How to Present Your Professional Value When You Are Over 50 – Part 3
Walt, a 58-year-old accomplished professional, is unfortunately still languishing “in between engagements”. Walt, even though you are an introvert, you can show presence. A number of middle-aged introverts like you have admonished me for stressing the importance of presence over substance as outlined in my previous two blogs about presence.
Once again, I need to stress that people form an opinion about us the minute they lay eyes on us. That’s true whether you’re an introvert, an extrovert or floating between the two.
Let’s face it, Walt, the old ways don’t work anymore. Take a close look at how you come across to others when you walk into a room, sit at a conference table or when you have the guts to attend a networking event — particularly if the people you are meeting are 10 to 15 years younger than you. They have no way of knowing and they don’t care that you’re an introvert.
Your job to step back into the workforce is to persuade, pitch, and sell your personal brand to others.
Step one
Step one is about not looking and acting like an introvert. Your job is to get your mind, voice and body in sync. “Fake it until you make it” has become a controversial approach to developing presence. However, if you ain’t got “it”, faking “it” until you become “it”, is as good a starting point as any. Very few top stars, personalities, athletes, political figures, etc. were born with “it.” They worked hard and practiced to attain and maintain “it.” That is why they have presence.
Step two
Step two is to be thoroughly prepared to speak up. Crafting how you express your ideas in a situation takes research, preparation and practice. Winging it for introverts doesn’t work.
Step three
Telling personal stories that are metaphors for the situations you’re in is a third step in developing presence for introverts. It’s a way of relaxing yourself and engaging others.
Yes Walt, as an introvert, even you can show presence if you’re willing to work at “it.”
PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE
As a coach, trainer and consultant, Larry Blumsack partners with people and organizations on the move and those already there to accelerate their communication, presentation and speaking skills to be on par with their ambition. Through one-on-one coaching and group training Larry helps leaders and aspiring leaders elevate their presence and communication skills to influence more people, sell more products-services-ideas and inspire others more successfully than they ever imagined.
Larry is the bestselling author of Face-to-Face is The Ultimate Social Media and founder of Zoka Institute and Zoka Training®. Zoka Training® — Mind/Voice/Body/Mindfulness in sync — is the result of Larry’s 45 years as a coach, acting teacher, actor, voice-over artist, theater and TV director/producer, radio & TV commentator and show host, speaker, trainer, serial entrepreneur, and syndicated columnist. Larry was a founding member of the theater department at Northeastern University.
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