There’s been a lot of eye-rolling lately about the word “authenticity.”
Apparently it’s a bit done. Bit meh. Bit cringe.
But I want to offer a gentle defence – not just of that word, but of any word that’s trying to describe something tricky, like how we want to sound.
Because here’s the thing: buzzword or not, if you tell me you want to sound “authentic” or “confident,” my job isn’t to laugh at your word choice. It’s to ask:
What does that mean to you?
What does it sound like?
And how is it different to how you’re showing up now?
That’s where the gold is.
If you’re a coach: don’t assume. Ask. Unpack. Get specific.
If you’re a client: notice how your coach responds to the words you use. Do they dig deeper? Ask follow-ups? Try to understand your definition?
Because language is messy. “Confidence” means something different to every speaker I’ve worked with – and that’s the point. It’s all context.
So sure, words get overused. But that doesn’t mean they’re not useful.
Authenticity’s still valid. Confidence is too.
Just make sure you both know what you mean. And what it might sound like.
