On a personal and professional level one of my core values is authenticity in business. I never tried to brand myself this way . . . but ironically this is what has happened!  By always showing up as myself – however zany or out of sync this might be in the business world – particularly with other speakers on the circuit – I inadvertently set up a reputation for myself as someone you can trust.

This means I always am ‘myself’ and never try to put on an act or mimic or model another person. Instead I honour myself and the values which I uphold.

Avoid This Mistake!

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is when they try to be someone other than themselves.  You know, they try to be who they think they “should” be; modelling a high profile business owner they admire or someone they know… basically anyone other than their true selves.

But the irony is – when you are your true self – this is when you have the most impact!

People really respond to authenticity. Your clients are not dumb – they can spot when someone is putting on an act.  So when someone is true to his or herself in business, people connect to this on much deeper level.

Get permission to be you!

Hiding behind the crowd:

There is NO shame to being a new business owner. If you are a newbie, then go ahead and admit to your inexperience as you introduce yourself.  Your customers will respect your honesty and will warm to your authentic self far more than if you were to try to blag it.

But the first person you need to ask permission off is yourself.  Yes, it is acceptable to be you! Authenticity comes from a place of self-love and compassion.  It also comes from a place of self-worth.

Is who you are worth sharing with the world?

Reveal thyself:

If the answer to that question was anything other than a resounding YES, then think about this question some more.  What healing or forgiveness do you need to work through in order to accept that your true self is worth sharing? 

Unless you truly believe in yourself, the prospect of showing up as your true self may make you feel vulnerable. Authenticity is accepting that you ARE good enough, and that you don’t have to be anything or anyone other than who you really are… peel back the layers of your surface identity to reveal the bright, shining light of YOU.

So this week, I invite you to think about how authentic you are in your business.  If you’re not as authentic as you think you could be, ask yourself why, and what steps you can take toward your own personal and professional authenticity.

Did you answer yes to the question? On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being very authentic), how authentic are you in your business? What one step can you take this week to increase your authenticity? Please leave me a comment below and share your thoughts