My name is Fatmanur Erdogan, and I am the managing partner for the communications strategy development and project planning firm called IPPA Communications.

The theme of this episode is about developing a presence. In today’s world, having a presence is perhaps one of the most critical success factors. Consider this: with the rise of technology and digital tools, there are so many more people competing for attention that, unless you have a presence, it is tough for you to be heard. And if you are not heard enough, it becomes cumbersome to achieve your life goals. For that, executive presence is a must-have quality for people who have a passion to be a part of the solution for the world’s pressing issues such as climate change, unemployment, and inequality.

To have a presence, first and foremost, you must have something to offer to your community. That means you have a world view of your own. That also means you have a solution that is at least slightly better than what is currently being offered.

Secondly, you must be aware of your own personality and communication style. Once you understand your own style, then make sure that you stay true to yourself. That means, when you choose to use your own authentic style, you will appear sincere to your audience. Learning to better communicate is fantastic when it’s built upon your own strengths.

Thirdly, to have a presence you must be present verbally, visually, and audio-visually. That means, write about your work and thoughts as much as you can. That means, offer your solution to a larger audience by appearing on traditional and new media platforms as much as you can. Start your own visual platforms until you are being offered a spot. One quite effective way to establish your presence is by closely observing the people who appear on TV or digital channels. That exercise will help you establish your own sense of what works and what doesn’t.

With time, the more confident you get with your thoughts and your work, the better your presence will become.

Thank you, Fatmanur, for your valuable insights. Now that most education has become online, having a presence outside work and university has also completely changed by getting digital and new opportunities had to rise for students to involve in activities outside classes. Longitude.site is the best example for this. It was the perfect opportunity for me to engage in a community and grow myself during these hard times where physical activities are very limited. But even the effort of trying to develop yourself by having a presence in any field one prefers can be very enhancing for young people. It definitely helps with issues like being scared of public speaking and social anxiety. You get to challenge yourself while learning new stuff that can be beneficial for your career, and overcome struggles all at the same time. Putting your own personality and interest in what you do, is in my opinion the best way to present yourself, whether it is for a formal situation or for yourself to look back on. And even though I will continue to learn more and engage with Longitude.site, I also can’t wait to attend dance classes again, join conferences, and maybe even start a club myself for other students interested in building a presence that also reflects their interest.