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Welcome to The Bold Brief—

You are a member of this community of top-notch expert nurses and healthcare professionals who aspire to be “bold” in career and life.

We want to be bold in our life’s purpose, and bold in life and career choices so that we can live with authenticity, balance, and meaningful challenges, driving forward with confidence.

So… YES - book 5 of the summer reading series!

Welcome to the 5^th issue of the 2025 Summer Reading Series!  

I almost took this book off the series list…because parts of the book were not new to of as long-time Bold Brief subscribers.

But - we cannot overlook a chance to renew/review our knowledge and a few unique points!

So here are relevant life & career takeaways from books 5 so that you can implement the best action right away!

🌟Book 5 Unforgettable Presence by Lorraine K. Lee - Core Concepts

In Unforgettable Presence, Lorraine K. Lee explores the impact of visibility, authenticity, and presence in professional and personal settings. Key themes include:

• The Power of Presence: The idea that your presence influences others and shapes your interactions in any workplace setting. Presence is your energy, approach, and connection with others.

• Authenticity and Visibility: True presence comes from aligning your public persona with your authentic self. Lee emphasizes that visibility doesn't require changing who you are but being comfortable and confident in your own skin, ensuring your contributions and value are recognized.

  • The book highlights the importance of being intentional about what you want to be known for to ensure that your professional reputation is consistent both online and offline.

• Presence in Action: Building and cultivating your leadership presence through consistent habits, behaviors, and reflections is an ongoing, actionable process. The book provides specific skills on how to stand out on video calls, optimize your LinkedIn profile, and use digital platforms to your advantage, all of which we teach in the BNA.

• RAVE: I think RAVE is the most valuable tidbit in this book that is new to Bold Brief subscribers. To drive home points on your action and to provide a roadmap for building your influence, Lee uses the acronym RAVE.

  • Relationships: Building strategic connections and trust with colleagues, mentors, and sponsors.

  • Appearance: Not just physical appearance, but how you appear in your communications and contributions.

  • Visibility: Actively making your work and value known in the right places.

  • Expertise: Having the skills and knowledge to back up your claims.

My Take for You

This book is an strong final book for this summer series despite my initial reservations. It is ok to read what you may already know, such as how to update your LinkedIn profile and how to dress for success in person and on video. So this book stayed on the 2005 Summer reading series list because we can all use a refresher.

However it also stayed on this list because it speaks directly to what we focus on at the Bold Nurse Academy (BNA): Being recognized for who you truly are (your authenticity) and owning your leadership potential via your presence.

For Bold Nurses, presence may be considered the next frontier in true leadership. As expert nurses continue to advance in their careers, transitioning into non-clinical and non-traditional leadership roles, it is vital to understand that visibility and presence are not only for extroverts or “louder” professionals. You can have a quiet but unforgettable presence; Lee's book will help you understand how some of the steps to get there. But the most valuable lesson was the consolidated approach using the RAVE model.

What You Might Find Useful: Key Takeaways from Book 5 and The Bold Nurse Academy

• Visibility Doesn't Mean Loudness: In leadership, your presence is about commanding attention through your knowledge, actions, and authenticity. At BNA, we teach you how to gain visibility without changing who you are.

• Authenticity Is Your Power: If you show up as your true self, you will naturally attract the right opportunities and connections. The BNA, we focus on Authenticity (ABCDs of Career Transition) to help you align your professional identity with your personal values, creating a leadership presence that is powerful and true to you.

• Confidence to Be Seen: You have valuable knowledge and experience. Often, nurses undervalue the significance of their expertise, especially in non-clinical and non-traditional spaces. This book reminds us that Confidence in our abilities is what makes our presence unforgettable and helps us prepare for meaningful Challenges. BNA coaches you on how to walk into any room and own your role.

• Building Presence Through Actions: Presence is cultivated through Consistent, Purposeful Actions. At BNA, we help you build leadership habits that will help you shine in any professional setting, whether you are running a meeting, leading a team, or delivering impactful results.

Actionable Insight →Take One Small Step Today

Lee’s message is clear: Presence is about impact. Today, focus on one small way you can shift your presence and choose one micro-action from this list:

1. Enhance Your Communication: Practice speaking with intention. Focus on being clear, concise, and impactful. Before speaking, take a moment to think about the core message you want to deliver. What changed in the sending of your communication and in the feedback/response when your communication was intentional?

2. Body Language Practice: Pay attention to your body language. Stand tall, make eye contact, and project calm confidence. Practice these small shifts in non-verbal communication throughout your day. Your presence speaks before your words do. What did you notice after 24 hours of giving attention to your body language?

3. Practice Active Listening: Practice active listening today in a conversation. Fully engage, ask thoughtful questions, and show that you value others’ perspectives. This will enhance your leadership presence in every interaction. Take note of reactions to your active listing and how you feel.

Scroll Down for Summer Reading Series Poll 5

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Poll 5 Summer Reading Series - Leadership Prescence Rating

The 2025 Summer Reading Series, focused on 5 books, handpicking practical tools tie to what we teach … at The Bold Brief and The Bold Nurse Academy (BNA). We guide nurses to: 

✨Build Life-Work Systems: Read 🔍Insight: The Surprising Truth About How Others See Us by Dr. Tasha Eurich. Insight by Tasha Eurich: This book fits into Build Life-Work Systems (B) because deepening your self-awareness is the foundation for building systems that are aligned with your values and purpose.

✨Optimize New Career Identity. Read 🔄 Working Identity by Herminia Ibarra. This book belongs to Optimize New Career Identity (O) because it encourages experimentation with new roles, which is essential for optimizing your professional path.

✨Leverage Custom Training Read 🌟 The Six Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni. This book belongs to Leverage Custom Training (L) as it helps you identify your unique genius, which you can leverage to customize your learning and professional development.

✨Drive Forward with Confidence. Read ⚔️ The War of Art by Steven Pressfield and Read🌟Unforgettable Presence by Lorraine K. Lee. Pressfield’s book aligns with Drive Forward with Confidence (D) because it provides the tools to overcome internal resistance and fear, allowing you to drive your career forward with boldness and purpose. Lee’s book fits into Drive Forward with Confidence (D) as it provides the strategies to build a strong professional presence and have a greater impact, allowing you to drive your career forward with confidence.

Stay tuned for next week’s edition of The Bold Brief.

💗💗P.S. If you want to learn from me on a daily basis, connect with me on LinkedIn.

Remember that this is a dedicated space for you, the nurses at the bedside and beyond, the committed healthcare professionals ready to explore transformative career paths beyond traditional roles. Every week, we'll dig into evidence-based strategies, insights, and stories designed to empower you to take bold steps toward a fulfilling career and life outside the hospital setting.