How we engage with people is fascinating. I was recently talking to someone about the challenge that I had with producing a web site that struck the right balance between being professional (or at least representing what I do as my profession, in a correct and professional manner) and being an honest representation of the real me.
This may seem odd so let me explain.
I was recently one of four delegates at a two day workshop. I got on well with all of the other people, I warmed to them immediately, enjoyed their company, their conversation and heir insights. Two of the other delegates were also consultants. We exchanged contact details at the end of our workshop and went our separate ways.
When I later checked out the websites of the two consultants I was really surprised to find that I was totally turned off by them. Two people who I knew from personal contact that I would happily work with and recommend and yet I am completely convinced that if I had come to them via their web sites initially I would not have even considered contacting them. Why? Because they were so typical of consultant web sites. The language, the look, the grand claims. Why I though does everyone sound like everyone else. How on earth would a prospective client possibly be able to choose, there is nothing to differentiate these people. Like bad mission statements. You read them and either they are so wooly or extraodinarily grand, or general you just think, “they really have just done this as an exercise, no one can possibly buy into this can they?”
Maybe it’s because I don’t want to be a chameleon.
Maybe it’s because I have heard my partner advising and coaxing so many people into trusting themselves when it comes to what and how they are communicating to the world via their written outputs.
Whatever the reasons, I think that it is important to be honest and authentic. That way a dialogue can always happen that has the chance of getting everyone involved to new and interesting places.
