Be Authentic

Inspiration for my posts comes from my relationships, engagements with clients, experiences, and past.  My goal is not to “just post”, it is to get people thinking.   Deeply, introspectively, and with the idea that they can make some move in their life or career to be better.  

Recently, my son, a college student, interviewed me for his sociology class.  Some of his questions revolved around ethics—cheating, lying, and moments of foolish decisions.  The answers could not be a simple yes or no – they required you to dig deep and provide rationale behind the answer.  It got me thinking about how these themes apply to business, especially in sales and leadership.

In today’s world, we see people enhancing their stories online and in real life to appear more successful than they truly are.  Whether it’s exaggerated revenue numbers, fabricated client wins, or misleading personal success stories, the temptation to "polish" the truth is everywhere.  But at what cost?

As I was rearing my son, I had three rules in my house:  1) don’t lie, 2) don’t die, and 3) you don’t have to like everyone, but you must give them respect.   Now, he did not always follow these rules, and growth for both of us came out of our mutual failures, but when we had the conversation for his class, I could tell the lessons stayed with him. 

As a sales coach, strategist, and leader at Vetta Sales Consulting, I’ve seen firsthand that authentic success comes from doing the hard work, not just claiming it.  Trust is the most valuable currency in business.  Once lost, it’s incredibly difficult to regain.  Clients, colleagues, and employees can see through the fluff.  And while short-term gains might come from stretching the truth, long-term success is built on integrity, transparency, and real results.

We all have moments when we’ve made mistakes, taken shortcuts, or wished our story looked different.  But the real power comes from owning our journey—failures included—and using those experiences to grow.

If you're in sales or leadership, ask yourself: Are you building a reputation based on reality or perception?  Are you prioritizing long-term trust over short-term wins?  And how will this affect your brand in the long run?  #coaching #leadership #VettaSalesConsulting #personalbrand #authentic