When the workplace stopped being a place, presence stopped being physical. But that didn’t make it any less important—it made it essential.
In this episode of The Future of Less Work, host Nirit Cohen sits down with Lorraine K. Lee, bestselling author of Unforgettable Presence and former LinkedIn editor, to unpack how professionals can thrive in a world where digital impressions often matter more than physical ones.
Together, they explore how to get noticed without burning out, how to build influence in hybrid and remote settings, and why your video presence, Slack updates, and LinkedIn posts might be more critical than your resume. Lorraine shares her 4Es framework for building visibility (Explore, Establish, Envision, Excel) and explains why career success today requires thinking like the CEO of your own brand.
You’ll hear why visibility is no longer about charisma—it’s about intention. Why thoughtful communication beats constant noise. And why, even in an AI-powered world, presence is still one of the most human—and valuable—skills you can master.
If you’ve ever felt unseen at work, wondered how to build credibility online, or struggled to “show up” when no one’s in the room, this is the episode for you.
Want to dive deeper into this topic? Read Nirit’s Forbes article, "Why Your Online Presence Matters More Than Your Resume", to explore these ideas further. https://youtu.be/eHi9IkJ3TVA
Guest Information:
Lorraine K. Lee is a keynote speaker and the best-selling author of Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career. She also teaches popular courses at Stanford Continuing Studies and LinkedIn Learning.
She is passionate about empowering leaders to elevate their presence, influence, and impact. Her frameworks have been adopted by globally recognized organizations like Zoom, Amazon, Cisco, and McKinsey & Company.
Lorraine is recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice with hundreds of thousands of followers, and previously spent over a decade as a founding editor at companies including LinkedIn and Prezi. Her insights are featured in top media outlets including CNBC, Bloomberg, and Fast Company.
https://lorraineklee.com/unforgettable-presence/
Chapters:
00:00 — Why Visibility Matters More Than Ever
01:32 — What Is Presence in the Digital Workplace?
02:59 — Be the CEO of Your Career
05:23 — Speaking Up in Virtual Meetings
07:15 — How to Communicate with Presence Online
08:53 — Overcoming Proximity Bias in Hybrid Work
10:39 — The 4Es Framework for LinkedIn Presence
12:21 — Why Personal Brand Is Essential for Employees
14:14 — How LinkedIn Builds Confidence and Opportunity
16:22 — How to Align Your Offline and Online Presence
17:48 — Why Your LinkedIn Profile Shapes Perception
19:11 — One Small Move to Improve Video Presence
20:42 — The T Framework for Video Presence: Tech, Energy, Aesthetics
22:34 — Stop Underdressing for Video Meetings
23:45 — What Questions Should We Be Asking About the Future of Work?
24:55 — Will AI Replace Presence or Make It More Valuable?