How to Communicate Like a Leader: 5 Hacks That Actually Work
Look, we've all been in those meetings in which the room is instantly owned by someone who is walking
Look, we’ve all been in those meetings in which the room is instantly owned by someone who is walking in. They know in detail the way that they should communicate as a leader. Their communication shows great leadership now. At the same time, the rest of us are sitting right there as we wonder just what the hell has happened.
I dove into Natalie Dawson’s communication advice then figured out what separates people who get listened to from people who get ignored.
And honestly? To communicate like a leader, make five simple changes starting today.
1. Stop Trying to Be Everyone’s Best Friend
Do most people make the biggest error? Speaking to lead instead of speaking to be liked is not what they do.
I did this all the time in the past. Sound familiar? “Maybe we should think…” or “This might work I feel…”
This I learned: Saying “I think” or “I feel” tells people that you are unsure every time. Why is it that they should listen to you if it is that you are not sure?
It is very stupid for a simple fix.
Here is the action that it is necessary for us to take.
This strategy is viable. It will get results for us.
Natalie says only state what you see after you leave the conversation. Boom. Instant credibility increases.
To be real: You are not there in order to be friends with other people. Shit gets done when you’re on site.
2. Don’t Let Your Emotions Make You Look Like an Amateur
We’ve all known that one guy who blows his top at meetings. He gets all worked up, starts going off on a tangent, and before you know it, everybody’s looking at him like he’s a human red flag. Don’t be that guy.
The grass blade trick changed my life:
Think about it – when pressure comes your way, be grass, not a toothpick. Grass bends but doesn’t break. Toothpicks? They splinter.
When someone’s giving you grief or resisting strongly, tell them it runs through you. Don’t stiffen. Don’t bite back. Simply. breathe. Process. Then respond like the grownup in the room.
Bottom line: People don’t follow leaders who are not able to control their emotions. Period.
3. Only Show Up When It Actually Matters
Here’s the trick: Great leaders don’t talk more. They talk on purpose.As you go into any room, you have to ask yourself: “What’s my mission here?” If you can’t answer that in one sentence, you shouldn’t go in.
I started doing this and it changed everything. Instead of just showing up to meetings because I was invited, I started asking myself:
What challenge am I solving?
What is there to be decided?
How does it move things forward?
No target = no authority. Simple as that.
When you exactly know why you’re there, people can feel that. This is how leaders speak with authority.
4. Ask Questions That Actually Matter
Plot twist: You don’t need to know everything. Just need to know the right questions.
Everyone tends to ask awful questions such as “How’s it going?” or “What do you think?”
Level up your question game:
Instead of “What do you think?” → “What data backs this up?”
Instead of “How’s it going?” → “What’s the biggest hurdle right now?”
Instead of “Can we figure this out?” → “What would stop this from happening again?”
Put yourself in a detective’s shoes. You’re not going there to be an expert – you’re going there to ask the questions that actually lead to the good stuff.
Pro tip: Question quality determines result quality. Always.
5. Stop Explaining Yourself to Death
This one is special because most of us are guilty as hell.
You remember when you just spill something out, and you just go on talking. talking. talking? As if you are trying to land an airplane but keep flying around the airport?
Yeah, that is weak communication in a nutshell.
If you know what you want to say, say it and shut up.
I learned the hard way when I had to fire an employee for the first time. Instead of being blunt, I did all this whole speech of how wonderful they were. It was awful. Had to do it again the next week. Cringe-worthy.
The takeaway: Leaders speak assertively. They tell people what they need to hear kindly and directly, and then they stop talking. The end.
If you’re circling the airport, just land the damn plane.
The Body Language Thing (Because It Actually Matters)
Look, you can say all the right words, but if you’re slouching and fidgeting, nobody’s buying it.
Simple fixes:
- Sit up straight, shoulders back
- Keep your hands in the “power zone” (basically chest level)
- Stop playing with your phone, your rings, whatever
- Project your voice like you actually believe what you’re saying
Real story: I used to whisper when I wasn’t sure about something. My team had to call me out on it. “Natalie, you’re whispering again.” It took months to fix, but it was worth it.
Here’s the Thing…
These five changes will put you ahead of 99% of people in meetings. Not because you’re smarter, but because you’re learning how to communicate like a leader.
The compound effect is real: When you speak with conviction + control your emotions + show up with purpose + ask strategic questions + stop over-explaining = people start treating you differently.
They listen when you talk. They ask for your opinion. They see you as leadership material.
And here’s the best part – you don’t have to wait for a promotion to start doing this stuff. You can literally start today.
Pick one of these five things. Practice it for a week. Watch what happens.
Because at the end of the day, knowing how to communicate like a leader isn’t about having the biggest title or the corner office. It’s about talking like someone worth following.
The people who rise to the top? They’re not necessarily the smartest ones in the room. They’re just the ones who learned how to talk like they belong there.
Based on what Natalie Dawson taught me about executive communication.
