In this episode of Speaking With Authority, Jim Koetting interviews communication coach Alex Grabner-Jarlung, a key figure in the David JP Phillips speaking lineage. Alex breaks down the science behind great communication: how nervousness works, why “fight/flight/freeze” can hijack your memory, and how to train speaking like a measurable skill. You’ll also hear how Alex went from corporate presentations to coaching professionals, plus a behind-the-scenes look at The Speaking Blueprint and Speaker X.

Most people think “better communication” means finding better words. In this episode of Speaking With Authority, Jim Koetting sits down with Christopher Lincoln, founder of NeuroSpeak, to unpack the truth: communication is a neuroscience and nervous system skill before it’s a language skill.

Chris has coached CEOs, executive teams, sales leaders, and highly technical professionals who have the title—but struggle to create clarity, trust, influence, and confidence under pressure. Together, Jim and Chris explore what happens in the brain when stakes are high: cortisol spikes, memory access drops, fear hijacks logic, and even great leaders accidentally create stress in the people they’re trying to help.

Then the conversation turns personal and unforgettable: Chris shares his experience volunteering in Ukraine during the war, serving families while air-raid sirens and missile threats were part of daily life. You’ll hear how calm leadership, empathy, and psychological safety become essential when everything is uncertain.

They also dive into a wild story from Chris’s early career: arriving in the United States to teach music… and discovering he’d be teaching piano (and later drums) with almost no time to prepare. That experience becomes a powerful metaphor for learning fast, managing fear, and performing under pressure—and how music, rhythm, and emotion can shape executive presence and persuasive speaking.

If you’re a CEO, founder, leader, or high-performing professional who needs to speak clearly in high-stakes moments—this episode is for you.

1. Why neuroscience beats scripts and “perfect wording”
2. How cortisol destroys clarity and memory in tense conversations
3. How leaders accidentally increase stress in meetings (and what to do instead)
4. The “charisma zone”: balancing competence and warmth
5. Why communication is a nervous system issue (breathing, tension, pace)
6. Communication lessons from working in a war zone
7. How music can create emotion and engagement instantly
8. The #1 blind spot leaders have when they watch themselves speak: facial flatlining
9. Chris’s #1 practical tip: stop using PowerPoint as a speaking crutch

Christopher Lincoln — Founder, NeuroSpeak (Communication + Neuroscience Coaching)

Jim Koetting — Trusted Mentor and Coach | Speaking With Authority

If this helped, like, subscribe, and share it with a leader who needs to communicate with more confidence under pressure.

*Stop Selling. Start Owning Your Authority*

Authority is the difference between being “one of many” and being the go-to person everyone calls when things get messy. In this episode of Speaking With Authority, Jim Koetting sits down with five-time author and Three Dog Right founder Lisa Apolinski to unpack how real authority power works in an uncertain, noisy, digital-first world.

Lisa shares how growing up in a family business shaped her view of authority: you have an area of genius, people know it, and they come to you when the stakes are high. Then she contrasts that with Fortune 500 culture, where most leaders still cling to features, benefits, and “me too” services instead of clearly owning the pain they solve and the result they deliver.

You’ll hear how clarity around the real problem you solve turns you from a “vitamin” into a “painkiller,” why cutting prices is a race to the bottom, and how a single authority shift helped a client go from selling a handful of licenses to thousands—without working more hours.

Lisa also walks through defining statements, thought followership, generosity in business, and why you can’t spell authority without author.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• How to uncover the real business you’re in

• Why clarity, generosity, and authority attract right-fit clients

• Practical steps to unleash your own authority power

#Authority #GoToExpert #ThoughtLeadership #JimKoetting #LisaApolinski

*How to Read Minds Without Saying a Word*

In this episode of Speaking With Authority, host Jim Koetting sits down with Roxani Oikonomou, an international expert in nonverbal communication, micro-expressions, and emotional intelligence.

Roxy reveals the hidden language of humans—how our faces, gestures, and subtle expressions reveal far more than words ever could.

You’ll learn:

How to turn fear into confidence on stage and in life.

What happens when your mind goes blank and how to recover in seconds.

Why today’s generation is losing emotional awareness because of screens.

How leaders, parents, and teachers can rebuild psychological safety through empathy and micro-awareness.

Whether you’re a speaker, leader, parent, or entrepreneur, this conversation will help you recognize what others feel before they say a word—and lead with greater empathy, confidence, and connection.

Hiring a great salesperson shouldn’t feel like gambling.

In this episode of Speaking With Authority, I talk with Jamie Crosbie (Founder & CEO, ProActivate) about why the traditional sales recruiting model is fundamentally misaligned—and how to fix it. We unpack how contingent recruiters get paid on placements, not performance, why many candidates are coached to “ace” interviews, and what a results-tied, flat-fee model looks like when you optimize for ROI instead of résumé volume.

What you’ll learn

• The hidden incentives that break the traditional recruiting model
• How candidate “scripting” leads to bad hires and fake interviews
• Why the best reps are usually working and winning (and how to reach them)
• A rigorous, sales-specific qualification process: skillset, mindset, simulations
• Calculating ROI on a sales hire (and the real cost of a bad one)
• Why proactive, always-on recruiting is revenue insurance
• Early warning metrics (30–90 days) and the formula top reps can articulate

About Jamie

Jamie Crosbie leads ProActivate, a recruiting firm specializing in go-to-market roles (sales, marketing, revenue leadership). Their model focuses on measurable outcomes and deep behavioral interviewing tailored to sales performance.

Culture isn’t a poster—it’s behavior. Jim Koetting interviews Bronson Taylor (Workplace IO) on using AI and NLP to measure six culture metrics—burnout, psychological safety, conflict, engagement, alignment, execution risk—so leaders can design, track, and even forecast culture with the rigor of BI. Practical, ethical, and immediately actionable.

Join TEDx speaker and global educator Michelle Machado as she shares her transformative journey across four continents, exploring the shift from performance to presence in a digitally distracted world. Discover how her multicultural experiences have shaped her understanding of connection and identity, and learn practical insights on fostering authentic human connections in today's fast-paced environment.

https://michelledmachado.com/

Tune in to this engaging episode to uncover the secrets of balancing technology with meaningful human interactions. Don't miss out on this enlightening conversation!

I help organizations measure and close productivity gaps that silently erode profits and burn out top performers.

My process starts with a Leadership and Culture Audit—using data, digital exhaust, and observation—to expose the leadership patterns causing inefficiency. Then, through speaking and consulting, I help transform those insights into a more productive, scalable culture.

If your company hires keynote speakers, you’re my ideal client.

I’m not a motivational speaker—I’m a leadership catalyst.

I help executives identify the hidden productivity gaps that kill growth,

starting with a measurable Leadership & Culture Audit

that reveals how leadership behaviors impact your bottom line.

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🔥 CONNECT WITH JIM KOETTING

Website: https://www.ceomconsulting.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimkoetting/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jim.koetting.2025/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jkoetting1/

Twitter (X): https://x.com/jkoetting

TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/_ZMUUgufLvM?si=WqkFZzFo4jWfaDaN

Free 5 Voices Assessment: https://ceomconsulting.giantos.com/store/5-voices

Schedule a Call: https://calendly.com/jkoetting/30min_zoom

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🎙 PODCAST – Speaking With Authority

Learn from top leaders on culture, influence, and team performance.

Listen on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform.

#LeadershipDevelopment #CompanyCulture #TeamProductivity #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipTraining #JimKoetting #SpeakingWithAuthority #CEOMConsulting

*What does it really take to build leaders worth following in today’s distracted world?*

In this episode of Speaking With Authority, host Jim Koetting sits down with Jeremie Kubicek—author of The Voice-Driven Leader, co-creator of The 5 Voices and 100X Leader, and co-founder of GiANT Worldwide.

Jeremie’s leadership journey started in the chaos of post-Soviet Russia, living above a mafia boss and surviving a coup attempt. Those experiences shaped his core belief: true leadership is about liberation, not domination.

*We cover:*

--Jeremie’s near-death experiences and how they shaped his leadership philosophy.

--Why most organizations fail at developing leaders—and how to fix it.

--The Four Stages of Development (and how to keep your team out of the “pit of despair”).

--How the 5 Voices Framework unlocks communication and team performance.

--The role of trust, apprenticeship, and personal growth in scaling businesses.

--What to expect at the upcoming Voices 2025 Conference in Oklahoma City.

--If you’re a coach, consultant, executive, or team leader, this conversation will give you practical tools and a roadmap to multiply healthy leaders.

*Voices 2025 Event*

https://5voices.com/voices-25

*What's My Voice?*

https://ceomconsulting.giantos.com/store/5-voices

*5 Voices Certification*

https://5voices.com/certification?source=ceomconsulting