When the chips are down, when you’re the one standing in front of the camera, It’s easy to understand why you want to be your “best self.”  Interestingly, research and ratings suggest that focusing on your “best” self may not always be the best idea.  
 
When we talk about best self, we mean your most polished and premeditated self — the kind of performance other media find it so easy to exaggerate and parody. Picture Ron Burgundy or Ted Baxter or (fill in your own real-world example here). Every reaction is planned. Every interaction is “pre-cooked”.  It feels safe for the talent (and maybe their employers), but it is not very interesting to watch because it is not very genuine…not very honest. In other words, it’s not your “real self.”
 
Here are some more drawbacks of “best self.”

• It’s a little lazy.  It lets you get away with not truly thinking into what you’re saying.
  
  
• It becomes a habit that’s hard to break.  Because it feels “safe,” swinging into the low-risk low-reward presentation style becomes the solution for some communicators.
  
  
• It’s static.  For most people, there’s only one “best self.” It doesn’t change much.
  
  
• It saps the richness of the message and replaces it with a pallid, predictable quality.

If ratings are any indication, anchor Noreen Turyn of WSET in Lynchburg is definitely bringing her real self to the party every day.

There are some important clues here about bringing your own “real” self to the anchor desk:

• She is genuinely familiar with the content of the newscast. Noreen is also the Managing Editor of the newscast, so she spends most of her day thinking about what she’ll be saying, not how she’ll be saying it.
  
  
• Her delivery has plenty of variety, but it’s unforced.  She uses a broad range of expression, but never seems to be “pushing” to generate energy.
  
  
• She reacts genuinely and appropriately when content calls for it. Note her reaction after the story about the restaurant owner donating tips to the relief of Haiti.
  
  
• Her manner and tone are conversational.  She seems to be talking to viewers instead of announcing at them.

No wonder her numbers keep going up.

As always, let us know what you think. In difficult and confusing times like these, your ability to communicate powerfully and authentically is more important than ever.

We'd love to hear what is working for you! If you have additional questions or thoughts, please contact us.