Here’s something that is as present a topic in my day-to-day routine as a communications coach as is coffee or tea for breakfast, and I thought it worthwhile sharing since I am very certain that you’ve come across this problem before, and maybe haven’t quite found a fix for it.

If you’ve ever bumped heads with someone in a meeting or at a social event and wondered why the interaction felt off, it may have nothing to do with intent but rather...

You’ve seen it happen before, I’m sure.

Someone walks into the room, shoulders back, voice steady and loud, speaking in decisive statements. Within minutes, the room leans in. People nod. Assumptions are made:

They must know what they’re talking about.
They’ve done the work.
They’re leadership material.

No one has checked the facts yet.

That invisible glow around them? That’s called the halo effect…

Have you ever been in a situation where you were asked a question—maybe in a professional setting—where you knew you knew the answer? But in that urgent moment, with the pressure mounting from those around you, your thoughts scattered. You couldn't collect yourself, and instead of delivering a confident answer, you stuttered out something incoherent. The people you wanted to impress now potentially have an opinion of you that doesn’t represent who you truly are. Does that sound familiar?