Know your strength and speak from that position.
What is it? Knowledge? Expertise? Experience? Wisdom? Here are others: simplicity, communication, intelligence, emotional intelligence, confidence, inspirational, trust builder. Some of the above? Don’t worry, if you have more than one, a sort of halo effect will kick in and your position of strength will look like ‘a package’. Good or bad, that’s how it works.
Speaking from your position of strength is not arrogance. Or at least it does not have to be.
It means projecting your image, the person you are. How to manage this without taking unfair advantage, it’s another question. The fine line is really fine.
In fact, what you think your position of strength is, and what others may think it is, may be very different. You may think your expertise gives you strength, but others may see an aspect of your personality as something much stronger. You may think that your position of strength comes from your current contributions, but others may see your previous experience as the source.
To know about it does matter. To check your reality versus other people’s reality, does matter.
Many CVs, including online ones, show funny concepts of self-marketing: ‘I am an inspirational leader, a critical thinker and a great strategic mind’ may be self-branding by some kind of ‘brand yourself’ book, but may sound ridiculous.
The position of strength is not one of apologies, but neither is it your Marketing Department Within, on full show.
Finding the balance is key, but, before that, I find it fascinating to see how many people cannot simply answer the question about their ‘position of strength’. Validated by others, that is.