Squiggly sprint 24: Day 7 - Presence

Day 7 of the SquigglySprint and today’s article was on Presence.

All the way through the podcast today, I kept thinking of the same word. Happily, Sarah said the word towards the end. That word was Authentic.

I’m a firm believer that you need to find your niche, your style, and your authentic you. Everyone has a superpower, they just need someone to tell them what it is. 

If you have a concern with presence, or how you come across to others, then I would bet that on some level you are having to play a role that isn’t natural to you. It’s so important to figure out what your natural style is, and lean into it as much as you can. Maybe that is not wearing a tie, or not talking from a presentation. Maybe you are more comfy in heels or flats. Maybe you prefer talking through spreadsheets, or you prefer being able to tell a story. In my first whole company presentation. 

As an example, when I made my first all-company presentation at my new company, I made a point of inserting a reference to not just a video game, but a Dungeons & Dragons video game. Not only did the point I was trying to make stick with a lot of people, but I had loads of comments afterwards complimenting me on the content, and also asking questions about games…

Now, that approach doesn’t work with all companies, or for all recipients. I have definitely worked in places where that wouldn’t have gone down well (Their loss). At some point you have to realize what works for you, and how you can best contribute. Likely, you will have to adapt to a degree, to succeed. You have to pick and choose when you put in a video game reference. 

Equally, you have to recognise when it’s a case of a square peg in a round hole, and you are never going to succeed where you are. People can tell when someone is faking it, and ultimately if you are spending all your working life not being true to yourself, it’s not good for your health, let alone your career.