
How to Communicate
With Executive Presence
Ep. 529 Aletta Rochat
“If you have executive presence when you speak, people will listen.”
Aletta Rochat
Bio
Aletta Rochat is a certified World Class Speaking Coach, professional speaker, and president-elect of Toastmasters International. Based in Cape Town, South Africa, she has coached clients in over 21 countries and is the first woman from Africa elected to lead Toastmasters in its 100-year history. Aletta helps leaders and professionals communicate with clarity, confidence, and executive presence—whether they’re stepping into boardrooms, big stages, or everyday conversations.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Witwatersrand and a diploma in marketing management from the University of South Africa. Aletta is also the author of two books on public speaking and the creator of the “I Belong” playbook, a self-reflection tool designed to help individuals reclaim their sense of belonging. Through one-on-one coaching and group programs, Aletta empowers people to lead not by being the loudest voice in the room—but by being the most intentional.
Shownotes
Lesley Logan sits down with public speaking coach Aletta Rochat—president-elect of Toastmasters International—to explore how communication shapes confidence, leadership, and executive presence. If you’ve ever held back your voice or downplayed your strengths, this is your reminder to reclaim your space, speak with purpose, and lead with clarity. Whether you’re leading a team or learning to own your story, this conversation will change the way you show up and speak up.
If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co.
And as always, if you’re enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe.
In this episode you will learn about:
- Why your “yes” should come from alignment—not fear.
- How to use your voice with clarity and intention.
- The power of naming and owning your superpower.
- What executive presence really is—and how to build it.
- Why Toastmasters helps far beyond public speaking.
Episode References/Links:
- Aletta Rochat Website – https://www.alettarochat.com
- Aletta Rochat Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/alettarochat
- Aletta Rochat Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/aletta.rochat
- Aletta Rochat Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/alettarochat
- Toastmasters – https://toastmasters.org
- “I Belong” Playbook – https://beitpod.com/belonging
- Mastering the Art of Exercising Authority – https://beitpod.com/exercisingauthority
- The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron – https://a.co/d/9CwCcIp
Transcript
Aletta Rochat 0:00
We hold back articulating our value and how we can help solve problems and how we can move projects forward, because we somehow have this incredible anxiety around saying what we’re good at. And once you get over that and saying, my superpower is, and this is how it can help you, you become someone who contributes to problem solving on a personal level, in your job, in your community.
—-
INTRODUCTION
Lesley Logan
Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I’m Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I’ve trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it’s the antidote to fear. Each week, my guests will bring Bold, Executable, Intrinsic and Targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It’s a practice, not a perfect. Let’s get started.
—-
Lesley Logan 1:05
All right, Be It babe, this is for you. If you have ever downplayed an idea or thought about doing something on a whim, maybe you’ve downplayed yourself. Today’s guest went from like being a stay at home mom to kind of following this urge to go to a Toastmasters to then being, correct me if I’m wrong, Aletta, but like, the head of Toastmasters for the world, 150 countries and like that. So I am really excited because we talk about public speaking, but we also talk really about how to belong, and I think it’s an important message that every single one of you needs to hear. And hopefully, we inspire you to check in with yourself, and maybe, and maybe think about the words that you want to communicate in this world, and how you can get them out there and not be super scared about it, because we all actually are so blessed and so lucky to have special gifts and superpowers. And Aletta Rachat, our guest here today, really helps you kind of be proud of that and own that. And so here she is.
Lesley Logan 2:12
All right, Be It babe, we’re about to have a very fabulous, wonderful conversation, and I think you’re also just going to love to listen to our guest, because she’s got one of those accents you just want to all the time. Aletta Rochat, thank you so much for being here. Will you tell everyone who you are and what you rock at?
Aletta Rochat 2:26
Thank you, Lesley, wonderful to be with you. My name is Aletta Rochat. I’m speaking to you all the way from beautiful Cape Town South Africa. And my passion is helping people be more successful through the way they communicate. And the first person from Africa, never mind the first woman from Africa, who will soon be the international president of Toastmasters International, which I’m so excited for, and only the 10th woman in 100 years of the organization’s history. So we are really helping, hopefully inspiring many other women to follow in my footsteps. I’ve coached and trained in 21 different countries, and I currently spend a lot of my time coaching clients to build executive presence, which is rooted in the way we communicate with each other and what we think about who we are and what we have to offer the world. And the author of two books on public speaking, so you can see, I’m just in the communication game. I love it.
Lesley Logan 3:27
Okay, so first of all, congratulations. That is amazing, the accomplishments, and it’s a little shocking in the length of time that you’ll be the 10th but I, but I love that. I think it’s important. I was really drawn to you because so many people are afraid of public speaking. So many people have a desire to share a story. Now, more than ever, I meet people who want to talk about the things that they do. They want to help people. They want to take their story and give it out there. But they could write the book. They could put the posts, but once they have to actually, like, put their face to words in front of people, and now public speaking isn’t even just being on stage it’s even just like putting stuff out on social media, people have a hard time communicating because they get so scared.
Aletta Rochat 4:09
Yeah, they do. And it’s, you know, people are scared for different reasons. Sometimes it’s you’ve had a bad experience when you were at school and somebody laughed when you spoke up. Sometimes it’s a comfort zone thing. So you find speaking to your friends, but should you be in a meeting at work and speaking to senior management? Suddenly your brain evaporates and you just can’t get out. And it’s not that the thoughts aren’t within you. You’ve got the ideas, you’ve got the talent, you’ve got the commitment, but somehow articulating that in front of people can be very difficult. The thing that I’ve noticed in myself and other people, when you get anxious, your brain is thinking, oh my gosh, what am I going to say? And you’re trying to formulate those words. At the same time, you’re watching yourself make a fool of yourself. So the anxiety just explodes and it becomes almost impossible to be you. And ultimately, if you and I were sitting across the table having a cup of coffee together, you’d easily be able to tell me what your ideas were and why they’re important. But, somehow, some context freak people out and then they just shut down. And then we don’t see the real them. We don’t see the value that they can offer.
Lesley Logan 5:24
Yeah, well, thank you for, like, kind of normalizing it, because it’s a common thing that people are going through. So, can we go back how did you get started in even helping people speak and communicate? Because that’s not something, when you’re a child, I wonder, like, is that something you dreamed of doing? Well, how did you get into this?
Aletta Rochat 5:42
It was a survival skill. I had a very nomadic childhood. My dad was in mining, and from a very young age, we moved around a lot. So I was born in South Africa, we moved a couple of times there. By the time I was five years old, we moved to Zambia, and then we moved to Canada, and then we moved to Tasmania, and then we moved back to South Africa. So I can have I’ve got such a clear memory of being about eight years old, going to my next new school on my third continent, and standing in front of this classroom of people I didn’t know, and innately knowing that the way I spoke to them would determine whether or not I had friends at break time. And of course, very importantly, if you’re eight years old, whether or not you get an invitation to a birthday party. And I remember holding my mom’s hand, you know, before she said goodbye and saying to myself, Aletta, you’ve done this before, you can do it again. And at that young age, I figured out a few basics. When you’re new in an environment, you listen before you speak, because you’ve got to find out what’s important to that group. And once you know what’s important to them, then you can slot in on the conversation. That type of thing. So I had many opportunities to practice that as a child, I was always a kid with a funny accent, the one who started not at the beginning of the year, but midterm. And that happened again and again. And as an adult, with my husband’s job, we moved and stayed in America, in Pittsburgh for a while. We lived in London. So, I got to repeat those practices many times. And then when I started coaching, I suddenly thought, where did I learn this? And it all went back to my childhood. So it was just very important to me to fit in, like for all of us, whether it’s a new job or a new team or, you know, you’re dating someone and they’ve got friends and family you want to fit in with, these skills are applicable in all those situations.
Lesley Logan 7:40
Yeah, thank you for saying that because I also think people could hear, like, you’re Toastmasters or not, because I could get coached for these things. But really, we all need these skill sets, even in family dynamics, especially now in family dynamics, not everyone agrees. How incredible, as a child that you’re like you learn to observe and also to clearly state who you are and what you like, so that you could be accepted in. That’s a superpower that you have. They were traveling and everything. But how did you get into Toastmasters and public speaking? Did your job have you doing presentations or did you decide, because you’re a coach, you wanted to go out and talk? What was the impetus to make you want to go out and speak more?
Aletta Rochat 8:20
So Lesley, I’m one of these strange people that actually has always enjoyed public speaking. I know I’m not the normal. But it never, it never freaked me out. So I’ve always enjoyed it, and I did it as part of my job, before I started raising kids, and then I got to the point I had three beautiful children and love being a stay-at-home mom, but I was wanting something for me, and when I went to my first Toastmasters meeting, it wasn’t to become a better speaker. I joke that I was running away from my kids. I just wanted me time. And when I got there, I want to, I’m a lifelong learner. And immediately, I was so impressed with the people who were, you know, speaking that evening, and I knew I could learn, so I just followed the desire to learn. And of course, I loved communicating in any event. And I just there was a path I could never have foreseen that I would become the leader of this global organization at the time. But I just kept on saying yes to the next opportunity. They started asking me to do PR for the club, and I said yes. While I was doing that, someone called, and I said, well, come along to our meeting and see what it’s like. And then she said, I’m phoning for my boss. He’s too busy. Can’t you help him? So I just said, oh, yes, I can. And that became my first client. And so it was an unintended consequence of joining Toastmasters was stepping into this role of coaching other people, and subsequent to that, I’ve got coaching certifications, and it’s really my happy place training and leading and coaching is, feeds my soul, so I really enjoy it, and that means it doesn’t feel like work.
Lesley Logan 9:56
Yeah, you are seeking out things and then you would say yes to things. And I wonder, you know, some of the people who listen get themselves into places because they say yes too much. How did you make sure that when you were saying yes to things, that it actually was enhancing what you were doing and not compounding or stressing or causing you to not be able to do the things that you love? Is there something that you, you measured each yes with? Was it like a gut feeling? How did you do that? Because I’m wondering how we can take your like saying yes to these amazing things, to people who might be saying yes to not amazing things.
Aletta Rochat 10:33
I think the reason you’ve got to, you’ve got to understand why you’re saying yes. So if you’re saying yes to get validation or you’re saying yes to feel accepted, or you’re saying yes because you’re afraid of saying no, those could all lead you down very strange paths. So you’ve got to say yes to something that means something to you. You know, I’ve always been a volunteer. I love volunteering, but I remember when my kids, my son, was involved in scouting, and they wanted me to take on a role of quarter master, which was looking after all the scouting equipment. I just knew I had to say no because it didn’t feed my soul, you know, I couldn’t imagine anything. You know, I know they’re talented people who do that job, but it wasn’t me. So you’ve got to be true to yourself when you say yes, and it’s got to bring you joy at some level, but it’s not yes out of a sense of duty, and then you’ve got resentment for it. It’s got to be something where you say yes because you want to give and you also want to learn. So to me, that, it’s both sides of the coin. You can’t just say yes to give and you’re not learning or getting anything back. There’s got to be value in it for you. And we’ve all got busy lives, and we’ve got to fit this into whatever else you’ve got going, your job, your family, looking after you as a person, your emotional and physical well being. So sometimes we get it right, sometimes we get it wrong, but I’ve always been one of these ones. I joke that I suffer from the Helium Hand Syndrome. So when people say, do you need anything? The hand magically goes up and, to your point, I’ve said yes to too many things in the past and then been burnt out. So I’ve learned to sit on my hand every now and again and make sure that I don’t just it’s not a reflex reaction. It’s a considered action where I can add value and where it adds value to me.
Lesley Logan 12:20
I love that you broke down all of that. And why are you saying I think that that is so important, you guys, I think you can all just take that clip apart. Everyone could just put it as a little card. Am I saying yes because I’m afraid of saying no. Am I saying yes because it’s like, I’m like, you know, until it becomes an innate muscle, you know? I think that’s really helpful because it is true. I know I had someone to send me a thing, and of course, I wanted to say yes to it. The yes was, like, a no brainer. The reason I said no is because the timing that just didn’t work. There was no way I could do it. And so there’s that part, that old version of me who’s like, oh my God, if you say no to this, they’re never going to ask again. And it’s like, that is actually a story. If they are never going to ask me again, because I said no one time, I probably don’t want to actually be with that kind of demanding space. But typically, I said, Oh my God, I’m so thrilled you asked me. I’m, I would love to do this. The date is wrong. I could do the weekends before, I could do the weekends after. I can’t do that weekend. So you know, if the date changes, please consider me again. And they respond, of course, like that would be, thank you so much for letting us know. So it’s like, you know, it’s not, sometimes we, like I, could I have moved my other things to say yes? Not really. So I think it’s really important for us to kind of understand why we’re saying yes and what fears are coming up if we are struggling with it, you know, just paying attention to that stuff. What are some of the things that you, tools or sayings that you have that help you show up for all the things you want to do. Is there, like, a saying that you have, or something that someone taught you that helps you because you have so much confidence, and I imagine there was some of that you were born with, but like, what keeps you going in that way?
Aletta Rochat 14:01
When I was running for election to a position, I’ve spent a lot of time speaking to past leaders and trying to glean information from them, and I’d chat to them and get their ideas and share my ideas, and at the end of every call, I would always say to them, what’s the one thing in your opinion that I should remember as I go on this journey? And there was one of my colleagues who was senior to me in the organization, and he said words I’ve never forgotten, and he said to me, Aletta, remember that you belong. And that, to me, was so profound, because if I believe I belong, I’m likely to be more relaxed, more spontaneous, I’m more likely to share my ideas, and if I believe I belong, then I would probably be thinking at a different level. If I’m aiming for a senior position. And I thought, well, if I was in the C-suite, what would be important to me if I belonged, if I already had that position? How would I approach this? And that, to me, became quite a powerful mindset shift to check whether I’m waiting for someone else to tell me I belong, or whether I’m taking ownership and reclaiming my sense of belonging. And when I realized that I show up differently when I think I belong, and I thought, well, why don’t I grant myself permission? Why does it have to be delegated to the world to give me a tick and say, yes, you can go the next step? So it’s a powerful concept that’s meant a lot to me personally, and when I’ve shared it with clients, it somehow resonates with people. If you belong, how would you show up? How would you speak up? Why would you share your ideas, or why wouldn’t you share your ideas if you belong? So for me, it’s almost like a fundamental building block of confidence and executive presence is this concept of belonging, but we can’t give it to ourselves, and that was a game changer.
Lesley Logan 15:55
Aletta, I’m obsessed with this because that is Be It Till You See It. If I belong, I show up differently. If I believe I belong here, if I believe I belong in the role I’m applying for, if I do that, your energy is different, how you answer the questions, you’re not waiting for validation. I’m obsessed with this whole thing. So is this a mantra that you have people say? Is this something you repeat to yourself? Is it on Post-It notes like, how do you how did you incorporate it. How did you remind yourself?
Aletta Rochat 16:22
It was so powerful to me that it suddenly became part of everything I did. If I belong. Because as soon as I felt as if I didn’t belong, the clue was, that’s when I’m not so sure of myself, and I start doubting myself. Where I start saying, well, you know, why am I here? So and so is better than me. Any of those negative voices that camp in your head. As soon as they became prominent, then I’d start to say to myself, but no, calm down. Take a step back. You belong. And if I can get into that calm state and say, actually, I do belong, then it’s like a whole, my body calms down, my anxiety goes down, and then I can have clarity of thought, because it’s not the anxiety tripping me up. So to me, it was just such a powerful saying that it I just embraced it and didn’t let go of it. And now I’ve woven it into the coaching tools I have. I’ve created the I Belong playbook to get people to start thinking which areas of their life do they have a sense of belonging, and which is there a lack of a sense of belonging, and can we fix that by spending some time and saying, actually, if I did belong, what would I do? And a lot of that is linked in with self-acceptance, because if you belong, you’re not wanting. You are enough if you feel you belong. And that’s such a empowering thing. And it also just allows you to relax and be you, as opposed to trying to be something that you wish you would be, or you think someone else needs you to be. So it gives you permission just to just make it so much easier.
Lesley Logan 17:56
Yeah, oh, my God, it there is an easy button. It’s that mantra. But I, I, you hit something, you hit like on self-acceptance. And I think that is difficult. I think we have a lot of perfectionists who listen, a lot of over achievers, a lot of women. They’re so amazingly powerful. They’re awesome. They handle everything. They’re handling their parents, health that’s going on. They’re handling their work, they’re handling their kid’s stuff. And yet I feel like sometimes they’re where, like you can have the I belong in some areas, I feel like there is a lack of feeling they belong in the areas that they want to be going towards. And it’s easy for them to use all this other stuff as an excuse, as a distraction to maybe not exploring the I belong, but also, like self-acceptance on that thing that they’re desiring. Do you find that, like, have you worked with people in your coaching practice who, like, they can, they have some amazing areas where they belong, and then they’re just not accepting themselves in the area that actually is where they desire to grow?
Aletta Rochat 19:00
Exactly. One of the starting points for any coaching conversation I have with clients is trying to identify their superpowers. We all have them. But somehow society has conditioned us to say, oh, it’s nothing. I can do this. It’s nothing. It’s, then we trivialize it, and once I start asking questions like, one of the clues to your superpowers is, what do other people ask you for help with so now you’re really good at doing Excel spreadsheets and pivot tables and all this. And people come to you because you can do it in a heartbeat and they take three hours. You think it’s nothing, because it’s innate to you, but it’s a gift you’ve been given. But where I find the disconnect is we know, maybe at a deep level, we’re good at something, but we’re almost scared to admit it or to articulate that to someone else, and therefore we hold back articulating our value and how we can help solve problems. And how we can move projects forward, because we somehow have this incredible anxiety around saying what we’re good at, and once you get over that and saying, my superpower is, and this is how it can help you, you become someone who contributes to problem solving on a personal level, in your job, in your community, but if you aren’t willing to share your God given talent, we don’t know how wonderful you are, and you get overlooked. So that sense of belonging often is related to this trivialization of what we’re good at, and if we can get over that, so much opens up.
Lesley Logan 20:37
Yeah, yeah. I think it takes time. It always takes an outsider to help you with that. It’s kind of hard to do, you know, like, there’s some things you become aware of on your own, and some people a light bulb can turn on, and there’s like, a lot like, I remember I did The Artist’s Way once, and I was answering one of the questions, and I had an aha moment that I never had, ever thought about. And I was like, oh, no wonder I never cook. Like, when I was eight years old, my grandfather told me, like, are you fucking idiot? Why would you do this with the bread? And I did not realize that, oh, at a young age, I just kind of learned, you know, even though I was following a recipe, you know. So sometimes things can be done with an, with an, a book or, or a hearing something, and then other times, if you are hearing it and you know it, and you’re struggling with it, you need support of someone to kind of guide you. How long have you been coaching and what drew you to supporting others?
Aletta Rochat 21:29
I’ve been coaching probably for about 15 years now, and what drew me towards it? It’s I get such a kick out of seeing other people blossom. It, to me that’s, the best reward ever is when I share something, someone takes action on that, and they sent me a letter it worked. And to see clients growing in confidence, in whichever way is important to them. You know, it doesn’t matter whether they’re IT professionals or entrepreneurs or whatever, but to see them grow is just so powerful. So that feeds my soul, and it’s something that I just as I say, it doesn’t feel like work to me. I feel it’s my purpose in life. That’s my God-given talent is helping other people be more successful. So, for me, it’s just natural to do it, and I enjoy doing it. And you know, I do it one-on-one. I do it in group coaching programs. I do it often with no reward whatsoever, just because I love it and it feeds my soul. So it makes sense.
Lesley Logan 22:30
I think that’s so fun about a lot of things we get to do on this world now. And so many of us have a superpower, and then we can make it be the thing that we do. And it doesn’t have to feel like work. It can feel like part of any wonderful day that we’re given to do. I have some questions, because I know some of our listeners have probably heard Toastmasters, but probably thought it was like the thing that their parents did in the 90s. Is that something that everyone should be doing, is it something only people who wanna publicly speak do? What drew you to it? I mean, obviously you run it, so obviously you’re obsessed. But I would just like to know, because I remember when I was a young adult hearing about Toastmasters, but not necessarily something that, I’ve been told I should do it, and I just never did it. So I would love I’m curious now I’m asking you.
Aletta Rochat 23:15
Toastmasters, for those who aren’t aware of it, is an organization that teaches people public speaking and leadership skills, and we do that in clubs. So clubs usually about 20 people, some of them are bigger, some of them are smaller. And you come to club meetings and you choose your own speech topics. There’s a curriculum that you can personalize. We call them pathways, and you decide which one you want to go to. And your first project, for instance, is called your icebreaker, where you simply introduce yourself to the club. We give you a few criteria. We tell you how long to speak for. So we time everything to try and train people not to go on and on or speak too short. And the beautiful thing about Toastmasters is two things, you’re guaranteed an audience which often is hard to find, and you’re guaranteed applause, and then, which is something very precious. And then in that audience, somebody will be given the task of giving you feedback. And if you were speaking, let’s say, Lesley, we love that you did this, this, and this. Next time, challenge yourself. Here’s my suggestion to improve that. So it’s an incredibly positive, supportive environment. Everybody is there for the same reason. So it’s an incredibly safe space. If you want to make mistakes, that’s the place to make it. But that if you participate, within three months, you see such a tangible increase in confidence, which you take back to your family, your community, your career. So my advice is go to toastmasters.org and there’s a Find a Club feature, and look for clubs in your area that meet at a day or a venue that suits you or a time, and go and visit a few clubs. They’ve each got their own personality. And don’t be put off if they look different to you. They’re older or younger than you. Just go and give it a go. You actually will be amazed. And one of the best things about it is you meet people that are different to you, people from different backgrounds, different experience sets, so your life, just by hearing their stories, is enriched. But it’s a lot of fun. But you know, it’s the best way to do it is just go attend a meeting and see what you think.
Lesley Logan 25:23
What a fun hobby. I think that could be, even if you’re not wanting to, I love that you brought up like you bring the confidence to the other parts of your life. We hear a lot of people, they struggle to make friends as an adult, because it’s so much harder, like especially when you have kids, if you move to a new city, good luck making new relationships, new friends. It can be really difficult. But I sound, it sounds like Toastmasters would bring multiple facets of people to the same place, and so you can connect with other people. I mean, guaranteed applause. Who doesn’t want that? But also, like.
Aletta Rochat 25:53
In 150 countries all over the world, so, it’s very hard to find a country that there isn’t a Toastmasters club. So it’s probably closer and easier than you imagine.
Lesley Logan 26:02
I’m gonna look it up after just to see, because I’ve lived in the city four and a half years, but I find I have a great group of connections. But also I’m like, well, how would I meet more friends if I wanted to add more friends? Because, you know, it becomes, the city can come really small, if you like, stay in your group and you just have that network. So I think that it could be really cool. And also not that you have to want to go and be a public speaker, but also if you want to present in your office. You know.
Aletta Rochat 26:26
In your office, at a wedding, at a friend’s birthday, at a funeral. You know, there’s so many opportunities we get to, especially these special occasions, speaking, where your speech is a gift that only you can give and you really want to do it well, you know, whether it’s a friend or someone who’s retiring or someone getting married, what a wonderful way to pay tribute to someone. And if you have a bit of practice, and you can even practice those speeches at Toastmasters and get feedback before the event, so that when the day comes, you can shine.
Lesley Logan 26:59
Ah, that’s so cool. That would have been very helpful when I had to speak at a funeral a few years back.
Aletta Rochat 27:05
It’s just so hard to do. It’s not easy.
Lesley Logan 27:06
So hard, you’re so, you’re so emotional, you’re trying to, like, share your love, but you’re also feeling your emotions. But I mean, you know, even though it’s my company that I’m running, sometimes I have to present an idea. We talked about, at the beginning of this, it’s like getting, in one-on-one, I could, like, totally share the idea, but then you got to present the idea to people who are the marketing department for it. They’re the payroll department going, can we afford this? They’re the ops department who has all these questions. And sometimes you’re like, okay, now my idea doesn’t, I don’t have as much confidence in it. I feel a little muddy around it. I’m actually nervous, because now I have to translate it to all of you and get you excited, because I want to do it. It’s hard.
Aletta Rochat 27:45
Yeah, it’s not easy, but with a bit of practice, you’ll be amazed at how much easier it will get and how quickly you can achieve that.
Lesley Logan 27:52
This is, I love this a lot. So what are you most excited about right now? We’re in the new year when we’re recording this. Is there something that you’re super excited to do this year that you haven’t been doing before, or is it more of the same?
Aletta Rochat 27:59
I think it is growing what I’ve already done. I’ve got a beautiful group coaching program, and I want to invite more people into that, where I mentor them for a 12-month period on executive presence, and that group has just achieved so much that that is very exciting. I’ve also planning to publish a book on executive presence, putting all the tools that I’ve created and publishing that. Don’t ask me for a publication date, because I don’t know yet. I’m still trying to get it done, but it’s a dream that excites me.
Lesley Logan 28:37
Oh, around here, we love reading books, so you’ll just have to let us know if there’s a waitlist thing or something. Executive presence, is that something we all have inside us innately, or is that something that we have to cultivate?
Aletta Rochat 28:49
I think people probably have an ability for it. Whether they nurture that ability is a different question. I remember when I was at school, the headmistress of my school, describing in a reference she wrote for me, she said a letter has a quiet authority, and in those days, maybe that was what executive presence was. So you don’t have to be the loudest voice in the room. You don’t have to be the best brain in the room, but if you have executive presence when you speak, people will listen because you’re adding value, and you will speak in a way that contributes to the group and contributes to the bigger picture. So I believe everybody needs it and can cultivate it and can benefit from and it covers so many things. It covers the confidence, the self-belief, the sense of belonging, the way you articulate your message. So whether you’re having to say no to someone, or whether you’re giving feedback, or whether you’re inspiring a team, if you’ve got executive presence, it’s easier. So it’s something that I think all of us should develop as a muscle, because the benefits are multifaceted, and it’s not out of reach of anybody. We just have to become self aware, and then learn a few tips and tricks, and then have, build our awareness of others, because that’s also part and parcel. You can’t just be an island with your executive presence and nobody around you. You’ve got to learn to get the best out of people and give the best to people so that we all benefit.
Lesley Logan 30:16
Beautiful. I think that what you’re doing is really cool. You have such a calm, like this headmistress said, like this calm leadership about you, there’s just something, and I think that’s so nice. Sometimes people have so much fluttering energy. And there’s something about you that everything that you say feels possible and doable, even, even if I’ve heard it before, but the way you say it, it’s easy, like the I belong, and how that that can change the way we feel, and how all that can work.
Lesley Logan 30:44
I wonder, before we take a brief break, what are the ways that you prioritize yourself because you are so passionate helping people and it doesn’t feel like work, how do you make sure that you are prioritizing you in your day?
Aletta Rochat 30:58
Got quite a good sense of when I’m not feeling at my best, and when that anxiety comes up when I’m just kind of not feeling me, my remedy is to go into nature, either go walk the garden, or take a dog for a walk or to have a run. Exercise and outdoors really helps me. My husband is very good. He’ll just say, you know, what’s going on? You know when, if it’s Toastmasters related, he’ll say, you joined to have fun. If you’re not having fun, change something. So I’m also very aware of my energy levels. So, you know, I try and surround myself with people who lift my energy, and hopefully I do the same for them. So I’ve learned over the years to say no to things that aren’t good for me, but I think it’s just, it’s almost like that barometer you’ve always just got to check how you’re feeling today and if you’re feeling off, why? I was trying to track it back, when did it change and what was it? And sometimes it’s anxiety. You’re worried about something, and then suddenly your energy changes, and then you become contracted inside, and then you can’t be at your best. So how do you remedy that? Is it going back inside and reminding yourself that you belong? Is it taking a walk? Is it phoning a friend? It’s just being aware of when you can recalibrate to get back into the position that you can be creative and spontaneous and add value, but knowing what it feels like when it’s right and knowing what it feels like when it’s wrong is a key to looking after yourself.
Lesley Logan 32:29
I love that. I think that that’s important to give ourselves time to do that, you know, I think that’s really key. And it takes, it takes a muscle, it takes practice. I’ll let everyone take a brief break and then find out how people can find you, follow you, work with you, and your Be It Action Items.
Lesley Logan 32:44
All right, Aletta, you mentioned you have a I Belong playbook. I would like to know more, because I feel like that is the be it till you see it playbook right there and you’ve made it. So we may as well make sure people have it.
Aletta Rochat 32:58
Well, I created it in the process of trying to challenge myself to identify which parts of my life I belong and which I don’t feel I belong and why, and to kind of have a playbook where I can say, okay, that’s the area I want to pick up on. So it’s very simple. It’s just prompts for you to follow. But the idea is that you do an inventory of your belongingness, of I can put it that way, I’ve never expressed it quite like that, and then that’ll help you take the next step and inform yourself and just create that awareness that you can take further to get that sense of belonging and to cultivate it, nurture it. Because it’s not a once and done deal. It’s a practice, yeah, but it’s a very powerful practice. So if people would like to download that they go to, I’m going to give you lots of letters here, H-T-T-P-S, you know the story, coaching.executivepresenceformula.com/belonging.
Lesley Logan 33:55
We will put that in the show notes, guys. We will put that in the blogs. It’s easy to click. Yes, that is wonderful. And do you hang out on any of the socials that people can find you, follow you on?
Aletta Rochat 34:07
The best one to find me on is LinkedIn. And if you just Google my name or search my name on LinkedIn and send me a message, I’d love to have a conversation with you, and it’s just, yeah, finding out, when I have a conversation with you, how I could be of service and, you know, whether we’re a good match. And a conversation is the easiest way to determine that and then to see what’s next.
Lesley Logan 34:31
Love that. I love that. Thank you for that. Okay, you’ve actually given us so many great things. But for the people who may skip to the end, or they get to hit this point, and they are like, okay, but what, what should I do next? The bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted steps people can take to be it till they see it, what do you have for us?
Aletta Rochat 34:48
The first thing I have is to own your sense of belonging, reclaim it if you’ve lost it. Second thing is you be the one to grant yourself permission to belong. It’s within your power. You’ve got agency. It’s a choice you have. And the third one is then start playing with it, start thinking, start speaking, start acting as if you belong, and watch the difference that results once you have that mindset. So it’s reclaiming our sense of belonging. And that’ll unleash so many possibilities for you, and it’s something it’s a gift you give yourself.
Lesley Logan 35:26
Yes, yes. Oh my gosh, I love this so much. I think it’s a great reminder and a wonderful tool. And so also, thank you for your playbook, because I do think the inventory of belongingness is, is key. People who listen to this, obviously, y’all want to know more about yourself, and I think what a great place to evaluate and have some aha moments. So, Aletta, thank you so much for being here and sharing your gifts with us and your positivity and your tools. You are wonderful. and you’re doing great work.
Lesley Logan 35:56
Y’all, make sure you share this with a friend. Share this with someone who needs to hear it. Make sure you hit up Aletta on LinkedIn and let her know your favorite takeaways and until next time, Be It Till You See It.
—-
Lesley Logan
That’s all I’ve got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate this show and leave a review. And, follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to podcasts. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over on IG at the @be_it_pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others BE IT TILL YOU SEE IT. Have an awesome day!
—-
Lesley Logan
‘Be It Till You See It’ is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @be_it_pod.
Brad Crowell
It’s written, filmed and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan and me, Brad Crowell.
Lesley Logan
It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.
Brad Crowell
Our theme music is by Ali at APEX Production Music and our branding by designer and artist Gianfranco Cioffi.
Lesley Logan
Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.
Brad Crowell
Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.
Pod Social Media
More Episodes
Ep 538: Why Slow Living Is Your Ultimate Life Upgrade (ft. Stephanie O’Dea)
In this episode, Lesley Logan talks with Stephanie O’Dea—New York Times bestselling author, viral blogger, and now a slow living coach—about what it really means to live intentionally. Fr...
Ep 537: Rebuilding Strong Habits With My Dog (FYF with Lesley Logan)
In this FYF episode, Lesley Logan highlights community member victories, reflects on inspiring quotes from iconic women, and shares her personal joy in retraining their dog, Bayon. Each story is a ...
Ep 536: How Our Tours Have Gotten Bigger and Better (OPC Tour Stories #2)
Get the inside scoop on how the OPC tours came to life, including the key role Balanced Body played in making them happen. Lesley and Brad share what it’s like to be on the road, how they stay gr...
Ep 535: Revisited How Our Very First OPC Tour Started (OPC Tour Stories #1)
What started as a holiday workaround turned into a nationwide tour that’s touched hundreds of lives. In this behind-the-scenes episode, Lesley Logan and Brad Crowell share the unfiltered origin s...
Ep 534: Why It’s Important to Speak Out for the Voiceless (FYF with Lesley Logan)
In this episode of Fuck Yeah Friday, Lesley Logan celebrates women who boldly show up with integrity and kindness, from LSU Coach Kim Mulkey’s empowering game-day gestures to community wins that ...
Ep 533: Why Being Present Is a Powerful Antidote to Urgency (ft. Brad Crowell)
What happens when growth isn’t driven by hustle, but by intention? Lesley and Brad unpack Launa Jae’s take on emotional self-awareness, authentic evolution, and what it means to truly live ...
Ep 532: Why Moving With Intention Feels Better Than Hustling (ft. Launa Jae)
In this episode, Lesley Logan welcomes back mindset and wellness coach Launa Jae for a deep dive into alignment, burnout, and how hustle culture can disconnect us from ourselves. They explore what ...
Ep 531: Creating Something New for Pilates Anytime (FYF with Lesley Logan)
Lesley shares an eye-opening stat about feedback bias toward high-performing women and celebrates a win from Dana Karen’s impactful challenge for people with chronic pain. Lesley also shares a pe...
Ep 530: Give Yourself Permission to Easily Own Your Confidence (ft. Brad Crowell)
In this recap, Lesley and Brad reflect on their convo with Aletta Rochat, a trailblazing and executive presence coach, who shares what it really takes to show up with confidence. Together they unpa...
Ep 529: How to Communicate With Executive Presence (ft. Aletta Rochat)
Lesley Logan sits down with public speaking coach Aletta Rochat—president-elect of Toastmasters International—to explore how communication shapes confidence, leadership, and executive presence....
Ep 528: My Big Win This Year That Beat Email Overwhelm (FYF with Lesley Logan)
In this episode, Lesley Logan highlights stories of women using power for good, from world-changing philanthropists to unsung heroes like Marty Goddard. She also shares community wins and a persona...
Ep 527: What Energy Are You Attracting for Your Business (ft. Brad Crowell)
Branding isn’t just logos and fonts—it’s your energy, your story, and your “why”. In this recap, Lesley and Brad explore how aligning with your purpose and showing up consistently is the ...
Join
Stay Current on Podcasts
& Advice!

0 Comments