It’s opening night.  I am standing in the shadows in my sturdy high-heels, nylons, and silky blue dress.  Waiting.  I am watching the stage manager introduce the show, reminding everyone to turn off their phones.  But I am certain that the only thing the audience can hear is the sound of my heart beating like a dark drum.  I look down at my chest expecting to see the fabric exploding with each thump.

I have done as much preparation as I can possibly do.  I take a few deep, calming breaths.  I remind myself that all of my monkey-mind thoughts are irrelevant.  Thoughts about expectation and who is in the audience and what if I forget my lines and what if I look ridiculous and what if I humiliate myself?…Read on.

“Vocation is the place where our deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.”

—Frederick Buechner--

This practice can apply to any kind of interview where we (feel) we are being chosen for something—jobs, schools, internships. All of these situations set up a power dynamic—the chooser and the chosen—that can rattle us, make us feel desperate, make us feel like we have to brag about ourselves and our accomplishments. We can fall into the “pick me!” mentality, rather than picking ourselves.

Please let that go.

Aside from the basics (to make enough money, to get experience and education), why are we applying for this opportunity? Usually, it is to find a great fit for what we want, what they want, what we have to offer, what they have to offer.

RESEARCH

Well before the interview...Read on.

In last week’s post, Persuading a National Audience, I talked about the communication skills of great leaders. One hallmark of great leaders is that their overarching intention or purpose benefits others, mostly those with the least power. These are what I call, “high intentions,” as opposed to intentions that benefit the speaker, which I call “low intentions.” For public leaders, examples of high intentions are: “To give hope,” “To help,” “To support,” “To elevate,” “To shine the light on.” Examples of low intentions are: “To control,” “To convince,” To extract,”…Read on.