podcast 029: power of voice in leadership
Deb sits down with Anne Marie Nest, professional performer turned voice and speech specialist, trainer, coach, and consultant, to explore a surprisingly powerful idea: your voice isn’t just sound. It’s access. It’s leadership. It’s belonging. And in the right culture, it becomes a force that amplifies everyone.
“A voice needs a chamber in order to be heard—it needs a proper container.” – Anne Marie Nest
Together, they unpack why even the most accomplished leaders can feel tongue-tied when stakes rise, how values-driven communication actually works in real life (not just in theory), and why “executive presence” is often less about polish and more about alignment. Anne Marie also shares a practical, body-based “reset” toolkit: five fast ways to down-regulate your nervous system so you can show up calmer, clearer, and more resonant when it matters most.
Key Highlights:
Why voice is both literal and symbolic and what it costs us when we don’t feel heard
The law firm chairman who wrote 20 pages of notes for one address and what changed everything
“Resonance” as more than sound: how culture becomes the container that allows voices to carry
The surprising truth about “executive presence.” It’s not just delivery, it’s values + alignment + nervous system
The leadership move that instantly changes a room: amplifying someone else’s idea in real time
Anne Marie’s 5-by-30 nervous system reset to help your voice (and your thinking brain) come online
About Our Guest:
Anne Marie Nest is a trainer, coach, and consultant who helps individuals and organizations amplify voice for better outcomes, performance, and profitability. With a background as a professional performer and professor in higher education, she now works with leaders and teams especially in high-stakes professional environments, to build resonant communication, values-led leadership, and cultures where people can speak and be heard.
About The HX Collective:
The HX Collective is a movement to elevate the human experience—at work, in relationships, and with ourselves. Through honest conversations and strategic insight, we explore how connection, context, and compassion can create a more flourishing world, starting right where we are.
