Laura Weldy - Leadership Coach

I see this happen over and over ⬇️

A woman is performing at the top of her role. Her manager trusts her completely. She’s the reliable one, the one who gets it done, the one everyone goes to.

And she assumes that’s the thing that moves her forward.

It isn’t.

Here’s what’s actually happening behind closed doors: leaders are weighing her potential against the cost of losing her in the role she’s already excelling in. They’re not asking “does she deserve it?” They’re asking “can she operate at the next level — and do we believe that yet?”

That’s a completely different question.

And it requires a completely different answer than working harder.

The women who get through it aren’t working more. They’re making it easier for leaders to see them beyond where they are now. They’re saying their value out loud. They’re naming what they want to lead. They’re showing their thinking, not just their output.

That’s the shift. And it’s learnable.

Comment PPC and I’ll send you details on the Personal Power Code — the exact framework I use with clients to help them make that shift before the next promotion cycle.

Most people think having a personal brand at work means constantly talking about yourself or trying to sound impressive.

That’s not what it is.

It’s really just making it easier for people to understand:
- what you’re good at
- how you think
- what kind of work you care about
- where you want to grow

Because people are going to form opinions about you at work either way.

You might as well shape the narrative instead of letting everyone else do it for you.

A lot of people are doing great work but staying completely forgettable because nobody actually knows what they want to be known for.

If you’re trying to become seen as high potential at work, comment “HIPO” and I’ll send you my free guide on the skills and behaviors companies actually look for in future leaders.

How to find your unicorn trait ↓

🦄 Look at what makes you different from the people around you
🦄 Stop assuming your nontraditional experience is a disadvantage
🦄 Pay attention to what people consistently come to you for
🦄 Identify the perspective you have that others don’t

Most people spend their careers trying to hide the thing that actually makes them memorable.

If you want help positioning yourself for your next level, send me a DM.

You may have thought these were a good idea ↓

#1 Being easy to work with at all costs

Low friction makes you valuable to keep where you are. Advancement usually follows the people who create direction, not just comfort.

#2 Saying yes to everything on your calendar

It signals availability, not prioritization. Leadership is looking for people who protect their time and decide what actually moves things forward.

#3 Waiting until you’re 100% sure before speaking

Leadership isn’t evaluating accuracy, they’re evaluating presence in the conversation. If your ideas show up late, you’re not part of how decisions get shaped.

#4 Living in the details

Detail orientation signals ownership of tasks, not ownership of direction. Leaders are looking for who can step back, prioritize, and guide the work, not just complete it.

#5 Letting your work speak for itself

Work doesn’t speak. Narratives do. If you’re not framing your impact, someone else is forming an incomplete version of it for you.

Women in corporate, corporate employees, career advice, 9 to 5

here are some examples of unicorn traits ↓

- Turning messy ideas into clear direction
- Saying the thing everyone is thinking, but better
- Making senior leaders feel confident backing your work
- Simplifying complex problems so people can act quickly
- Being the person who connects the right people at the right time
- Bringing calm and clarity in high-pressure moments
- Framing updates in a way that actually influences decisions
- Anticipating problems before they’re visible to others
- Making your work easy to advocate for when you’re not in the room
- Translating between teams so nothing gets lost in communication
- Asking the question that shifts the entire conversation
- Creating structure where there isn’t any
- Making people feel understood while still moving things forward
- Turning feedback into visible improvement quickly
- Knowing how to position your ideas so they get taken seriously

You don’t need all of these.
You need one that people consistently associate with you.

100% vs 70%

100% = perfectly thought out, fully polished… and usually shared too late to matter
70% = a clear perspective shared in the moment, while decisions are still being shaped

The difference is not intelligence. It’s timing.

High performers wait until they’re sure. Leaders speak while it’s still forming.

If you want to be seen at the next level, start contributing before it feels finished.

If you’re ready to be seen as a leader, send me a DM.

Here they are ↓

1. How quickly you speak up.�Waiting until your idea is fully polished usually means someone else already said it first.

2. How you talk about your work.�If you do not make your impact clear, people will fill in the gaps for you.

3. What you choose to engage in.�You are not expected to be everywhere, but where you show up signals what level you are operating at.

4. How you handle uncertainty.�Leaders are not the ones with all the answers, they are the ones who can move without them.

5. How others describe you when you are not in the room.�Your reputation is being built in conversations you are not part of, whether you are shaping it or not.