5 Instances Where You Should Never Introduce Yourself As Founder/CEO
Last year, I went for a communications training for creatives. Before classes started, we were all asked to introduce ourselves, which we did.
An hour into the training, a guy entered the class and sat in the middle. Few minutes after he was seated, he started to ask questions, before the facilitator finish answering, he would throw in another one.
He also began to answer her questions and it got to a point, he almost got into an argument with me because of something I said.
After the class, the facilitator asked him to introduce himself. He did, and also made sure to emphasize that he was the CEO of 5 small businesses (which included a new gaming company and a food business).
When I did the math, I realized that for a guy who is the CEO of 5 companies, he really didn't need to show off (because he gave us the full details of each business), he couldn't ask intelligent questions and he showed off a lot of his dumbness answering questions the way he did.
So he was probably lying about his CEO-ship or was just playing games with those 5 businesses he was running.
I know we all feel a rush of adrenaline when we walk into a room and introduce ourselves as the Founder/CEO of our businesses.
But there are some instances, time and place where you shouldn’t let people know your role in your company if you are indeed the Founder/CEO.
Here are 5 Instances where you should never introduce yourself as a Founder/CEO
1. When You Attend Networking Events
When you’re in a networking event, it may feel super cool to let everyone know you’re the founder of your startup gaming company.
Unless you are there to look for investors (which is why most people attend networking events in the first place), then this may be the right game plan for you.
But the real reason networking events are set up is to make new connections and potential business partners.
You are meant to connect with new people by offering to help them. Asking about what their challenges may be and how you can solve them.
If you attend networking events with this mindset, you’ll make the best allies and get quality connections.
So going there to flaunt your ego as a Founder/CEO sort of creates a gap between you and the person you’re speaking with.
I don’t mean that you should double down on your person and cower in fear, NO. What I mean is that you shouldn’t lead the discussion with your CEO-ship.
When you insist on offering value and make a new connection, you can then briefly hint on your status, trust me, you’ll be perceived as more valuable than you already were.
2. When Your Business Is Just In The Idea Phase
Here, you have little to no experience in business, you have not even started the business, so you might not have solid information about your industry.
If you met Mark Zuckerberg for instance, and you introduced yourself as the CEO of your company (which is still just an idea) if he then asks you what you did, how would you respond?
Let’s say your business idea is to start a training school for 3rd-grade teachers, and it’s just an idea, with no solid research, you would only give a superficial reply to Mark’s question.
After you’re done, he’ll probably say “right” and move on ahead.
3. When You Don’t Yet Know The People In The Room
When you walk into a room, you want to make sure that you know those who are in the same room with you.
What kind of work do they do? Are they business owners too? Why are they in the same room as you?
Do you know how ridiculous it will be if someone walked into a room while you are all mourning the loss of an elderly, and he grins sheepishly and introduces himself as the CEO of a food manufacturing business?
Except the purpose of his visit is to inform you that he would be sponsoring the food and drinks of the elderly’s burial, you are going to think he’s crazy.
So when you walk into a room, calmly take your sit and keep your introductions to yourself, except, of course, you’re all asked to do so.
The Bible says it’s better to be taken from the back seat to the high table than to be taken from the high table to the lowest of seats.
4. When You Have To Negotiate
Negotiating is very simple, just argue back and forth until the person with the strongest bargaining power wins. Right?
But when you are the CEO, the odds may likely not be in your favour.
Why? Because you can’t lie to the other person. You can’t tell the customer that you’ve been given the order not to go lower than that.
You can’t lie to your supplier that you don’t know the company’s budget. You can’t say you don’t know how much is coming in weekly until you ask the accountant.
When you jump right ahead to introduce yourself as the CEO, you have given the other person the bargaining power.
If you tell the interviewee that you’ll have to check up on your boss for their salary ask, you’ll look like the true liar that you are.
5. When You Are Trying To Sell
Who would tell their prospect that they are the Founder/CEO of the chocolate boxes they are trying to sell? Only someone who is comfortable taking rejections 7 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Stating you are a Founder/CEO shows that your business is still small and growing, and many people, including business owners like to work with established businesses.
When you approach a prospect, they’ll size you up and try to rate the business based on the way you start the sale and your experience in the business.
So better not come at them with the Founder/CEO stamp on your head.
Conclusion
You don’t have to introduce yourself as Founder/CEO all the time when you are among people. It may not work for you. But there are times when coming in as one will help you tremendously.
All you need to do is to find out the best and worst times to do so and follow the rules.
I created a Journey To Visibility platform, where I teach my audience how to get started with gaining an online presence for their business brands. You can be a part of that here.
