From Battling A Critical Inner Voice To Getting Her Message Across with Authentic Confidence: A Presence Under Pressure Case Study

Despite leading her own team and working as a successful engineer in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical space for 17 years, Valerie (one of our amazing Presence Under Pressure grads) was struggling to redirect some of the energy she poured into her day-to-day deliverables toward her own personal and professional development. 

As the pandemic started, she started to look inward and questioned whether, by focusing solely on her work product—the reports she wrote and the presentations she gave—she was missing out on opportunities to actively participate in her own growth. 

At the same time, she started to notice what a huge role communication plays in her life. From how she talks to her partner to how she interacts with her colleagues…

✓ She wanted that critical inner voice in her head to “go away.” 

✓ She wanted to overcome the nerves that would consume her when she needed to communicate something difficult or emotionally charged

✓ She wanted to learn how to stop rushing, and how to ditch other habits that would undercut her message

We sat down to talk about how her PUP experience helped her overcome these struggles, and how it empowered her to strengthen her communication skills both at work and at home.

Watch our full conversation below!

We talked about how:

Valerie loved Presence Under Pressure’s small group format…

She shared that, at first, she was nervous about learning alongside 4 other women she didn’t know beforehand. She didn’t know how safe she’d feel or how real she could be… 

But, to her amazement, she grew to cherish this intimate cohort experience.  

“I found it to be a very safe space to give and receive feedback in a meaningful way. I got immediate feedback, and not just from one person, but from others who I felt a real kinship with because they were coming from a similar place in their lives and in terms of the things they wanted to improve… I felt like myself” 

This kinship also allowed her to recognize what “being authentic” meant to her. Especially when she’d get feedback from the group like: “you really sound like you” or “you didn’t sound like yourself just now.” 

Valerie shared how this immediate feedback from 4 women who really grew to know her was invaluable in cultivating her own authentic expression.

Valerie also shared what watching herself on video was like…

She admitted that it was cringey and nerve-wracking at first, but quickly became a critical exercise for her ability to recognize which habits were undercutting her and which skills she needed to improve. 

She shared that it became more normal and comfortable to watch herself on video in a gentle and productive way. 

Nuggets of wisdom she gleaned from PUP have also helped her communicate her boundaries and messages more effectively…

“This is ok, this is not ok.”

“I’m not here to be right, I’m here to get it right.” 

“Start with the bottom line up front.”

“These gems or mantras pop up in real-life situations now. It has improved my life in many ways—at work, in my writing, when communicating with my partner, or in other personal relationships.”

By applying the tools she learned through PUP,  Valerie’s been able to: 

• Transform her relationship with the voice in her head
• Communicate more effectively during emotionally charged conversations
• Express herself more confidently and authentically when she’s on the spot

If you’re ready to start showing up (and speaking up!) in all of your interactions with more authenticity and confidence, jump on the Presence Under Pressure waitlist today!

Our signature 8-week group coaching program will open up for enrollment again soon. If you’re interested in joining an intimate cohort of 4 other badass women—who not only want to learn how to communicate more clearly and confidently under pressure, but also want to support you in stepping into your *next level*—get yourself on the waitlist!