“So, Pauleanna, what do you do?”
Sitting together on a Zoom call, the words of the woman in front of me hung in the air, heavier than I’m sure she intended. In most scenarios similar to this, I’d have a quick, yet detailed elevator pitch ready to go, but this felt different. It was different.
In all fairness, I was taken aback. Not just by the question itself, but by her cluelessness around the magnitude those 4 simple words held. “What do you do?” Behind gritted teeth, I tried to steady my composure before I asked, “I’m sorry, but do you need some more time to prepare for this meeting?” This call wasn’t a casual conversation between passing peers that happened by chance. It was a major career moment for what I assumed would be the both of us.
My alma mater was preparing to host a fireside chat with past alumni, and I was honored when the coordinator reached out to let me know my presence had been requested and an event would be planned in my honor. Though I often speak about dropping out of college, I still consider myself indebted to the (brief) time I spent there; a feeling that remains more than mutual. Though I’d never crossed the convocation stage, they respected my decision to turn the world into my classroom, and saw the moment as a perfect time to celebrate the ways their institution had helped to inform my future career decisions.
In preparation for the event, I was asked to join a pre-meet with a moderator to brainstorm ideas to ensure we were able to curate an engaging conversation for those present. I’d eagerly joined the call with an open heart and mind, but her negligence left me feeling anything but valued, far less respected.
I hold my brand to an exceptionally high standard, so it’s imperative that the work I’ve done, the impacts I’ve had on this industry, and the community be given the proper respect it deserves. But beyond that, as a businesswoman, communications expert and seasoned journalist, I have a deep respect for the craft, and the importance of the work we do. Getting to the heart of a story or conversation can’t be achieved on a whim. The wins are most often found in the details, and are built upon the research and communicative skills needed to guarantee the integrity of a story or person is upheld.
The best interviews require research and intentional question set building that lets the person or people present know that you value them and their insights enough to have properly prepared for the discussion. But most importantly, it requires care. These were the very sentiments I passed on to the moderator, before we hung up, when I expressed my disappointment in how the call had gone. The initial enthusiasm I had had been overshadowed by what felt like her passive attitude towards the person she’d been hired to interview. And her aversion to my feedback proved my thoughts to be right. So, sadly, after expressing my concerns to the event coordinator who later followed up to see how things were coming along, it was clear that the moderator who was hired had done very little to show myself or the college that she understood the gravity of what was at stake.
As a result, I chose to part ways with her, and requested that another moderator be hired in her place.
I share this with you as a cautionary reminder that we don’t always get a second chance to prove ourselves. Though the decision taken may sound drastic, it’s one I stand by completely. Your reputation is everything. And within minutes she most certainly left a lasting impression.
Whenever I agree to public appearances, every detail matters, down to the person I’m seated next to. From the backbreaking nights to the risks that so few believed in during my come up, I know what it took for me to get here, so I’m never going to allow myself or what I’ve built to be mentioned with nonchalance and disregard. And neither should you.
As you raise the bar for yourself, you do the same for those around you; the ones following closely in your footsteps. While our desires for public recognition can seem life and career shifting, it should never come at the expense of you. On your journey, don’t be afraid to write your own rules, to define how you wish to be treated, and to believe in your brand, in you, enough to make sure that regardless of who you’re seated in front of, regardless of the room you’re in, you set the tone for how your legacy will be remembered…and respected.
A BIT ABOUT ME: Hi! My name is Pauleanna Reid. I’m the founder and chief storyteller at WritersBlok where I lead an all-women of color team of celebrity ghostwriters. As a collective, we help industry leaders and doers who are shaping the future turn their personal stories into brand assets so they can stay relevant in a noisy world, communicate to their audience at scale, and turn any conversation into a meaningful and profitable lead. Clients truly trust me with their reputations and their legacies. In fact, when they want to speak up on a hot topic and shake the room, I’m the woman they call. Many of them have me on speed dial, why don’t you?