chrisbrogan.com - Latest Comments in Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Peter Simmons — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:39:44 -0000

I don't care about a little swearing chris. But don't call this 'authentic'. You make a sexist aside about 'moms' finding you offensive and, rather than start the shoot again, you add 'some dads as well'. An 'authentic sexist' would hold the qualification. You're just sexist.

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Leslie — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:52:31 -0000

I responded to this at my blog, because this is a topic that I have been ruminating a lot, too.
http://alwaystravelling.wor...
I would post my full response here but it's pretty long.

Essentially, I tend to write with my true voice on my blog, because it's my blog and if there is one place I feel I should have full expression, it is there. Doesn't mean that it's not in the back of my head that employers check there. And there are some things that I used to write about that I don't anymore because I know friends are reading and I don't really want them to know certain things about me.

It's funny, i always start a blog anonymously but become really excited about it as I continue to add to it. I start to tell people about it and then I become self-conscious and I feel it's not nearly as honest and raw. I tend to boil down the content to a PG rating.

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Erika Owens — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 12:24:28 -0000

Technically, if you are being anything BUT your true self you are essentially playing a role. Many of us don't realize it but we adopt whatever role goes with a particular situation. For example, speaking to your boss vs. another co-worker, the list goes on.

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Nannette Saunders — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:46:42 -0000

Chris I have tried to curb "me" so that I fit in to my audience or wherever. I hate myself when I do that. I really prohibits me from being able to give passionately to my clients and it even penetrates into my family life. I just have to give into myself and quit trying to find people who like me and allow people who like me to find me. It is much easier that way.

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Mary Cullen — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:39:43 -0000

I've been thinking about this for a few days, Chris. I agree 100% that our persona needs to be truthful and authentic. That's real and then there's no need disassemble in different situations. But, I think we need to bring our authenticity to a meeting point with our audience. It's the *intersection* of the communication that matters, not what we, or they, put out.

So, if you're in a meeting with senior, formal business people, don't call them "dude." (Happened today at a meeting I attended and I saw people visibly cringe.) Don't swear if it would offend a particular audience, because if they shut down their receptivity because they've been put off, they'll never hear a core great message. I'm not advocating self-censorship. I'm advocating bringing our own authentic selves to a mutual meeting place with our audience.

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Kevin Boon — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:24:06 -0000

I like this post because it is very true. We tend to put on a false personality in the corporate and business worlds... Thanks Chris.
Kevin

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Dotti Berry — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:37:44 -0000

Thanks, Chris. I just "happened upon" your blog, and really like your video. Each of us has the opportunity to speak with our authentic voice every day. Not doing so literally sucks the life energy out of us. I twittered about your video...I took a year long journey across the US in 2005/06 based on being authentic. Our intention was to engage hearts and minds, create authentic connections and transcend differences that separate us. I have found that when I dare to speak authentically, I open up a whole new space into which others can grow. Living and speaking authentically works in all relationships, whether business or personal. People like connecting with others who are the "real deal." Good for you!

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Young Che — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:01:48 -0000

Chris I want to thank you for constantly posting thoughtful content on your blog. I'm celebrating my 1 year anniversary today and I'm still finding my "voice." Keep up the great work.

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

ellenfeinberg — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:35:29 -0000

I find this very encouraging as I search for who I am on-line and realize I'm the same person as I am every day. I found myself searching for ways to come across in a media different then I'm use to living in and maybe that is where the confusion begins. But I think it's just about being yourself, giving what you have to those who might want it and accepting from others what you need or want.

I also think it's about being Honest. And those who are not - well it shines through so clearly it's not even an issue.

Anyhow, thanks for your emails. You are one of the few that I always open and take a peek, because I often get something out of them.

Ellen

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Susan Mazza — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:22:11 -0000

I think we can BOTH be ourselves AND be responsible for our audience in what we say and what we do at the same time. To curse or not, for example, for me is about choosing the words to use, not a choice regarding whether I am being myself or not.

It takes far more courage to be yourself in all domains of your life than it does to fit in. Yet it's a personal choice with personal consequences. There are costs and benefits to fitting in and there are costs and benefits to being yourself in every situation. Although somehow I don't think we can contribute the best of what we have to offer until we have the courage to be who we are wherever we are. So if we want to be our best and do our best work do we really have a choice?

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Susan Guillory — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:00:07 -0000

Chris--
You tried to tell me this at BlogWorld. I don't know why for most people it is, but it IS hard to be your true self, especially after working for someone else for years and kowtowing to get the job, get the raise, stay in the game. Working for myself I don't have anyone to answer to but myself, but yet it's still hard to just let loose. The best I can do is wear sandals because I don't have an open toe policy for myself!

Anyway, I'm going to check out that book you mentioned. Expect to see me in full form next time you see me.

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Tajdar O. Chaudry — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 23:33:09 -0000

Very Insightful Chris, and I concur 100%. Not only does "being yourself" allow you a consistency in form and function, but it also helps to effortlessly build and maintain your own personal brand. Conflicting persona's can often lead to a deterioration of both, ones personal character, and the respect and light in which your colleagues view you, not to mention that it gets insanely hard after a certain period of time. I'm pretty sure you're familiar with Daniel Schawbel and his personal branding blog, which I feel like I am becoming an evangelist for as each day passes but it all boils down to being yourself and highlighting the uniqueness of your character (albeit within acceptable norms, not necessarily societal) as your greatest strength.

Tajdar O. Chaudry

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Dave Doolin — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:18:24 -0000

There is a compelling business case for being who you are.

In a nutshell, if being who you are isn't working, you know what to change. You can test yourself against your audience.

For example: I think I'm smart, but nobody reads my blog. Either it's boring, not informative or invisible. Or maybe all three. So "smart" isn't enough.

But negative results are still results, and being myself gives me a strong base to work from.

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Bill — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 20:58:16 -0000

Well, let's face it business marketing has far long been "find out target group and fit in" to get sales. I have seen people do this in their personal and professional lives as well. Sure it fine and great at all. Sometimes it makes sales at the business level, but usually it is seen through - let's face it how many energy companies are truly "green" but they are trying to send a message that they are, and they care....yeah, right...then stop using the old methods, come up with something innovative that is inexpensive, renewable and available for mass consumption....and if you can't, stop pretending you can and that you are green because you are "trying".

People are the same way - it was always fun on the Friday night outings at one job I held too many years ago. You would see a completely different side of people....a WAY different side.

Now I don't read comics much, but Two-Face seems a good match here. Never know who you are or what you are.

You know what ticks me off the most? All the little people that get so hurt because of our differences - different language, different cultures, different history, different customs and different personalities.

Is it me, or does it seem the same people that proclaim "Celebrate Diversity" are generally the same crowd who don't know who they are themselves??? So when someone is true to their voice and is being their own person, it seems highly offensive to that crowd.

Maybe that's why I fail in the world so bad - if I offend someone by being different, I feel they can bug off or get over it....even if I lose the sale....I would rather build on WHO I am and WHAT I am with a good solid foundation rather than who I am NOT and what I am NOT and have my castle wash away because the foundation is so wishy-washy because one pillar was stone and the next sand.

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

chrisbrogan — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:54:48 -0000

@Jon Glassett - that's a really swell analogy. I love it. Brilliant, actually!

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Pixie Stevenson — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 15:02:25 -0000

The concept of just showing up and being real is more than a little scary for some people. You're absolutely right about it being easier to be the same person all the time instead of trying to change your persona to fit the situation.

When I saw myself behaving better with my coworkers than my children, I made a conscious decision to be the same person all the time.

Being yourself saves time, saves energy and in the long run saves face.

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Jon Glassett — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:59:49 -0000

It seems to me that what's really being discussed here is passion and how to avoid it being attenuated unnecessarily. I can't say that I disagree with the whole idea of being 100% who you are all the time as a means to this end. Here's my take on it, though: passion is fuel. At best, it's an engine. What passion doesn't tend to do so well is steer. Passion will always go forward even if it's aimed for the rocks. That's why ships have crews and captains and navigation systems: to keep all that power on course.

To Susan's point, I think a little restraint (i.e., decorum, manners, civility and so on) provides a helpful balance and doesn't necessarily have to sap passion. Study the charts when you're navigating around people and you'll likely stay afloat much longer. Your passion will have a better chance of survival in the long run because you haven't essentially sabotaged yourself by being so full-on "This is who I am so deal with it!" authentic all the time that you lose more friends than you make.

Consider that some of your colleagues and potential clients are being 100% authentic and true to themselves when they become uncomfortable because of something you say or do. That may be an acceptable risk to you. Maybe it's worth it in the long run to take those chances. I get that, too. I'm not a huge fan of modifying my own behavior. For example, I probably use the word 'fuck' more often than I ought (like right then). It all depends on the situation, your goals, whether or not you're a completely banzai mofo with "FTW" tattooed on your forehead, etc.

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Barry Moltz — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 10:30:24 -0000

As a speaker, I would want people to love me or hate me. If they have a strong feeling about what I said, then I have connected with them on some level. If I connected with them then I made them think and I was successful.

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Mark Buchholz — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 09:43:19 -0000

Good take. When talking about "being yourself" in business though, we already have been shown how to move, speak and behave in a given social circle - maybe by our parents. Otherwise we won't even be accepted to enter. So, the only thing we do when being ourselves, we cautous push the boundaries of the social circle we already made us to be able to enter.

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Bill Sledzik — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 09:26:27 -0000

John's comment reminds me of an incident this week at my office. We're in the process of hiring a new faculty member, and we naturally want one who understands social media. While examining the online activities of candidates, we found one who is fond of salty language -- including the F-bomb in blog post headlines an text. Several committee members worried that this behavior might transfer to our classrooms, and that's just not acceptable.

I agree with Chris' notion that we must be authentic. But we also have to consider the impact of that authenticity on our audience, and that some audiences like it more than others. Let's also remember that cuss words morph into common usage. For example, we all know that Chris' blog is the "shit."

http://www.urbandictionary....

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

John Darrin — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 08:28:39 -0000

We moderate our presentation for the same reason that we shower, shave, brush our teeth, wear clean clothes, etc. - to make an appropriate impression on our audience. In many cases, the message is the priority, not the messenger, and your presentation must not distract from your goal. If the client/date/boss/whatever is thinking about your manner, they aren't thinking about your message.

Be yourself, yes. But that is not a license to impose your culture or personality on your audience.

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Whitney Hoffman — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 06:56:01 -0000

100% plus infinity agree.
I also think when we talk about passion, drive and motivation- these are things we can't fake or contain- they are where we draw our power from, and it's almost impossible to bottle this up inside.
I'm spending this weekend at Educon 2.1- an educational unconference made up of regular folk, but superstars are also here, as just regular folk. Jeff Hahn, who did a great TED talk on the multitouch screen was here, asking educators about how this technology might help them in the classroom- what did they think the implications were for them.
Gary Stager, from the school reform movement, is an amazing guy who just can't contain his passion for kids and teaching, but also for saying stuff like "This is stupid and why we continue to subject kids to this every day is beyond my ability to comprehend." Gary has gotten kids in a prison population in Maine to hand-make guitars- kids who never concentrated on anything in their life spent over 500 handcrafting guitars and now want to take the next step and learn how to play....It's all about authenticity and engagement. It's also about not underestimating other people and talking to them as people, not just an audience for a controlled performance.
There are educators here who are passionate about making schools work for their kids, looking to come away with new ideas and be inspired to become agents of change in their schools- to become the heretics of the "canon" as it stands where they are, and start making education something they can be passionate about so they can make a new generation of students passionate about learning as well.
But it starts here, Chris, with posts like yours, that remind us all how important finding your voice is, and helping others find theirs- in school this means recognizing that kids need to have a meaningful voice that's valued-(and that works for us at home, too, by the way)- in business, it's about being a good listener when others try to express their views and not drowning them out, assuming you know the only true way.

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

leslie carothers — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 05:59:23 -0000

Chris:

I appreciate your statement. Here is my own experience re:authenticity:

At 20, didn't know how to define it 'cause didn't know who I was-played around with all sorts of different "personalities" to see which one people related to the most-had to do this all the time growing up as different personalities at different times got me the love I needed from parents.

At 30, FELT I was creative, but didn't KNOW I was-would not charge for my work!

At 36, KNEW I was creative, but not THINKING about word "authenticity" "integrity". Tied up in wrong marriage.

At 43-KNEW I was not being authentic to my inner calling., but money kept me from taking action. However, mentally, I started taking complete action on making the changes necessary for integration in my life.

At 45-Left secure job with NO financial backing and NO IDEA of what I was going to do-only knew FOR SURE that I wanted my own business and would do whatever it took to make it successful. Started The Kaleidoscope Partnership. Finally had confidence in my ability to market and sell and figured that whatever I decided to do would benefit from these two skills. Went through five months of trying on different business "skins."
After five months, reality forced me into monetizing what I KNEW other people would pay for (to know how I sold so much furniture using design skills-so I started sales training for furniture retailers), but I KNEW deep down I was still not being authentic to my deepest calling.

Finally, at 51(last year) I was able to make the complete switch into my truest, deepest passion-creatively communicating with people in order to make a difference-whether it's in one person's life, in the life of the furniture industry, or, if given the opportunity, in the world.

And, what I can tell you and anyone reading this is that who I am NOW, finally, is who I really am whether you meet me in person, see me speaking on behalf of the furniture industry, meet me through my volunteer efforts on behalf of Women In The Home Industries Today, read my online or offline columns for furnituretoday.com or Furniture World magazine, follow me on twitter or wherever. I am, at last, fully integrated into myself and completely authentic.

I can speak the truth without fear. I have survived MANY very difficult life transitions(many within the past two years as I have made 5 moves within 2 years, had Dad die, gone through MAJOR client and financial crises, broke off formal engagement last year, and had complete hysterectomy last November-is that enough?)

As you can see, I put it out there and yet, and yet... I am busier than ever in my business life and happier than (almost)ever in my personal life.

But, here is what I know: it can take a LONG TIME for someone to be able to be authentic and transparent- for all the reasons I've shared and many more that I probably don't understand or know.

I am SO grateful to the universe for all the adversity. Somehow I think I was thrown all of these curveballs so I would get the message that you are espousing in this video!

It's a goal to reach for, that's for sure, and, hopefully, those younger than me will be able to get to it faster than I did because of the access to information that exists now vs. when I was growing up.

And, I want to say here that my "agenda" on twitter and on behalf of trying to do a good job for my clients, BiOH.com and yourfurniturelink.com on Twitter is this: If I can show others in the furniture industry how I have helped my clients achieve sales and/or raise brand awareness THEN other people in the furniture industry may be able to grasp the power of the social web and DROP the traditional advertising they are doing which, in turn DROPS hundreds of thousands of dollars to the bottom line and THAT can lead to saving THOUSANDS of JOBS and having the cash flow to re-invest in the technologies that will enable them to survive, compete and transition into a new era of doing business. The furniture industry is a legacy industry. So, by being authentic to my talent as a creative connector and communicator, I can be authentic to my desire to help others, too.

Authenticity=FTW! Thanks, Chris, for the chance to express this. Curiousity is the number one business trait I value and you have it in spades.

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Alistair — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 03:44:09 -0000

Thanks Chris for fantastic advice.

It is all too easy to fit in with everyone else, never rock the boat and do exactly as others expect. This is a great strategy if you are trying to make sure you don't get fired, or lose that contract... But you become mediocre - you can never become exceptional, because you are exactly the same as everybody else.

ps. I love the video posts, they convey your passion much more effectively ;-)

Jon Ray - I think the hardest thing to do is to be completely honest with yourself

Re: Video- Find Your Voice in Business

Freddy Gipson — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 03:10:40 -0000

Fuck yeah! Finally you said it Chris. It is awesome to see that you are making a statement as bold as this because you can apply this idea to anything and it doesn't even have to be about business. People tend to be two sided which makes them boring so good for you for breaking the mold.