Why do so many capable people stay silent at work? It's rarely because they don't have something valuable to contribute. More often, it's because they're unsure how their ideas will be received, they question whether it's their place to speak, or they worry about saying the right thing in the wrong way.
In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram is joined by executive coach and leadership advisor Corinne Gavlinski to explore why leadership influence begins long before we speak.
Drawing on her own leadership journey, including a pivotal leadership moment that fundamentally changed how she thinks about influence, Corinne explains why leadership isn't simply about having the confidence to speak up. It's about understanding the impact you want to have, reading the room, managing your emotions and communicating with intention.
Together, Andy and Corrine explore why capable people often stay silent, why curiosity may be one of leadership's most overlooked skills, how vulnerability is often misunderstood, and why every leader benefits from having someone they can think out loud with before the highest-stakes conversations.
If you've ever walked away from a meeting wishing you'd spoken up, or wishing you'd said the same thing differently, this conversation will help you think about leadership influence in a completely new way.
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Key Takeaways
- Influence begins before you speak. The most effective leaders think about the impact they want to have before deciding what they want to say.
- Confidence isn't the missing ingredient. Many people already have valuable ideas but stay silent because fear, uncertainty or organisational dynamics get in the way of expressing them.
- Curiosity creates better conversations. Leaders who seek to understand before they persuade build stronger relationships, make better decisions and create greater influence.
- Leadership starts with intention. Whether you're giving feedback, challenging upwards or navigating change, being clear about your purpose shapes how your message is received.
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Key Moments
The key moments in this episode are:
01:11 – Missed influencing opportunities we can relate to
03:49 – Why finding your voice is really about leadership influence
06:55 – The meeting that changed Corinne's approach to leadership forever
10:20 – Learning from leadership's darker side
13:23 – Why curiosity is one of leadership's most underrated skills
14:43 – Why capable people struggle to challenge upwards
19:20 – Why communicating intention creates better influence
21:21 – Why we teach feedback but not intention
23:07 – Is vulnerability changing in leadership?
30:18 – Why a thinking partner is a competitive advantage
32:17 – The hidden cost of staying silent
35:59 – The Four Leadership Zones
42:12 – Why every leader needs someone outside the organisation
44:04 – Sticky Notes: Three questions every leader should ask themselves
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Join The Conversation
Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here
Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here
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Check out the Bizjuicer website here
Get a free consultation with Andy here
Check out the Bizjuicer blog here
Download the podcast here
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Useful Links
Follow Corinne Gavlinksi on LinkedIn here
Find The Gav Group website here
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Full Episode Transcript
Get the full transcript of the episode here
