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7 Better Ways to Answer "What Do You Do"
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Categories And Stereotypes
To the question 'What do you do'? we usually give one-word answers, that allow people to categorize us and create stereotypes. For example:
- I’m in sales. They think: You’re a pushy, sweet-talking charmer.
- I’m a lawyer. They think: You’re the argumentative type.
- I’m an accountant. They think: You’re a numbers geek.
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Talk About How You Help People
Start your next response with “I help people…” because it usually takes the stereotype away from your job title.
For example: You can say you're a copywriter or you can say you help companies tell compelling stories about their brands.
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Tell an Anecdote About Your Job
Tell a story about something that was fun or inspiring to you at work.
It will help you make connections: the brain activity of the storyteller and the listener mirror each other, despite the fact that one person is talking and one is listening.
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Make it a Teachable Moment
You are educating the other person on the subject of you.
So instead of just saying your title, explain something he or she might not know about your work or industry.
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Be Vulnerable
Make it personal and talk about your journey: talk about your dreams and aspiration, and about what led you to where you are today, etc.
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Be Relevant
Pass on the details about you and your work that are relevant to the person you’re talking to.
Think about what experiences you have that will resonate with the people you’re talking to or be able to help them out in some way.
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Be Self-Promotional
You’re doing everyone a favor by being honest about what you’re good at and what lights you up.
We need more people who can speak frankly about the value they bring to the clients and organizations with which they work.
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Take responsibility
Some people are so thin-skinned that they think everyone is offending them when it's nothing personal. Other people are objectively treated like dirt everywhere because they're doing somethin...
Consequences
Mean-spirited people need someone in their life to tell them they're contemptible.
In the very short-term, it might seem to your advantage to let someone feel like dirt. However, in most situations, we actually need collaboration and should be givers rather than takers. By being an asshole, you might be destroying your organization by driving out the best people, undermining their productivity, creativity, and so on.
How to deal with rude people
- If the person is unaware that they act like a jerk, have a backstage conversation and gently inform them that they've crossed a line.
- If someone is treating you like dirt because they believe that's how to get ahead, get out of there.
- If you are stuck in your situation, build your case. Collect the evidence and then take your chances.
- Otherwise, ignore them. Don't care about it. It will take the wind out of their sails. In time, they will burn their own bridges and won't be there to demean you.
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Creating the life you love
Make choices leading to the life you want to create for yourself. Don't let your past hold you back.
Your life might not seem to be the best fit for someone else, but it should a life you are happy with. Create a life you love.
How to create an authentic life
Start where you are right now.
- Align your life with your own core values - those things that are most important to you personally.
- Find time to do the activities you loved doing as a child. - join an activity group or take a class.
Listen to yourself and take action on what you discover.
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Be a Professional Cheerleader
Charismatic people offer encouragement instead of skeptically listening to people’s goals and ideas. Find ways to encourage people while still holding them accountable:
Charismatic People Bring People Together
Charismatic people have lots of connections and share them regularly. Highly charismatic people are not only great at meeting new people, but also sharing their talent with their connections by introducing people who they know will get along well.
This quality is part of the reason charismatic people are such sought after connections; they spread their social wealth.
Likability is Key To Your Own Charisma
Likable leaders earn the trust of their team members and treat them well, and that makes the team’s performance better.
Teams with likable leaders tend to be more stable long-term because of lower turnover rates and are also better with changes since they are more likely to have employees committing to adopting to new ways.