Lynn Smith on Leadership Confidence, and Overcoming the Brain Bully (Enneagram 3)
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This week on Typology, we welcomed the incomparable Lynn Smith—former national news anchor turned communications strategist, executive coach, and newly discovered Enneagram Three with a Two wing. And friends… buckle up. This conversation is a masterclass in emotional intelligence, presence, and what it means to pursue success without losing yourself in the chase.
Fresh off taking the Typology Assessment, Lynn joined us in that familiar Three-ish blend of humor, candor, and high-octane energy, joking that the results made her want to immediately call her therapist. What unfolded from there was a remarkably vulnerable exploration of people-pleasing, approval-seeking, identity, and the hidden costs of a lifetime spent earning applause.
Lynn pulled back the curtain on her years in broadcast news—an industry where worth is measured in seconds, headlines, and flawless delivery—and revealed the deeper story beneath her polished exterior: a lifelong drive to achieve, a tenderness inherited from her family’s immigrant narrative, and a powerful desire to help others communicate with confidence and authenticity.
But the real gem of this episode is Lynn’s groundbreaking work on what she calls “the brain bully.”
That inner critic.
That saboteur whispering that you’re one misstep away from failure.
That internal voice Threes know far too well.
Lynn not only names it—she teaches you how to outsmart it.
Her framework for dismantling fear and building resilient confidence is practical, empowering, and deeply human. And when she reveals her own brain bully’s name—“Bob”—you can’t help but laugh and exhale. Sometimes the most powerful breakthroughs come with a wink.
We also wandered into a juicy conversation about magnetism versus authenticity, why your energy enters a room a full tenth of a second before you do, and how the Enneagram can radically improve communication across teams, industries, and families. Lynn’s lived wisdom—equal parts tenderness and tenacity—makes this an episode that lingers.
ABOUT LYNN SMITH
Lynn Smith is a media and communication expert who helps high-level leaders turn pressure into presence. A former anchor for NBC News, MSNBC, and CNN Headline News, she now coaches Fortune 500 executives, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs to become magnetic communicators. As founder of Lynn Smith Media & Communications, she helps leaders ditch robotic scripts and deliver messages that move people to action. Her signature framework, The Magnetic CODE, builds trust, clarity, and influence. Lynn is also a keynote speaker, host of the award-winning podcast Strollercoaster, and author of the upcoming children’s book Just Keep Going.
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