Seeking Authenticity…?

Seeking Authenticity…?

• Dec 18, 2014
• Delphine
• 4

In our times, more people are talking about getting back to the basics, to Human, seeking authenticity.

In all sectors, this word “Authenticity” is heard!

When it comes to food, we search for natural foods: “natural ones = the authentic ones.”

When it comes to politics or the media, we want to be told the truth!

We even attempt to create nature from fake stuff :  for instance, we have been creating synthetic turf and creating robots in the shape of animal life …?!

What is behind this desire for authenticity?

In an environment where everything is changing so fast and anything can change in an instant … we are in search of authenticity to reassure ourselves…

Meantime, there are many people who use plastic surgery to hide and remove “their natural” in attempt to look physically better and be accepted in the business world, where this “beauty and young”criteria is important.

Would a genuine person be a whole person, a natural person, who says the truth and behaves in a humane and honest way…?

Finally, what is the meaning of the word “authenticity”?

If we refer to the dictionary:  “its reality, its origin cannot be challenged.” Synonym: true.

Do we really want authenticity in business?

Are we capable of being it?

With the hype of marketing, and the loss of our values, we look for authenticity in our trade negotiations:
The more people behave naturally, the more we feel reassured that everything will be fine.

On the contrary, it was observed more than once that some people are not true, that they play a role as an actor during a negotiation in order to facilitate a sale.
We know that any selling transaction can be easily far from authenticity.

But can we accept a degree of “comedy” for the realization of a transaction?

Are we ready to face this little hypocrisy to negotiate easily?

Indeed, we’ve seen that over time the marketing, the idea that our “dreams can be true”, far away from reality and authenticity have brought us smoothly to a sale.

Some take the opportunity to bring a dream to people who at some point feel the need to “embark” into the unreal…

More than ever, in a world where it is becoming easier to play fake and be ripped off, senior people who are accustomed to respect the value of honesty, and knowing less about this promotional practice. They prefer to select honest and genuine traders, as they are aware they can be trapped by false advertisements.

But do we all react the same way when a trader tells us the truth about a product or service?

For him/her, is it better to tell the real truth? Or should we embellish our product, our brand, for a successful purchase?

We all conceive to stand out from others and get ahead.

But, it is unbearable to be completely fooled.

Again, everything is relative.

We accept a small percentage of “comedy” to facilitate a sale.

Although the confirmation of a lie during a transaction directly breaks the transaction.

If marketing is so well presented to accept a negotiation, we should notice a sense of confidence.

We have made the “for” and “against” before making a deal.

Perhaps we are not in a sincere and authentic buy-sell, but finally the transaction arranges the 2 parts…

When we make a decision and we accept the deal, it is either according to our criteria, or we know we are taking a small risk from which we then wait for the next step …

When we feel we make the right deal, it’s because the sale meets our criteria.

You will agree to work with such a Consultant or Coach because this person matches with your expectations.

One may be genuine in the approach, the other may act a little bit to seduce you… But at the end, the choice we make makes us feel good!

But how do you know we face to a sincere negotiator?

Would you be able to detect the actor compared to the genuine seller?

What is good is that the quality of vendor is not given to everyone.

Some people may realize who they are dealing with… others may say that it’s rare these days to meet a genuine person. Nowadays marketing has been overlapped with misleading advertisements that eventually makes us wonder if we can still meet a sincere merchant / trader.

We may realize that sites such as www.tripadvisor.com  or others which give customers feedback are trends, to get real testimonial to qualify the quality.

Unfortunately, these customers’ reports can be fake and also can unfortunately break a brand, as Andy Frawley mentioned in his article « why atomic moments of truth » are so vital to customer experience and engagement.

We try to find new ways, through updated digital tools, obtain references.

However, at the same time, it does not help too much with the creation of new words or of similar words that get many meanings…

This 2014 year, a new word entered into our dictionary, the word “Selfie”: when a person takes a picture of themselves (self-portrait photography).

Here again, we notice the need for authenticity, through taking snapshots that which shows us at a certain time who we really are.

It is far from the situation where we used to share redone pictures via Photoshop.

With this new behavior, we notice a need to show our own and real value … even if it is not usually the case 🙂

Hence, the dictionary has evolved and it has become clear that some words are used now for different meanings. We are lost… even the dictionary changes the truth definition of words…

For instance : lets take the word “consultant” or the word “coach” . They are now both used for everything and anything that we’re all lost, and it takes time and a good explanation to understand and detect the true from the false.

If the words “Consultant”  or “Coach” means many completely different things, these words have lost meaning and therefore, unfortunately lose their authenticity.

Why do many corporations such as the French Health Insurance use the same word “online coaching Health Insurance”?

It is indeed difficult nowadays to get it clear and to make the right choice … it’s why some people increasingly go directly to the source for authenticity.

This is seen for food, where people prefer to buy natural food from producers without going through intermediary… Where at least, they are assured of the quality of the product.

But in the consulting and coaching sectors, it is more complicated.

Is it possible to be real and authentic in business?

In business, our criteria is based on what exactly?

Do we really want to negotiate with someone who told us our own truth? Or do we prefer to be surrounded by people who make us dream to stay positive … even if the situation is not too credible?

In life, we know people who prefer to get physically transformed or to give themselves another name in order to play a character.

This transformation may help them to be better and finally put forward a more “raw state” of themselves that was hidden by the image they gave off…

It seems that for food or products, we prefer their pure states.

On the contrary, for Human beings we are, we easily transform our image to better match our soul or to transform our natural states to become physically better and show a positive image…!?

But in business, do we prefer to deal with authenticity  or with a person who makes us dream?

We try to unveil our authenticity in our image first … that which is unique.

Through a website, people can detect this exclusive feature.
Distinguishing itself by an authentic image, the demarcation from “clones” of the same business is more obvious.

For Performance outside the box the approach is clear.
As Delphine, I like to give advice and guidance to bring Bespoke Services.

Through targeted questions, I give personalized keys to move forward in the right direction.

I also coach business leaders and entrepreneurs, by distance and on the field to get profitability.

Indeed, I do not want to give advice in meeting rooms, as I prefer to soak up the daily managers’ activity to better advise them.

It is common to give management advice in a room and “disguise” the expertise of the speaker thru a power point presentation. But it is not my case 🙂 I definitively prefer to support business directors for them to deliver total satisfaction.

Staying who I am, providing a multidimensional approach to make it happen, I confirm the truth of my successful experience and the effectiveness of my professional services, which lend credibility and makes me authentic.

I’ve taken the risk of showing who I really am, combining Spirituality and Pragmatism, showing my differences in the midst of consulting firms. I then recommend you to test my services by offering you  a free 15 min consulting session .

When we talk about authenticity and sincere service, the client expects to get real feedback on his/her business. These objective criticisms are of course constructive to bring added value.

But are we all ready to finally hear the truth?

Do we prefer a positive report even if the truth can touch or hurt us… or do we prefer to be accompanied by an Expert who “plays comedy” and finally tells us exactly what we want?

Do we want to buy a performance to “tickle our ego” or to move our business forward?

When we want to remain authentic in negotiations, we take a risk anyway. Accidentally touching something hidden … or risking to disturb.

Would we feel these objective critics more as a “peak” that would stop us in our good intentions?

We know that some of us are not willing to change and prefer to wait…

Others are more pragmatic and are ready to be challenged for advancing their businesses and move forward.

As Tal Ben-Shahar said, a specialist teacher of the psychology of leadership, based on the ideas of psychologist David Scharch “open up to others and know to be genuine are the key to healthy relationships at work. The majority of people believe that the most important thing in a relationship is to have the approval of the other. But this is wrong.”

Ben-Shahar drew a parallel with the private sphere in his video: do we want our partner to tell us the truth, or do we prefer to receive a flattering comment to our ego? Which relationship will last over the long term?

Tal Ben-Shahar concedes that “Article How to make the right choice?. By opening up to others we become vulnerable”.

According to him, it is the only way to establish a genuine link with each other: the foundation of well-being at work, teamwork and healthy relationships.

I let you read the book of Mike Robbins “the Power of Authenticity” which is an excellent staart if you want to become more authentic!

Offering concepts, principles and practical exercises, this book enables you to live a real life in your relationship with yourself and with others.

As he puts it, “Authenticity has a cost: it takes COURAGE!

The courage to be true, to accept, to assume and unfold! “… And meet people who are look like us!