Authenticity is Everything
I often get asked by clients and when I speak on panels, “What makes a successful business?” My answer of course is the usual answers like good communication, filling a client/public need, and doing a great job with customer service and retention practices. However, the answer that comes to mind is a word that I have been thinking about for the last few years and I’m sure I will continue to think about in the years that follow. This one word answer is “authenticity.”
I strive to be authentic as a service professional, as a family member, a community member, and a friend. Being authentic as a service professional is often difficult. We are taught to fit into molds-especially attorneys. This is a short blog but with one ask. I want you to be authentic. This means not just thinking about the word but dedicating your life and business to practicing authenticity and what it’s made of: vulnerability, personal growth, admitting what you know and don’t know, using failure to aid in future successes, learning how to not just be active but still, being not just a better talker but a better listener, etc. It also means taking a look at your business practices, branding, and outward facing presentation.
I give you permission to be authentic but first I give you permission to figure out what being authentic means for you.