Day two: You are the SAUCE - Identify your AUTHENTIC ADVANTAGE
Yesterday in the YOU ARE THE S.A.U.C.E. (secret sauce) to your success … we talked about the S in the SAUCE, how powerful OWNING your STORY can be to set you apart from the crowd and make you the RIGHT person for any organization, client or contract if you know how to leverage that story to CONNECT with people in a powerful way that no one else can.
Today we will focus on the A = which is your AUTHENTIC ADVANTAGE
MY PERSONAL STORY (WHAT I FOUND OUT ABOUT MY SECRET WEAPON AND NINJA TRICKS)
I became passionate about helping others identify their special strength because of the REALLY unhelpful, misguided and often confidence destroying feedback or coaching I got from mentors, managers, and advisors early in my career.Have you had this experience? Don't get me wrong. They were well meaning. They looked at the stereo-typical model of success, and realized that I didn't display some of those skills so the obvious coaching was - stop being you and start being like Johnny Q over in the corner office.
Johnny Q is outspoken, so speak up and be the loudest in the room. Be like him.
Johnny Q influences by dominating everyone into subjection. Be like him.
Johnny Q leads by exuding POWER OVER others, and uses his power as a weapon. Be like him.
Of course, I am exaggerating a bit but not too far off.
I was a good mentee, and I tried to be like Johnny Q, sis I really did.
But I failed miserably because this was NOT the way I authentically added the most value.
I had to start looking internally and realize that when I did get attention, when I did get people to listen to me, and when I was able to most effectively influence them, what was I doing?
I realized two things.
First: I was a great listener. No I wasn't the loudest and most outspoken in the room but I was listening. I wasn’t just listening, but I was listening deeply. This STRONG listening skill allowed me to see things most other people missed. This is my super power number ONE.
Second: I was super creative and problem solving oriented. I was and am so innovative that I was always coming up with unique and out of the box ways to address recurring challenges. I probably can create brand new programs, blogs, videos and other content until everyone head spins, that’s just how my brain works. I am ALWAYS thinking and inventing. My super power number TWO!!
When I combined my first strength aka AUTHENTIC ADVANTAGE (MYSTIQUE) with my second AUTHENTIC ADVANTAGE (INNOVATION), I became the SECRET WEAPON. The SECRET WEAPON is the force that no one saw coming.
So while Johnny Q was over there speaking over everyone and being ALPHA, I was out here FLEXING on them with my innovative solutions because I was actually LISTENING (what a concept!!)
He speaks, but I get the results. THE SECRET WEAPON is my fascination archetype, and I am so proud of it because I spent so many years trying to conform to a standard that I wasn't in order to succeed until I realized that the only way I could actually be successful was to become more of who I am, not change who I am!
I tell you this story about me, because I want it to show you what's possible for you if you are able to identify how you uniquely add value.
How liberating this is. How freeing this is.
You don't have to be like Johnny Q!!!!
You just have to identify what you already innately do extremely well, often unconsciously and bring that into your awareness so that you can double down and leverage this strength as your stand out differentiator!
This assessment, that you can find out about more in the link attached, breaks down in thorough detail your unique combination of strengths. When I train my clients to become more confident I don’t just give them a pep talk or motivational speeches … although if you know me I can totally do that! However this doesn’t last. People need concrete evidence upon which to base their confidence, something real and tangible.
This is what the Fascinate Advantage Test will do for you. You learn, which combination of the Seven Advantages makes you not just interesting to others but allow them to see your unique value, DESIRE it, and pay you premium dollar for it!
Here is a preview of the SEVEN ADVANTAGES
You are probably wondering which combination of these seven are you? You can find out here.
I am telling you, when you figure it out - you are ready not only to own your power but to SLAY all day!
One of my clients who is an attorney, she is also the archetype of the SECRET WEAPON like me (a combination of Mystique & Innovation) and she says it perfectly. I am quiet, nimble, control my emotions, unassuming and they totally under-estimate me in the court room but when they least expect it - I pull out the big guns and FLEX on them!
We call her THE NINJA now.
By the way, when I was a little girl, I though ninja's were way cooler than Cinderella or Snow White.
Just saying.
Kisha