Centre Stage is an interview series aimed at empowering women in insights with the confidence of being in the spotlight.

Public speaking can be intimidating, but for leadership expert and storytelling coach Leslie Riley, it’s a powerful tool for connection, growth, and change. Leslie is an Army officer who transitioned into a successful career as a speaker, trainer, and facilitator. She helps individuals and organizations harness the power of storytelling to communicate effectively, lead with authenticity, and inspire action. I had the privilege to talk to Leslie about her journey to the TEDx stage, strategies for overcoming imposter syndrome, and her top tips for delivering impactful presentations.

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Iosetta: Leslie, you have such a compelling presence as a speaker. How did you find your way to the TEDx stage, and when did you realize public speaking was something you wanted to pursue?

Leslie: To give you some context, I went to West Point (United States Military Academy) straight out of high school, which set me on a unique path. I was drawn there because I always had an interest in leadership; in school I was a team captain and yearbook editor. The military, though, gave me a new set of tools. Over time, I realized that leading by example was the most effective approach. If you’re not willing to do something, you shouldn’t ask others to do it.

When I push myself beyond my comfort zone—whether it’s taking a new job, running a longer race, or trying a new sport—I have a story that resonates, because I'm putting myself in a position of vulnerability. Those stories are what encourage people to also be vulnerable. Over the years, I honed this skill of storytelling, to invite people into the conversation and that led me to TEDx. I had been running my own business for about seven or eight years and saw TEDx as a great platform to share my message. 

I: What a story! You mentioned pushing beyond your comfort zone. How do you take that first step?

L: It changes over time. You could have been a risk taker when you were younger as you had more opportunities to push yourself, but as life moves on, you have to actively seek those challenges. Where in your life have you become complacent? That’s a signal that it’s time to stretch yourself again. It’s not about being a “better version” of yourself—it’s about feeling more alive.

I: I agree—once you overcome that initial hurdle, the sense of accomplishment makes it all worthwhile. But even after taking that first step, self-doubt can creep in. Have you dealt with imposter syndrome, and how do you navigate it?

L: Oh, have I ever? Only 19 times today! 

Imposter syndrome doesn’t go away. I surround myself with successful women in different fields, and I’ve found that even those at the top still experience it. It just changes. When I was asked to speak on imposter syndrome for an organization’s women leaders, I took a different approach. Instead of trying to eliminate it, I asked myself: If everyone has it, how do we use it to our advantage? 

I think of it like energy—wind can either knock you down or power a turbine. Self-doubt can paralyze you or push you to ask better questions: “What is this telling me? Am I the only one in the room feeling this? Could I use it to start a bigger conversation?” I invite it to the table, but I don’t let it run the meeting. About 80% of the time, that helps me channel it productively. The other 20%? It kicks my butt, and I have to work through it. But the size of your doubt often matches the size of the challenge. If it feels huge, it’s probably because what you’re doing is huge.

I: That’s such a great perspective. Let’s talk about public speaking itself—I really want to hear from a pro like you what are your top three tips for delivering a great presentation?

L: Always be yourself. If you try to be who you think the audience wants, you’ll feel lost if it doesn’t land. When you’re authentic, even if the talk doesn’t resonate with everyone, the right people will connect with it.

Tailor your talk to the audience. Some speakers give the same talk everywhere. That doesn’t work for me—I want to make sure I’m addressing the specific challenges of the group I’m speaking to. Find the overlap between what you love to speak about and what they need to hear.

Before you speak, ask yourself: “What’s going on in the audience’s minds right now? What doubts or struggles are they dealing with?” If you can tap into that, your talk will be far more impactful.

This is another key piece of advice that really helped me. The shorter the talk, the more you need to practice. A five-minute talk requires so much more practice than a one-hour talk, because you only have those five minutes to get your message across. But if I get an hour, I like to leave 15 or 20 minutes for that back and forth with the audience, because it keeps it alive. I like to talk with people.

I: These are great tips, thank you. Many people fear public speaking, especially large audiences. Any advice for handling that fear?

L: Butterflies are a good thing—they show you care. The key isn’t eliminating them but getting them to fly in formation. Find what centers you: meditation, a power song, even imagining someone who believes in you.

One of my favorite analogies: a big idea is like a growing tree. When it’s a sprout, its shadow is small. But when it becomes an oak, its shadow is massive. So when fear looms large, remind yourself: This must be a big idea worth sharing.

I: Talking about people who believe you in you, who has inspired you along your journey?

L: That’s changed over time. I’ve had speakers leave me in awe, and when that happens, I dig into their books, courses, and training. One of my biggest influences is Lisa Nichols—an incredible storyteller.

But inspiration doesn’t always come from obvious places. I once took a yoga teacher training just because the instructor made me feel so welcome in her class. I wanted to learn how she did that. She used to say, “You’re not a better human if you’re more flexible.” That stuck with me. Leadership isn’t about being the best—it’s about making people feel valued and helping them play to their strengths.

I: That’s such a great lesson for leaders as well. To wrap up, what advice would you give to women hesitant to step into public speaking?

L: You’re ready now! You don’t need another credential, another course, or another book before you start. There’s someone out there who needs to hear your story, and the best way to get better is to start.

There’s a proverb that says, “The best time to plant a tree was yesterday. The second-best time is now.” You were ready yesterday. Don’t wait any longer—get out there and start talking.

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About Leslie

A sought after facilitator, storyteller and trainer on the topic of team communication, Leslie built her career by answering the number one question she was asked, “How do I fix the dysfunction on my team?”  After training and facilitating teams inside organizations across the globe, from SoCal to Sweden, Leslie realized she not only saw the same dysfunctions happening in almost every team around the world, but also inside every individual as well.  This discovery led her to reenvision how she speaks & trains leaders, at all levels of an organization - so they can create cultures where it’s safe to communicate what previously felt un-sayable and in doing so, achieve goals that previously felt un-reachable.  Leslie has shared her passion for leadership through better communication in such places as VISA, Disney, CapitalOne, Procter & Gamble, Adobe, Fidelity, The World Bank, and even her alma mater, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.