The Easy Question Almost Everyone Flubs

By Christina McKenna

As communication coaches, it’s our job to challenge clients with tough questions so they’re ready to face the scrutiny of the media, the Board or other high-stakes audiences.

But we notice that often it’s not the hard questions, rather the easy ones that catch clients off-guard. In fact, there is one in particular that most seem to flub. What is it?

“Tell me about yourself.”

Technically, it’s not even a question; it’s a command. But really, it’s an invitation to talk about ourselves and our work in whatever way serves us best.

Handled well, our response can elevate our status in the eyes of our audience, steer the conversation to our strengths and help us achieve greater results.  

But if it’s bungled, our answer diminishes our audience’s view of us, undermines our authority and rattles our confidence for the rest of the conversation. 

Here are some typical, but less-than-ideal, responses.

The Defensive Deflector: “Well, what do you want to know?”

Boo! By sending the ball back over the net to the questioner, we look defensive and forfeit this wide-open opportunity to highlight our strengths.

The Number Hugger: “We’re a $4 Billion dollar company with 25-thousand employees in 17 countries, serving six market segments since 2012.”

Ugh. All those numbers add up to zero if we fail to showcase the special thing we do and why it’s important.

The Corporate Cliché: “We’re customer-focused, innovation experts, seeking to provide sustainable solutions across emerging markets.”

Yawn. Corporate clichés make everyone’s eyes glaze over, especially during a casual conversation or media interview.

Instead, we want to seize the chance to talk about ourselves authentically but in the best possible light, using interesting, relatable language. Here are three great examples:

“I’m a manager at Best Bank, which is a new kind of lender that helps families quickly access the money they need at rates they can afford.”

“I’m the owner of Edna’s Bakery where we hand-decorate cakes to help customers make milestones even more magical.”

“I lead the sales team at Super Sensors, which positions tiny cameras in headlights to help drivers better sense danger and avoid accidents.”

Notice each of these responses mentions people (families, customers, drivers) and the way in which the organization helps them. A win for the speaker and the audience.

If we pay attention, we’ll notice the “Tell me about yourself” opportunity comes up several times a week, though often disguised as “What do you do?” “What’s your company do?” or “Let’s go around the room and introduce ourselves.”

Because it’s so common, this is the one easy question no one can afford to flub.

Invest some time coming up with simple language to describe what you do and how you help others. Shape your ideas into one or two sentences and practice them out loud till you know them cold. Then the next time you hear “Tell me about yourself,” you’ll be ready to roll with a rock-solid response.

For more great ideas and tips for rock solid communication, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @bluestoneexec.