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Thursday Strategy
THE
INSDER
STRATEGY
JACQUELINE V. TWILLIE, MBA
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Is your prefrontal cortex sabotaging your executive presence?
Here's what I mean.
You walk into a meeting prepared. You've got your slides, your notes, your talking points. But within five minutes, you notice it—someone's doodling. Another person pulls out their phone. Your manager's eyes glaze over.
You lost them.
And here's the thing: it's not entirely your fault. Your brain is actually working against you.
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What's Really Happening in Your Brain
When you're nervous or unsure in a high-stakes conversation, your amygdala (your brain's threat detection system) kicks into overdrive. It triggers fight-flight-freeze mode. Your body floods with cortisol. Your prefrontal cortex—the part responsible for strategic thinking and clear communication—goes offline.
Meanwhile, Broca's area (your speech production center) gets disrupted. You start rambling. You bury the lead in details. You overexplain because your brain is trying to prove you belong in the room.
The result? Cognitive load. You're working so hard to sound credible that you actually sound uncertain.
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Your executive's prefrontal cortex can only hold 3-5 pieces of information at once. When you lead with minutiae, their brain literally can't process it.
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The Fix: Speak in Metrics, Not Details
I spent four years as Co-CEO of a global organization. I sat through hundreds of presentations. The ones that captivated the room had one thing in common: they started with numbers that moved the business.
This is where my L.A.T.T.E. framework comes in—specifically the "T" for TALK. This is where your words cut through the noise and anchor your updates in what actually matters.
And the fastest way to do this? Power phrases.
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What's a Power Phrase?
A power phrase is a pre-structured sentence that does three things:
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1. Names the metric your decision-maker values most
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2. Links your work directly to that metric
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3. Signals you're a strategic thinker ready for more responsibility
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Think of power phrases as your brain's shortcut. When your amygdala starts firing and your prefrontal cortex goes fuzzy, you don't have to think on your feet. You've already built the language. You just deploy it.
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7 Power Phrases That Work Across Any Scenario
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Screenshot these. Customize the blanks for your next meeting. Use them when your brain wants to ramble—they'll keep you focused on what matters.
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1. Strong Opening (Lead with Metrics)
"This initiative will increase [specific metric] by [X%] over the next [timeframe], directly supporting [business priority]."
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2. Name the Risk First
"The primary risk here is [specific risk]. To mitigate this, we're implementing [solution], which reduces exposure by [X%]."
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3. Strategic Alignment
"This project aligns with [leadership's stated priority], creating a clear line of sight between our work and the company's growth agenda."
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4. Efficiency Play
"Our approach reduces manual work by [X%] each month, freeing up [X hours/resources] for [strategic priority]."
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5. Revenue/Business Impact
"We've increased [key metric] by [X%] since rollout, translating to [$X] in incremental revenue for [specific timeframe]."
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6. Implementation Options
"I've outlined two paths forward: a phased pilot starting [date] or a full rollout by [date]. Both hit the [Q#] target, but the pilot reduces risk by [X%]."
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7. Strong Close (Instead of "Any Questions?")
"What additional information do you need to remove any remaining hurdles?"
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Customize These Today
The people who take frameworks like this and customize them within 24 hours? They're the ones who see results fast.
Don't just fill in one word. If your priority is a full sentence based on your business goals, write the full sentence. Make these sound like YOU—but keep the metrics front and center.
Because here's the truth: when you speak in numbers that move the business, you bypass the cognitive load. You give their prefrontal cortex exactly what it needs. You signal credibility without having to prove it.
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Before You Go: Jobs Worth Your Attention
Tomorrow's Friday email (November 22) will have the full lineup of roles, but these two companies are worth flagging now:
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Zoom
50+ remote roles across the US. If you're looking for flexibility and scale, check out their openings.
View Zoom roles →
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Let me know which power phrase you think you'll use this week.
Jacqueline
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The Insder Strategy
Career strategy for resilient leaders
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