How to Become a Magnetic Leader with Jess Goldberg

mgraziano45
Oct 31
4 min read

What makes a leader truly magnetic? According to Jess Goldberg, Emmy Award-winning journalist turned leadership communication expert, it’s not something you’re born with. It’s something you can build.

In her conversation on this episode of Adventures in Business with Amani and Mandi, Jess shares her insights on how anyone can develop the presence, influence, and authenticity that make people want to follow their lead.

Meet Jess Goldberg

Jess Goldberg is a leadership communication expert, company trainer, and international speaker. She is passionate about helping leaders gain clarity and confidence to make a lasting positive impact. She has taught thousands of high-powered leaders around the world from companies like Notion, Google, Microsoft, and Bank of America. She currently teaches a course at Columbia University for graduate students called “The Compelling Communicator.” Her course for the public, “Management Mastery: Communicate with Influence,” is a top-rated live leadership course.

Prior to coaching, Jess was the VP at an AI Robotics company leading a team building the voice and personality of Moxie, a robot used to teach social and emotional skills to children. She has managed teams for a decade in a variety of industries, including a global media network, a Fortune 100 company, and an early-stage tech company where she navigated the same terrain many leaders face every day. Jess' work has garnered many accolades, including two Emmy awards, a prestigious Fulbright Fellowship, a coveted spot on the Millennial 100 list, and she was named a Top Executive Coach by Real Leaders.

What Does It Mean to Be a “Magnetic” Leader?

Jess Goldberg’s definition of a magnetic leader is distinct: “A magnetic leader draws people in so they want to follow you,” she explains. “They’re not following you because they have to; they’re following because they want to.”

The definition runs through all of Jess’s work, whether she’s coaching C-suite executives, teaching graduate students at Columbia, or designing custom leadership workshops for growing teams.

Building a Business Around Leadership and Communication

Jess’s transition from employee to entrepreneur started with a simple desire to teach. While working in tech, she noticed that her own team struggled with clear communication and leadership challenges.

So she began building small training programs to help her direct reports communicate more effectively, give feedback confidently, and articulate their vision. Once they started seeing results, friends started asking if she could do the same for their teams… and that’s how her business was born.

Today, Jess designs custom programs that help leaders communicate with clarity and influence, and she loves watching those lightbulb moments when people finally “get it.”

The Three Keys to Magnetic Leadership

Jess has studied and coached hundreds of leaders, and through that work, she’s discovered three foundational traits that help leaders draw people in: confidence, wisdom, and warmth.

1. Confidence

“Confidence is how you see yourself,” Jess explains. “If you don’t believe in your own ideas, it’s hard to get other people to believe in you.”

Confidence often becomes the invisible barrier between senior-level managers and executives. A brilliant director might have the skills to be a VP, but if they can’t clearly and confidently communicate their ideas, they’ll stay stuck.

2. Wisdom

Next comes wisdom; not just knowledge, but the ability to use it well.

“Wisdom isn’t about how much you know,” Jess says. “It’s about whether you can translate that knowledge into something that resonates with others.”

She warns leaders about falling into what she calls “the curse of knowledge,” when you’re so deep in your expertise that you forget what it’s like to be a beginner. The key is to communicate complex ideas simply, so everyone can understand and buy into your vision.

3. Warmth

Finally, there’s warmth. And while it may have been optional decades ago, Jess says it’s essential today.

“Fifty or sixty years ago, authoritative leadership worked,” she says. “But today’s employees want leaders who care about them… leaders who listen.”

Without warmth, you might earn compliance. With it, you earn commitment.

The Eight Archetypes of Influence

To help leaders grow these skills, Jess developed her own framework: The Eight Archetypes of Influence. Each archetype represents a different leadership skill set that contributes to magnetic presence, from how you give feedback to how you motivate your team.

You can grab a free guide to the archetypes at Jess’s website.

Magnetic Leadership is Learned

So what about leaders who just aren’t born magnetic?

Jess believes that magnetic leadership is a skill set, not a personality trait. Some people learned these skills early, maybe from their parents or teachers, but anyone can develop them.

The One Thing a Leader Can Do to Command Respect

Jess’s take on the one thing a leader can do to command respect without saying a word? Listen louder than you speak.

She explains that real leadership presence isn’t about talking more. It’s about showing people you’re fully listening.

“Even without saying a word, you can show that you’re paying attention,” Jess says. “When people feel heard, they trust you more.”

Inside the Management Mastery Course

Jess’s signature live course, Management Mastery, helps leaders build these exact skills. It’s a small-cohort, interactive experience where participants learn her eight archetypes of leadership and practice giving feedback, managing conflict, and inspiring their teams.

“Each cohort is limited to 25 people,” Jess shares. “That way, everyone gets hands-on coaching, real-time Q&A, and the chance to learn from their peers.”

The next live cohort begins soon! Enroll now on Jess’s website.