A person who has presence gets booked for speaking gigs, is at the top of the list when raises or promotions come up, and gets more results from their business efforts. Presence is the key to standing out. People make decisions to work with you based upon how connected with and comfortable they feel with you.
Many of us think that presence is something you’re born with; you either have it or you don’t. The great thing about presence is that it can be developed. You can learn to speak confidently in any setting and attract the positive attention you want (and deserve).
Developing presence takes guidance, coaching, and practice. In today’s video, I identify the biggest challenge for people in presenting and share some of the most common mistakes people make. My goal is to get you thinking about your own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to being fully present and connecting with people.
Take a minute and think about the situations when making the right impression really counts. Does a networking event or conference make your palms sweat? How do you carry yourself when walking into an interview?
For almost everyone I work with, the biggest challenge to presenting themselves arises when they have to own and speak about their own value. It’s easy to sing the praises of someone else’s program or product, but when it comes time to talk about and sell themselves they shut down.
It happens to lots of people! Fantastic sales people freeze up in interviews because it feels awkward to talk about their own value. A corporate executive who has supported someone else’s creation struggles to connect with her audience when she realizes she is selling herself.
If you haven’t already started the video, click here and see if you identify with the three most common mistakes people make when selling themselves. Listen and notice what you experience as I talk about each of these obstacles. Does something hit a nerve?
The first step in transforming your own presence is awareness and recognition of where you need help. Leave a comment below and let me know what you identified the most with. If you’re new to this blog, make sure you fill in the form to the right to sign for my weekly tips on presence and confident expression.
Next week I’ll share some context around what’s possible when you can manage and overcome these mistakes in presenting yourself when it matters most.
Remember, no one else has the unique gifts you do. Trust in the value you bring to others and be courageous in letting that shine through. Make it a great week!
Warmly,
Cassie