Get ready to be inspired by Jenna Lange’s incredible story of personal transformation and professional excellence. In this episode, Jenna, the founder and CEO of Lange International, shares her secrets to mastering high-stakes communication. You’ll learn how to harness the power of your authentic selves, build resilience, and communicate with confidence when it matters most.
Jenna’s journey from a timid figure skater to a sought-after advisor for executives worldwide will leave you with practical tips and a renewed sense of courage to tackle your own high-stakes moments. Don’t miss her advice on constructing a strong support network and the value of letting go and trusting the process.
- Key insights into how Jenna helps leaders transform their communication impact.
- Personal stories of overcoming fear, taking risks, and building confidence.
- Strategies for balancing authenticity and adapting to various professional scenarios.
- The importance of building strategic relationships and finding your support network.
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Highlights
The key moments in this episode are:
[00:00] Introduction to Beyond Barriers
[00:30] The Trapeze Metaphor: Embracing Change
[01:10] Meet Jenna Lange: From Shy Skater to Dynamic Leader & CEO
[02:25] Jenna's Journey: Overcoming Fear and Taking Risks
[05:02] Founding Lange International: The Big Leap
[06:57] Empowering Women and Building Support Networks
[09:19] The Importance of Authenticity in Leadership
[16:24] Balancing Team Success and Self-Promotion
[19:45] Top Strategies for Building Your Personal Brand
[23:23] Struggling with Sadness and Depression
[24:44] Finding Help and Overcoming the Valley
[25:50] The Importance of Vulnerability in Leadership
[27:59] Balancing Risk and Opportunity
[32:43] Building Strategic Relationships
[36:48] Women Supporting Women
[38:34 Lightning Round and Final Thoughts -
Lightning Round
Q: What book has greatly influenced you?
A: The book that I keep coming back to is the Enneagram, because I refer to it all the time because as a practitioner, I have to come back to that book.Q: What is your favorite inspiring quote or saying?
A: Maya Angelou, it doesn't matter what you say, it matters what you make people feel.Q: What is one word or moniker you would use to describe yourself?
A: Squirrel in a hot tub.Q: What is one change you've implemented that made your life better?
A: Moved to California.Q: What power song would you want playing as you walk out onto a stage?
A: Brave, Sara Barielles. -
Quotes
In high-stakes moments, it's not the bar you're on or the bar you're going to where you figure out who you are. It's when you let go and you free fall. That's when you figure out who you truly are.
Jenna Lange
The only thing that's going to matter in the age of AI is this human connection—our ability to relate, to tell stories that resonate, to listen, and to have empathy.
Jenna Lange
When I started my company 20 years ago, I realized that the women around me, my friends and support network, have always been my net. They've always caught me when I thought I was going to fall, and that has been true my entire life.
Jenna Lange
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About
As founder and CEO of Lange International, Jenna has advised executives and their teams in high-stakes communications for more than 20 years.
She cut her teeth at pitch coaching in the mid-2000s in NYC’s financial district.Investment bankers quickly learned that Jenna was their secret weapon in closing deals as she guided teams to get the story and delivery just right - from the first meeting all the way to IPO.
This talent for helping leaders in their most critical communication moments has helped Jenna grow a successful boutique consulting firm and work with some of the world's most influential companies. The Lange team is known for the care and efficiency with which they help individuals transform their communication impact.
The Lange client portfolio includes top executives at Microsoft, Meta, Google, Morgan Stanley, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Salesforce, Levi Strauss, Lyra Health, LinkedIn, Cisco, Brookfield Asset Management, Prudential Financial, and more.Jenna also enjoys helping startup CEOs craft successful investment pitches.
Having lived in Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland, Jenna is passionate about language and culture and speaks fluent Spanish and Portuguese. She brings that global focus to keynote presentations delivered throughout the LATAM, EMEA, and APAC regions.
Her LinkedIn Learning course “High-Stakes Communication” has been translated into 7 different languages and her book Please Don’t Picture Them Naked is a must read for a humorous tour of public speaking “Dos and Don’ts.”