“How do you want to be perceived?” I asked Darla. “Do you want to be seen as someone who can be held hostage by the demands—the threats—they are making? Do you want to be seen as indecisive?” “No,” Darla said, flatly. “As a leader, you want to be seen—you need to be seen—as decisive, and willing to make tough choices. The outcome may be uncertain,

You are not a leader because you have better insight—you are a leader because you make decisions.

Generally, you want to be clear, concise, and project a confident and action-oriented aura. For example, rather than saying, “I wonder if…” say “I see it this way, based on X, Y, Z.” When communicating with more senior audiences, ask yourself: If they leave after two minutes, what do I want to make sure they understand? Structure your communication