EEC 436: The Velvet No - How to Stay Aligned to Your Power, with Hoong Yee Lee

Hoong Yee Lee is a speaker on power, language, and alignment—focused on what happens before decisions are made. A former funder and national grants panelist, she has awarded over $10 million and spent years inside high-stakes rooms where outcomes are shaped long before they're announced. You say power moves before the decision—can you explain what that looks like in real life? How can someone tell, in real time, that a shift is happening in the room? What is The Velvet No, and how do you actually use it in a high-stakes moment? What happens when you don't catch the shift—what does it actually cost people? What personal experience did you have to create your interest in the Velvet No? Hoong Yee Lee Hoong Yee Lee is a speaker on power, language, and alignment—focused on what happens before decisions are made. A former funder and national grants panelist, she has awarded over $10 million and spent years inside high-stakes rooms where outcomes are shaped long before they're announced. She is the creator of The Velvet No, a precise intervention used to intercept shifts in real time and restore authorship without force or escalation. Through her framework—Know Your Room, See the Shift, and The Velvet No—she teaches leaders how to recognize when dynamics change, respond with clarity, and define what happens next. Her work reframes success entirely: not as winning the room, but knowing when the room is no longer yours—to act on it. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.