Let the Story Do the Work

CHAPTER 8

USING YOUR OWN STORY TO BUILD CREDIBILITY AND CONNECTION

“TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF.”

That simple request comes up frequently in business environments, whether you’re interviewing for a job, speaking as part of an expert panel, or just getting to know a colleague or potential client. As innocuous as it sounds, the question strikes fear in the heart of many, as they’re unsure of what to say or how it will be perceived.

But it doesn’t need to be so scary.

As an introduction to this chapter, let me give you one example of how I approach this question, by telling the story of my early experience as an MBA student at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. In the first weeks of the program, I noticed many classmates smiling ...