Fake It ‘til You Make It …

February 25, 2016

If you work in sales, you may have heard someone suggest the “fake it ‘til you make it” approach to professional success. Some situations might call for this mindset, such as addressing a lack of confidence or continuing to smile and positively influence others when having a bad day. HOWEVER, “fake it ‘til you make it” can often times become counter-productive.

If you’re a new face to an industry or company, how can you ever stand out if your primary goal is to fit in? Often times, making a splash by being yourself will accelerate your success at a faster pace. You can’t always be better, but you can certainly decide to be different.

During the 2015 Radio Show, Yaman Coskun, CEO of Yamanair Creative, wisely pointed out that “disruption gets attention.” If “fake it ‘til you make it” is something that you practice, I encourage you to try to push yourself to instead disrupt the status quo.

Disruptions can be a good thing. Send thank you notes. Leave voicemails without a hidden agenda and simply extend a “hello.” Recently, I’ve attempted to disrupt the status quo by connecting passionate young professionals with industry contacts in need of new talent. Is this part of my job description? Absolutely not. But I enjoy helping others and it helps define me as a personal and professional connection. Frankly, it’s not normal, but I prefer it that way.

Challenge yourself this week. Find a way to disrupt the norm. Make someone stop in their tracks and think, “I didn’t expect that.” This isn’t going to cause you to reach your goals overnight, but I can promise you won’t regret it.

Oh, and if you’re looking to hire some of our industry’s future stars, don’t hesitate to reach out!

-Tyler Plahanski, Sales & Marketing Associate

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