Curiosity #40 - Unforgettable Presence Starts Here

🎤 Quotable Quote

“You already have a brand. The question is: are you shaping it, or letting others define it.”
— Lorraine K. Lee

Let that sink in for a second.

Because whether you’re gunning for a promotion, leading a team, or trying to avoid another meeting that should’ve been an email—your reputation precedes you.

So what’s it saying?

🧠 This week on Leadership Rules, we sat down with Lorraine K. Lee—bestselling author, LinkedIn Top Voice, and professional presence powerhouse.

She’s built a global career from the ground up, going from quiet introvert to executive speaker, keynote headliner, and now the author of Unforgettable Presence—a modern field guide for standing out without selling out.

Lorraine doesn’t just talk presence. She embodies it.

🔍 This Week’s Deep Dive: How to Show Up, Speak Up, and Stand Out

💡 You don’t need to build a personal brand.
You already have one. Lorraine calls it your career brand—a more practical, purpose-driven take. The goal? Align how you’re perceived with where you want to go.

💡 Hard work isn’t enough.
If your calendar is full but your name’s not in the promotion conversation, listen up. Lorraine reminds us: hard work is the baseline. Visibility, advocacy, and clarity about your goals move the needle.

💡 Introverts aren't on the sidelines—they’re secret weapons.
Strong one-on-one relationships. Thoughtful presentations. Deep preparation. Lorraine flips the myth that extroverts own the spotlight and shows how introverts quietly lead the room.

💡 Presence is how—and where—you’re seen.
It’s not just about the boardroom anymore. Lorraine’s T-Method (Technology, Energy, Aesthetics) offers a simple framework to boost your video presence—because, let’s face it, the Zoom room is the room now.

One of our favorite frameworks?

EPIC.
It’s how Lorraine helps readers define their career brand:
Experiences
Personality
Identity
Community

(Marnie had it on a notecard by page 11.)

Send this to someone who needs to hear:

“You’re not too quiet to lead. You’re too valuable to stay invisible.”

More Musings

🍪 Biscuits with the Boss:

“What’s the professional feature you didn’t know you needed—until someone pointed it out?”

Lorraine brought the goods this week: crow’s feet as credibility markers, book covers as conversation starters, and the T-Method to up your Zoom game.

Whether you’re fixing your lighting or just learning to smile with your eyes, remember—presence isn’t perfection.

It’s intention.

🏅 Whistle. Whistle.

You’ve got receipts. You’ve got results.
But no one knows you did the bloody work.

That’s not humility.
That’s invisibility.

As Lorraine K. Lee says, if you’re not intentionally shaping how you’re seen, you’re letting someone else do it for you.

And you know what Roy Kent would say to that?

“You think just doing the work’s enough? Bollocks. If no one knows you did it, it might as well not have happened.”

So speak up. Show up.
And for the love of football, stop waiting for a gold star just because you stayed late.

You want to grow your career?
Don’t just be present—have a f***ing presence.

📚Beard’s collection: 

📖 Klaff, Oren. Pitch Anything. McGraw-Hill Education, 2011.
Think pitching is just for Shark Tank? Think again. Klaff breaks down how to frame ideas so they land with impact. Pair it with Tami’s “Life’s a Pitch” philosophy, and you’ll start showing up like the main character in every meeting—even without the mic.

🌎 This week in Here - There - Every F’ing where 

Coming soon!!!!

We had a chance to chat all things leadership on a podcast with Elena Apalkova this week.

Where are you out and about in the world this week? 

Onward. Forward.

Marnie & Nick

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