What makes a leader authentic? Authenticity is something true. In a person, it’s someone who is as he or she appears to be. This requires a degree of openness. You have to be willing to reveal something of yourself. One vice president admires her CEO because “he’s willing to open up to people.” The importance of this is simple, she said. “His being open makes people feel they can trust him.”
Developing Your Unique Voice
A senior-level bank vice president was getting frequent requests to speak, but she often said no, because she was too busy. She hated to write speeches, resented the time investment, and never felt she delivered them
well. She felt she was reciting lines from a marketing brochure. She never really felt that the words were coming from her. One day, she was invited to speak at a worldwide conference—an incredible opportunity—and she knew that a standard speech with the old “marketing” messages wasn’t going to fly
with this crowd. She hired my company as her coach, and we went to work bringing her unique voice to the presentation. As we talked, she told me stories about people who had inspired her to succeed. She also told me story after story of successful women entrepreneurs who had received help from her bank, overcome the odds, and succeeded in business. Together we turned those reflections into powerful messages for her audience.well. She felt she was reciting lines from a marketing brochure. She never really felt that the words were coming from her. One day, she was invited to speak at a worldwide conference—an incredible opportunity—and she knew that a standard speech with the old “marketing” messages wasn’t going to fly
The result was not only a good speech but also an experience of a lifetime. She soon began to receive invitations to speak at other prestigious events. Suddenly, she was in a highly visible position in her industry. Her authentic voice had emerged, and there was no turning back. She raised the visibility of her division, met people from all over the world, and enjoyed her work until she left to start her own consulting business. She was able to make that choice because of the visibility and recognition that public speaking provided her. Speaking well opens doors. Speaking well gives you options. It creates opportunities. It takes you where you want to go. Through the What It Means to Speak like a CEO (the Ones You Really Admire) • 11 proven techniques in this book, you’ll learn how to use your communication skills to achieve your dreams, too.
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