172 What's wrong with the advice, "Tell a story to be authentic"

Solopreneurs often get advised to show their real selves--to come out from behind the website and reveal who they really are. And one way to do this is to tell stories.

What's wrong with this advice?

First of all, "Just tell a story" means, "Curate a good story portfolio." A story may represent your self...but you have many selves.

The first part of this podcast talks about this point. Which self is the Real You? At about 5.0, you'll get 3 tips to share authentic stories:

1 - know what "be yourself" really means
2 - why "I understand where you're coming from" can mean "I'm clueless" (and what to do instead)
3 - how your audience will have way too much fun with your fish story (with one of my favorite real examples) 

This podcast will be especially helpful for solopreneurs who want to showcase their authentic, human selves...but wonder which side to share. After all, you're one person when you attend your friend's formal wedding. And you're another person altogether when you're attending a picnic with friends who enjoy four-letter words every other sentence. 

If you'd like to see how one solopreneur combines personal stories with financial knowledge, listen to the previous episode of this podcast. Jacquette Timmons, a financial behaviorist, tells stories to make people understand the role emotions play in finance...and she does this without making you uncomfortable about hiring her. Click here for the link.

REFERENCES:

Article by Herminia Ibarra: The Authenticity Paradox 
Book: Getting to Yes And: The Art of Business Improv
Book: Training to Imagine

If you're wondering if you've got a fish story on the line, I'll be happy to take a look! Sign up here.

My website: https://CathyGoodwin.com

And please leave me a rating and a review, preferably on Apple or Spotify where lots of people see it.