Why Does Authenticity Matter?

Welcome to the twelfth Interdisciplinary Thinking!

I wanted to use this newsletter to make things more accessible. I want to highlight some incredible people to share their stories to elevate social mobility. 

This is a personal blog of sorts which I want to explore more themes including neurodiversity, at work and inclusion and other interesting things.

This week I am joined by one of my oldest friends, Mika Walker, who is based in Niigata Japan. She is creative in Japan who has her own radio show on Niigata FM and is in a band, Fornow!

Industry News, Views & Events:

The lineup for November’s Creative Coalition 2020 is out! It is the UK’s largest online festival for the creative industries, have you got your ticket?

Creative Entrepreneurs and the Design Museum are teaming up for some events on business planning and marketing basics. I love the Design Museum!

Research conducted by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra found that 70% of adults report improved mental health from listening to orchestral music. Very

The BBC's June Sarpong chats to The Observer about why she doesn’t have the luxury of being mediocre.

Swedish IKEA has launched an initiative to buy back your unwanted furniture for up to half its original price. Seeking to create a fully sustainable circular system by 20230.

A Japanese tourist has had Machu Picchu opened just for him after being stranded nearby for 7 months. This was a really lovely thing to see.

Spotlight: Authenticity + why self-promotion matters.

But how do you build authenticity?

I had two conversations this week which have shaped this segment this week. These conversations focused around the challenges a lot of people are facing in terms of job security, but also about the importance of self-promotion and authenticity.

I believe being authentic is one of the biggest hurdles people face when engaging with others online. This, in part, is framed around the wider discussion around building a personal brand (which we have discussed at length previously). However, I believe they are deeply connected.

Authenticity is the experiential aspect of online trust.

To further extend the notion of authenticity, it is how people respond, engage and trusts others (people, businesses and brands). All of these groups need to display congruence between what they say and what they do, to become trustworthy. At the same time, it also means that through honest, personable, and transparent interactions with your audience you can fortify this trust.

"To build an authentic and meaningful brand it starts with going inwardly for clarity" - Aarti Parmer

Is it self-promotion or authenticity?

I believe you become authentic by promoting yourself for who you are, what you believe in and what you stand for. Therefore, acquiring self-promotion skills is imperative to being successful and being your best and authentic self.

Self-promotion can make a lot of people feel uncomfortable, but research suggests that it’s crucial to succeed at work.

Research has shown that in job interviews, applicants who talk openly and confidently about their achievements are considered more competent than more modest interviewees. This is true even in places where self-promotion is frowned upon.

Contrary to what we might like to think, it is clear to see that good work doesn’t speak for itself. Researchers found that in team collaborations where it was unclear who contributed what, women were less likely than their male peers to receive credit for the work they did. 

How can I manifest this?

The simplest answer is being yourself. I know this sounds very simplistic. However, there is a lot of power in knowing oneself.

"Authenticity is being real. It starts off with knowing who you are in the first place and realising it might change" - Jaz Broughton

Jaz and I tag-team a lot in the personal branding space, including some huge online summits to smaller intimate workshops. We spoke at length about what our tips would be in starting in this journey.

The first is to really understand your values. What do you actually stand for? What do you believe in? What is your why? What makes you get up in the morning?

The second is focused on being consistent. Showing up and regularly makes a difference. Why would anyone trust you if you are only showing up on odd occasions, but expecting engagement? For me, there is an additional layer of both intention and expectation.

Finally, the biggest one is to make sure you check in regularly. There are so many things out there that will want to shape you into something you aren't (trust me, I've been there a variety of times). It could either be to mirror in the industry, or just look completely different.

Hyping Yourself Authentically

Unique insights at your fingertips!

Together with my team at the Growth & Grace Collective, we are including a session in our flagship summit, You-Volution on hyping yourself authentically.

You-Volution was created with the intention to support people in finding their voice, mission and overall personal branding.

This session will examine all things self-promotion and authenticity with a dynamic panel cast list!

Moderated by Alexandra Galviz from Authentic Alex, you'll hear from:

• ?? Anna Flockett from Startups Magazine
• ?? James Burtt from Ultimate Podcast Group
• ?? Frankie Cotton from Let's Be Frank + Women On Top

This session is relevant to anyone who wants to learn about being authentic, self-promotion and why hyping yourself matters!

This session will touch on:

• ? Why self-promotion matters
• ? How to hype yourself on social channels
• ? Best practises to being authentic

Tickets are going fast, so get yours now! Don't miss the opportunity to immerse yourself in unique content and truly elevate your personal brand!

??? Get your ticket here! ???

This Week: An Interview with Mika Walker, Radio Show Host, Singer and all things creative!

Mika and I have known each other for a long time, a very long time in fact. We met each other on our first day at the same secondary school, actually at a bus stop. At the time, we lived very close to one another.

A lot has changed since that time, we both chose to move to Asia. I ended up in Seoul for a long time, and Mika moved to Japan. In all of this time, I've seen her hone and perfect her craft in being creative. It has been absolutely beautiful to see this.

Mika was born and raised in London. She comes from a mixed background, her mother is Japanese and her father is British. After graduating from college in London, she decided to move to Niigata, where her mother is originally from. Little did we both know she'd still be there ten years later!

For the past eight years, she has been working as a creative still based in Niigata. She hosts a couple of her own weekly radio shows on FM Niigata, is the lead vocalist for her band, fornow and also has started designing wedding dresses.

I am so unbelievably excited (+ humbled) to be able to showcase one of my closest friends

Jess Gosling: What made you want to work in the creative industries? Was it something you always planned as a career path? And also, why Japan?

Mika Walker: This is a difficult question to answer, as I've never had a clear direction in my career. I do believe it was something of being in the right place and the right time.

My mother is Japanese and my father is British. I was born in London and thus grew up in a very dynamic environment. I completed college in the UK and then moved to Niigata, Japan about 11 years ago. And it has been one experience after another.

I started as an English conversation teacher for kids, which is the usual route for those who come to Japan from abroad. But I also found a cute bar where I worked part-time. I feel like this really helped me make friends and connections. One of those led to being invited into a band. I started on keyboards, but wasn’t any good and so started a new band, fornow, where I tried my luck at singing. Turns out I’m not bad. I find thinking of melodies to sing come way more naturally for me than coming up with stuff on an instrument.

One of the highlights of my band career so far was playing at FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL in 2017. I played on the highly coveted armature stage, ROOKIE A GO-GO. Many bands who have played this stage have gone on to have big breaks and the competition is tough. It was surreal having my bands name on the same flyer as The xx and Bjork, both artists I love.

JG: Who are your biggest inspirations? Musical and otherwise?

MW: My music taste is quite eclectic. One of my biggest inspirations is David Bowie, because of his way with words, charisma, and flare. Also, if you haven't seen him as the Goblin King, go and see Labyrinth!

Also, Lady Gaga. She has a darkness to her lyrics that I can relate to, and I find it comforting, even when they are a bop.

JG: What are your biggest lessons learnt from hosting your own radio show? What are the top tips you'd give to your younger self?

MW: Hosting my radio show was definitely not part of the plan I had (not that I did, in the end, have a plan!). I am a radio host at FM Niigata, and I host three shows. The first is solely focused on having fun with English and exposing yourself to new and foreign cultures, traditions and just knowing what going on beyond your back yard. The second is a solo show where I am able to focus on subjects and topics that interest me. The third show is one of the longest-running shows since FM Niigata started (33 years this year), which is a huge honour for me.

One of the biggest things I've learnt from this whole process is having confidence in my own creativity. The process is different for everyone and this is something I've come to appreciate. Being creative isn't easy, especially in the current climate, but I couldn't imagine myself doing anything else!

In addition to this, is the need to be kind to the people you meet. You never know what opportunities await. All the things I have experienced, especially professionally, is a result of the meeting and connecting with amazing people. I feel so lucky to be where I am now and privileged to be doing something I love.

If I could give myself some advice to my younger self, I would give them one core idea. Ensure that you enjoy what you do, as this is all that matters at the end of the day.

Why "interdisciplinary thinking"?

Because I fully believe that building expertise, learning from others and bringing together different industries is a positive thing. We often do not go outside our own industries. I've also had six-career changes and relish in the transferrable skills I've picked up along the way. Join me in building unique expertise on all things culture, diplomacy and innovation!

Growth & Grace Collective (G&G) network, a global network seeking to connect, inspire and empower people in all stages of their lives to grow wholesomely. We change the narrative around professional development through masterclasses, a supportive online community, life skill workshops and more.

Co-founded by Jess Gosling (me) - a UK Civil Servant, an Award-Winning Entrepreneur, Public Speaker & International Strategy/Culture/Leadership Consultant. I am a serial multi-hyphenate seeking to bridge the gap between culture, diplomacy and innovation with my bi-weekly LinkedIn segment (Interdisciplinary Thinking) where she built a following of 9k in two months.

This month I launched my new LinkedIn initiative, The Showcase. Published every two weeks, The Showcase is all about championing intersectionality at every opportunity. Why The Showcase? Because there are so many inspiring people globally that I wanted to use my platform to support. We often feel like we can't showcase ourselves. Let me help you showcase yourself!

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Thanks for reading—see you in two weeks!