#145 – Leadership Is a Performance. Are You Prepared to Show Up? with Andy Freed

AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP, Podcast

You’ve probably sat through a meeting where someone read directly off their slides, and you checked out within minutes.

Now flip that perspective. As a leader, how often are you focused on what you’re saying, but not how you’re showing up?

Andy Freed has spent years helping leaders rethink that exact gap. As Chairman of Virtual, Inc. and author of Lead Like the Boss, Andy challenges the idea that leadership is just about delivering information. Instead, he frames it as a performance; one where your presence, energy, and intention are always on display, whether you realize it or not.

On this episode of The Workplace Communication Podcast, we’re talking with Andy Freed, Chairman of Virtual, Inc., about why leadership is a performance and how being more intentional about how you show up can transform the way your message is received. Join us as we learn how to move beyond surface-level communication and create real connection, why emotional impact matters just as much as clarity, and how small, everyday behaviors can either build or quietly erode trust.

Leadership tips you won’t want to miss:

🎙️ Defining what you want people to think, feel, and do before you speak

🎙️ Ditching “business karaoke” and speaking to people, not slides

🎙️ Managing your presence in small moments, not just big ones

🎙️ Showing intentional appreciation to strengthen trust and team culture

Andy Freed is Chairman of Virtual, Inc., a strategic consulting, marketing, and professional services firm that partners with mission-driven organizations across technology, healthcare, financial services, and life sciences. He is also the author of LEAD LIKE THE BOSS, where he helps leaders show up with clarity, presence, and impact when it matters most.

If you’re looking to communicate with more intention and show up in a way that truly resonates, then this episode is for you.

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe and leave a review.

🎧 Listen to the episode here: https://lindsaylapaquette.com/podcast/

For a full written transcript of the episode, please see the show notes at the link above.

Andy Freed’s contact information:

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Lindsay’s contact information:

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Lindsay Lapaquette

Lindsay Lapaquette, M.Sc.(A) works with middle managers who want to communicate authentically so they can effectively lead their teams without losing themselves. As a former Speech-Language Pathologist, Lindsay applies her expertise in the neuroscience of communication and connection to help managers foster an environment of trust and respect in their teams, so that everyone can bring their best selves to work.

Lindsay’s approach has been profoundly influenced by her work with Indigenous organizations, her experience as a parent to two neurodivergent children, and the premature loss of both of her parents. These experiences have taught Lindsay great lessons about the power of excellent people skills that extend well beyond her professional expertise.

Lindsay Lapaquette

Lindsay Lapaquette, M.Sc.(A) works with middle managers who want to communicate authentically so they can effectively lead their teams without losing themselves. As a former Speech Language Pathologist, Lindsay applies her expertise in the neuroscience of communication and connection to help managers foster an environment of trust and respect in their teams, so that everyone can bring their best selves to work.

Lindsay’s approach has been profoundly influenced by her work with First Nations organizations, her experience as a parent to two children with pervasive mental health challenges, and the premature loss of both of her parents. These experiences have taught Lindsay great lessons about the power of excellent people skills that extend well beyond her professional expertise.

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Leadership communication skills to elevate team performance.

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