com/commu... ▶ View the transcript: https://www.masteryinsights.com/watch... What are the F.A.S.T. focus points? The F.A.S.T. focus points are four shifts for speaking to higher-ups without fear. Focus on impact, not impressing, because impressing requires you to place yourself above them and that imbalance is what produces the anxiety. Articulate your principles, not your methodology, because higher-ups want the thinking behind your work rather than the play by play of what you did. Speak on their values, not for agreement, because every human being is committed to one thing only, the fulfilment of their own values. Transcend towards equanimity, which is a calm and composed state of mind that becomes available once the exchange between you and them is genuinely fair. Key Concepts Focus on impact, not impressing: Impressing someone requires you to place yourself above them, and that imbalance is what produces the cognitive dissonance and the fear, while focusing on impact establishes equanimity between you. Articulate your principles, not your methodology: Higher-ups are not interested in your processes or the play by play of your steps, they want the thinking behind them, because principles are what connect your work to their outcomes. Speak on their values, not for agreement: Every human being is committed to only one thing, the fulfilment of their own values, so agreement without value alignment buys you nothing. Equanimity: A calm, composed and stable state of mind, which becomes available once the exchange of inputs and outputs between you and your higher-ups is genuinely fair on both sides. Chapters 00:00 Why does speaking to higher-ups make you afraid? 00:42 What are the four F.A.S.T. focus points? 01:25 Why trying to impress is what creates the fear 03:09 What is equanimity, and why does it matter here? 03:52 Why don't higher-ups want your methodology? 04:33 How do you extract your own principles? 07:20 Why speak on their values instead of seeking agreement? 09:27 How do you transcend towards equanimity? 10:32 What a sustainable fair exchange actually looks like The last time you presented upward, were you trying to make an impact or trying to impress? -- Dr. Grace Lee is a neuroscientist and executive mentor. Accomplished professionals engage with her to develop their capacity to think, speak, and lead with an authority commensurate with their deep expertise as they advance into senior leadership. Her PhD in neuroscience informs the analytical rigor behind the frameworks she created for the discipline of Cognitivistics of Influence™. -- MORE FROM DR. GRACE LEE 🎯 See how decision-makers view you now, take the Leadership Visibility Assessment: https://masteryinsights.com/ytv-asses... 🚀 Ready to work directly with Dr. Grace? Apply to the Mastery Accelerator™: https://m.masteryinsights.com/applica... 👇 Subscribe for a new video every week: https://www.masteryinsights.com/subsc... FOLLOW DR. GRACE LEE LinkedIn: https://www.masteryinsights.com/linkedin Instagram: https://www.masteryinsights.com/insta... -- RELATED VIDEOS 5 Rules for Speaking With Authority So Executives Actually Listen:    • 5 Rules for Speaking With Authority So Exe...   How to Disagree With Your Boss (Without Getting Fired):    • How to Disagree With Your Boss (Without Ge...   How to Speak with Executive Presence in High-Stakes Meetings:    • 6 Leadership Lessons You'll Probably Learn...   #ExecutivePresence #Communication #Confidence #DrGraceLee