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I LOVE my job!
I can be my authentic self to whomever I choose and I answer to no-one. I’m also the Chairman of my company with myself as the final say. Good and bad, wouldn’t you say? Good that I have full control of what I do. Bad that I am responsible to many people to be the example of what they may aspire to achieve AND what my company stands for. Too many bad decisions and no company, right?
Wikipedia says: Authenticity concerns the truthfulness of origins, attributes, commitments, sincerity, devotion, and intentions (and I would add ethical standards).
People in my coaching, mentoring, and consulting division of my company use one main principle: To be authentic with self first and to others second or you can say practice authentic relationship marketing. What does marketing got to do with this? Simple. We ‘sell’ ourselves to anyone we communicate with over and over every day, from movies we just saw to the new pizza menu at the local pizza place to how ‘cool’ it is to work at ABC Company.
If you are authentic, people will generally accept what you say as truth. However, if you lie a lot…
The best way I have found to become a practiced liar is to continually lie to yourself so well you actually ‘believe’ what you are telling to yourself. Behaviorists generally believe that all accomplished liars get that way by lying to themselves over and over again. These people are taught to be liars by observation, starting with the family unit and surrounding community events. This includes mom and dad lying to each other, people in a conversation who are lying, to maybe listening to people talk after church or a sporting event. These are only a few and not stated here to belittle anyone or any religion.
How’s this example: listening to people gossip in the fellowship hall after church.
We can all agree that we are born authentic or one of a kind and that’s a given here. However, we are talking about what it means to be and act as one’s self in a way where truth is the basis for what we say and do and not the backup if we get caught.
Let’s apply this to business. Authentic relationship marketing is simple a way to establish relationships with people who are prospective friends, who could become customers and/or raving fans to support your business. Simply put, make as many ‘friends’ as you can to create a social and personal network of people ‘you’ can support and in turn they support you.
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Photo Credit: Getty Images