Hi, my name is…
When you meet new people, what do you say about yourself and the work you do professionally?
This topic has come up a few times this week, mainly focused on not being confident about how you wanted to or did show up in a new environment.
One situation…downplaying the description of the work, thinking maybe people didn’t really want to know what they did…and missing the opportunity to make a deeper connection.
Another situation…being invited to an event and being placed in a peer group they weren’t sure they were comfortable in, wondering “Do I really belong here?” Not being confident that they fit well in that audience.
A third situation…showing up with new groups of people but reverting to the persona that was less successful. Playing small to fit in and not stand out.
When similar situations pop up in a row, it gets me thinking on whether there’s an underlying theme or cause.
Is it about humility?
Is it about confidence?
Is it about not knowing what to say?
Or is it worrying about what people will think?
Obviously, there are lots of other interesting topics beyond what we do for work, but often, we do need to be able to confidently articulate what we do. We have a choice to make on what that introduction sounds like.
We can say the more dull or basic thing…”Hi, I’m Melissa, and I’m a coach and a consultant.” This doesn’t give people a lot of information to work with to ask a follow-up question.
If I say, “Hi, I’m Melissa, and I’m a leadership endurance coach for individuals and organizations who want to achieve sustainable high performance,” it allows them to ask a question to keep the conversation going. Now, for me, it feels like a mouthful, but it probably is a better conversation starter. You can tell me which you would rather hear.
We all should have our 1-2 sentence description that tells people what we want them to know about us professionally. The business world centers on relationships. And… relationships are built when you can get to know someone.
Even if your go-to questions start on a more general or personal basis…”I love your shoes,” “What brought you to the event,” or “What part of the session did you enjoy most?”… you’ll likely have the opportunity or should take the opportunity to tell the person who you are professionally. Once they know a bit about you professionally, you might realize that you can help them in some way…by making a connection or a recommendation.
What is your standard introduction when meeting new people in professional environments?
For those reading this and working in corporate environments, I would recommend you find something beyond your internal job title and company name. Give the person a sense of what you really do. Once you make this shift, I also recommend doing a similar activity with your LinkedIn headline. Who are you beyond the job title and your company name?
If the description feels uncomfortable, don’t immediately revert to the old. Try to step into the description and own it. Test it out on a friend you trust.
And, if your confidence wavers when you enter rooms, it’s time to remember all the amazing things you are doing and have done. You can still be humble while sharing the impact you’re making in the community or your organization. It’s not bragging if it’s true, and you share it from a place of pride in what you do. In “Presence,” by Amy Cuddy, she recommends stepping into a bathroom or elevator and striking a power pose - essentially making yourself bigger. You can watch a discussion about why in this clip.
Is your description of yourself playing small? If so, it’s time to get big and bold and own your greatness.
Have you checked out all of the free resources available recently? You can check them out here.