Fake Off

When I look back at the 80s and 90s,
I think of them as the era of the blagger.
(and didn't I do well...)
You had movies like Working Girl and The Secret Of My Success which exemplified the mood.
It didn’t matter if you were making it up as you went along.
You could start in the post-room on Monday and be sitting around the boardroom table before the weekend.
Luck, confidence and a healthy dose of BS was all it took to make it to the top.
I’m not sure how true those idealised movies were, but one thing’s for sure,
they’ve never felt more dated or inauthentic.
People are smarter today than they’ve ever been.
And they work harder, for longer.
You’ve got to put in the hours, and be willing to try harder than everyone else in the room.
Blagging aside, I’m still a great believer in presenting the elevated version of yourself.
Dress like the person you aspire to be.
Talk like the people you want to win over.
Act like you’ve already reached the top.
That way, when you finally get there, the transition will appear seamless.
Commit here and now.
Stop fibbing about the person you are.
Focus on the truth of who you plan to be.
There’s a big difference.
And if you need me, you’ll find me in the mail room.