We've all sat through a speech or job interview and thought "something is off here" with your speaker or counterpart, "I'm not feeling comfortable." We've seen what goes wrong when someone has been promoted and exaggerates their accomplishments to impress new colleagues. We regularly read stories about highly qualified applicants for head #coach or executive positions (such as Manhattan basketball coach Bill Masiello or former Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson) who despite having impressive credentials embroider or hide information on their resumes. We can remember times when even if we meant to say things straight, our words felt awkward or forced because we were hiding a particular fact or issue. All of us can be tempted to "spin" to protect ourselves in a situation where we feel vulnerable or desperate for relief from a problem -- or to prop up a part of a presentation. Just as #false notes can ruin an actor's performance, the same is true for your business persona.

Curated from Michael Port  www.huffingtonpost.com

Michael Port offers a delightful twist on Mad Men's Don Draper.

So often in life, we hide our true selves from others whether we are embarrassed, shy, or fearful of your condemnation or scorn.

[reminder]Does hiding your backstory hold you back?[/reminder]