The power of authenticity

A lot of professions have associations to support them. For example, the American Payroll Association is the professional society for Payroll Professionals. Organizations like this offer development to help people stay on top of the trends in their industry.

Many grant consultants like me are a part of the Grant Professionals Association. I’ve been a member since 2007 and am currently the Indiana Grant Professionals Association president.

This association is the best – and I’m not saying it only because of my position. The conferences, benefits, support, and training are top notch. Don’t even get me started on the delectable caramels they sent us when we had to stay home for our virtual conference in 2020!

I attended one of their trainings a couple of weeks ago to help improve my presentations. But this session didn’t only affect how I present. It changed other areas of my life.

The incredible John Hall dove into the human side of training. He spoke about Emotional Intelligence, Visual Communication, Voice Mastery, Navigating Imposter Syndrome, and Authenticity. All the areas are powerful, and I’m studying them to help me with my next talk. But the authenticity piece affected me the most.

Mr. Hall defined authenticity as showing up as your real, aligned self. For training, it means you’re not performing a “trainer version” of yourself or hiding being jargon, perfection, or a persona. He encouraged us to model the same courage, vulnerability, and self-awareness we want our learners to develop.

He asked us to pause and think about one of the most authentic people we know. My friend Patricia instantly popped into my mind. We next had to list the three reasons we felt this way. I wrote down how Patricia:

1. Listens to people
2. Genuinely shows a love for connecting with others
3. Makes me feel like the most important person in the room

Mr. Hall also told us to text our person about this exercise, which I happily did. I hope it made Patricia smile.

I couldn’t get this portion of Mr. Hall’s presentation out of my mind for days. Unfortunately, like many others, a lot of people discouraged me from being my authentic self in my earlier years. In fact, I had a boss tell me when I was 45, in summary, I was “too much.” It nearly broke me.

Thankfully, I finally learned I can be myself. Not everyone will like me, but at this stage of my life, I’m okay with it. Mr. Hall helped me understand how powerful authenticity is, both on and off the stage. I’ve been striving to be more like Patricia lately … to love on people more, to truly listen to them (especially my husband John). To be my enthusiastic self and not fear being me.

Readers, scientists often say the estimated probability of you being born is 1 in 400 trillion. When someone tells you you’re special and unique, it’s TRUE! So please, tap into the power of your authenticity. Shine it for all the world to see, hear, and experience. Whether you’re taking the stage or simply talking with someone, remember- your authenticity can change lives.

Amy Shankland is an empty-nester, writer, and fundraising professional living in Noblesville with her husband John and two dogs. You can reach her via email at amys@greenavenue.info.