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I avoided talking about what made me different. Credits to Clif Mathews follow for more impactful content. -------------- Here's the original post   I avoided talking about what made me different. But it helped me make partner. When I was going through the process to become a partner, I had to deliver a presentation. I had to stand in a room with 25 people in the executive committee and pretty much go, "This is who I am as a person." I practiced my speech with a partner who knew me well. When I finished, he said, "You haven't talked about being gay at all." I'd left it out on purpose. I didn't want to be "the gay partner." He pushed back, "Don't make it the reason you should be partner. But it's part of who you are, and you're not mentioning it." I kept thinking about that afterwards. On presentation day, I delivered my speech and gave it my all. Now, for context, the committee had heard hundreds of presentations by then. They were trying to stay tuned in, but probably a bit bored. When it was time for questions, they hit me the one I forgot to prepare: "Why do you want to be a partner?" I know, it's the first question that I should have had an answer for. But somehow, that lack of preparation gave way for an honest, unscripted answer: "I grew up as a gay kid in small-town Louisiana. I never saw myself as a partner in a big consulting firm. That just wasn't what the future looked like for someone like me." Everyone stopped what they were doing and wanted to hear more. The one thing I'd avoided mentioning was what connected with them most. And I haven't tried to hide any part of myself since. From then on, I tried to encourage everyone else to be their honest selves because that's what people will connect with most. What makes you different isn't something to hide. It might be exactly what makes you irreplaceable. ❓What's a time when being yourself made the difference? ------ ➕ Follow Business Knowledge for stories and tips on leading with your full self.