What separates the two and how to close the gap Keynote Speaker, professional speaker, public speaker difference- Lakshmi Ramachandran, PhD The speaker is brilliant. Their credentials are unimpeachable. They know their field better than most other in the room. And yet as they start to speak, the energy in the room goes down and phones come out. After the talk finishes, people walk away with nothing that will change how they think or what they will do differently. This is no

What It Really Takes to Lead With Influence Lakshmi Ramachandran, PhD- Executive Influence Strategist Something is shifting in our world right now, and we all can feel it. As a parent and a lifeskills educator, especially communication skills, I spend my days teaching that real power lives in connection, kindness and resilience. Yes, I believe in that deeply. But lately, I've been wrestling with a harder truth. Believing in those values doesn't mean you get to opt out of und

Why Being Ignored Stings and How to Stop Taking It Personally Dr Lakshmi Ramachandran, PhD- Brilliance to Influence- Executive Influence Strategist 5 min read You send a message. And then there’s silence - no reply, no acknowledgment, no signal that you’re on the other side waiting. Or maybe you sent a thoughtful LinkedIn message to another professional you've actually met, not a cold outreach, and days have gone by. Silence. And then there's the other kind of silence. You we

Welcome to P.O.W.E.R UP- Brilliance to Influence, edition 14. This special edition is the last one for 2025. Save it and read it with a diary or notebook to benefit most from it. This period marks something extraordinary. The Winter Solstice. The shortest day and longest night. For millennia, cultures worldwide have recognized this celestial turning point as a symbol of renewal, release, and rest. The Earth itself invites us to pause, reflect, and prepare for the return of