What do You Really do? How to Share Your Wow-Factor

Wow, Kate Delaney, What do you do

Did you know that the average adult has an eight-second attention span? Now more than ever, it’s important to be clear, concise, and comfortable in conversations with people you’ve just met. How many times have you found yourself fumbling around for an answer to the question “What do you do?”

Why does this give us so much trouble? For many people, they simply don’t know how to describe their profession. Others try to mention every project, job, and organization that they’re involved in without stopping for air.

When I’m coaching a client or running a deep-dive workshop, we first uncover everyone’s “Wow.” Here are a few quick tips on trying to find yours. First, clear your mind and write down everything you think of that best describes you. Then, write down past jobs and what you do now. Also, list places you visited and true passions. Finally, put down something people don’t know about you.

Let me give you a couple of real-world examples. I have a friend who owns a flower shop. If you meet Sean for the first time and ask what he does, he’d say he single-handedly is responsible for 5,000 smiles a year. Here’s another good one; my friend Sara is an architect. In response to the what-do-you-do question, she makes people look up. Her specialty is designing skyscrapers.

Once you think you found your Wow, you need to try it out. Practice it with the people around you. Does this best describe who you are and what you do? Your Wow, by the way, doesn’t have to be a career or job. It could be that you’ve painted every type of sunset imaginable or you’ve collected five hundred shells from beaches all over the world. Trust me, the easier you make it for people to remember you, the more connections and business you’ll build.

Take my assessment to make sure you understand your Wow and have an impactful answer the next time someone asks, “What do you do?”

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Deal Your Own Destiny

Kate Delaney is a leading business and motivational speaker, as well as a host for NBC Sports Radio Network. An Emmy-award-winning journalist, Delaney has interviewed more than 15,000 people, including…

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