What do Harry Potter, Carrie Bradshaw and Tootsie have in common? They all generate Powerful Presence.

What is it? It’s the ability to stand tall, declare your value and create irresistible offers. How do you get it? I believe at its core are the 3 Cs: confidence, commitment and charisma.

Confidence, as I see it, is the continuing belief in yourself and your abilities. As you evolve as a person, it is the appreciation and understanding that you will be okay even though the road ahead is unfamiliar. Harry Potter, for example, knew he had special talents. As they grew he slowly gained a greater sense of purpose. His challenge was not to let his own abilities overshadow his unknown mission. Are you confident in your innate, unknown magic?

Commitment is the ability to persevere, knowing that you will stumble. It is accepting your accomplishments, as well as your “failures.” Carrie Bradshaw in her designer Milano Blaniks, slipped, fell and at times was a complete mess in her quest for love. While she was seeking the affection of another, her struggles revealed an ever-evolving sense of self. Without the stumbles she may not have gained insight to her own power or inspired her readers to do the same. Can you commit to a journey that’s not always pretty?

Charisma, in my opinion, is how you show up authentically to others. Often, we confuse this with the ability to motivate. For example, in the movie Tootsie, Dorothy Michaels was the bold and courageous alter ego of a young actor who felt he had no voice. By pretending to be somebody else, he ultimately realized that he didn’t have to become anyone to be heard or understood. Likewise, there is no one way that any of us needs to act. Is your authentic self enough?

Each of these fictional characters reveals a real, human way of being. They also present irresistible offers or invitations. Harry challenged his classmates to discover their individual gifts. Carrie inspired her readers to persevere. Dorothy, AKA Tootsie, provoked those around her to look beyond the surface.

Can you relate? While you may not carry a wand, walk the streets of Manhattan or cross-dress, you may be called to create Powerful Presence. I know it’s true for me in almost all areas of my life: personally, professionally and publicly.

My invitation: Reflect. How does your confidence, commitment and charisma, or lack there of, work for you?

My request: Please share with others, either in your conversations or by posting on this page, how the 3 Cs have created powerful shifts in your life.

Let’s see if we can empower one another to stand tall, declare value and create irresistible offers. Together let’s create Powerful Presence.

A dear friend asked me, “Why is self-promotion difficult for so many women?”

She thought maybe they just don’t know how? Maybe as girls they were taught not to?

Whatever the reason I believe everyone, men and women alike, can self-promote. It’s just a matter of  confidence. Sound simple? We all know it’s not.

So, let’s break it down. There are two types of confidence. The first is the ability to plant your feet firmly on the ground, stand assured and deliver a message cohesively. Many professionals do this with ease when talking about their company, products or services.

The second is the belief in your content. It is the passion and conviction you have about what you are saying and it’s significance to your audience. Focusing on this is essential for self-promotion.

It is crucial to believe with certainty the importance of your contributions before you can speak about them. But, often critical self-talk gets in the way. So, take it out of the equation.  Take “I” out of your dialogue.

Try this exercise.

Step 1

Look at yourself as a client or colleague. On a sheet of paper write 10 qualities, accomplishments or contributions made by this (third) person. Leave space under each to add more notes.

Step 2

Quantify and qualify each of the 10 items. Take note of facts and measures that back up the assertions made about this person.

Step 3

Write a bio integrating the items listed above. Create a narrative about this person and her accomplishments. State her overall expertise at the beginning and reiterate it again in the summary.

Once you’ve finished put it away for a few days. When you are ready take a look at this working document. It is a self-promotion guideline. Change it from third to first person. What you see may surprise you.