“You are you. Now, isn’t that pleasant?”–– Dr. Seuss
Last week, I was at a professional gathering. We were all sitting in a circle and asked to introduce ourselves.
I’ve been doing this my entire professional life, and it is still so uncomfortable.
And that’s just introductions.
What happens when you get cold-called for the ‘what do YOU think’ question?
It’s something I’ve struggled with –– and I think many of us do. Those who don’t…well, it’s a huge advantage.
So much of our life, our work, is not about what we’ve written (I recognize the irony of that statement given that I am writing to you right now!); it’s about what we’ve said. Verbal communication is the coin of the realm. Can you express yourself coherently, and on the spot, without freaking out?
That’s what Matt Abrahams talks about in his new book. Matt is our guest on the podcast this week.
I loved our chat, and one of our newest and youngest employees, Riley, who was listening to the interview, was rapt as well.
You’ll want to listen to the podcast episode and maybe even read his new book, Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You’re Put on the Spot. He teaches about these self-presentation conversational strategies and others at Stanford, but here are some suggestions:
1. When asked to introduce yourself, instead of reciting your credentials, talk about what you love to do, and what you are passionate about. This is also a great question to ask anyone you meet for the first time. It’s not, “What do you do?” but “What do you love”? The latter is a much easier question for most people to answer.
(Note: I did not follow this advice in the gathering I mentioned above, where we introduced ourselves, but I did it another time, and it felt so much better than the traditional recitation of my credentials. I said something like, “I grew up playing music, accompanying great musicians. I like to accompany people, to walk alongside them….my name is Whitney Johnson, and I’m the CEO of Disruption Advisors, a change and growth management advisory.”)
2. Second tip: maximize mediocrity. My tendency away from perfectionism LOVES this one. If, when we are speaking, we are willing to say something solidly mediocre, it helps free up emotional and cognitive capacity to be fully present with the people we are talking to, which is what we all care about ultimately. If you are talking to me, I want to know that you see me and care about me. Isn’t that what you want too?
You get why Abrahams’ class, podcast, and book are so popular.
What are your thoughts?
When have you been at your best in speaking?
How would you introduce yourself, starting with what you love?
As always, thank you for being here!
All my best,
Whitney
P.S. Our last certification for the year is LIVE in Denver, Colorado, on October 10-12; register now!
