During a recent webinar on AI, the speaker faced an unexpected disruption: his office printer malfunctioned while he was speaking. He stopped speaking and apologized for the distraction, although the audience couldn’t hear it.
That’s when it hit me – this minor imperfection was the clearest signal that we were watching the real person, not a digital twin or AI avatar.
The irony is striking.
Leaders often exhaust themselves trying to deliver the perfect presentation, yet perfection can actually work against us. After years of coaching executives, I’ve discovered that authenticity resonates far more than perfection. When someone appears too polished, we instinctively become skeptical, wondering who that person really is.
Research consistently shows that human connection comes from relatability, not perfection. And we can see it all around us.
Desiree Motamedi, CMO of Salesforce’s Next Gen Platform, actually posted on LinkedIn about forgetting her lines while delivering a keynote at Dreamforce — setting an example of vulnerability that inspired all those who follow her on social media.
Steven Galanis, co-founder and CEO of Cameo, was honest about taking his company to unicorn status, watching its decline after the pandemic, and building back better while learning from mistakes. It’s our vulnerability, not our strength, that resonates.
And AI developers have already recognized this truth.
Take Google’s NotebookLM, which generates AI audio summaries that sound like podcasts. The team deliberately programmed in vocal disfluencies – those “ums” and “ahs” we often try to eliminate – to make the AI voices sound more human.
What a remarkable paradox: While humans use AI to eliminate their filler words, AI is incorporating these very imperfections to appear more human.
It’s a powerful reminder that what we view as a communication mistake is actually a bridge to authentic connection.
The message for leaders is clear: prioritize accuracy and authenticity over perfection. Your goal isn’t to deliver a flawless performance but to create genuine connections with your audience.
Next time you step onto a stage or into a boardroom, remember this: Your influence as a leader doesn’t come from perfectly delivering a script – it comes from creating authentic moments of connection. When you stumble over a word or pause to gather your thoughts, you’re not showing weakness; you’re demonstrating the very humanity that makes you relatable and trustworthy.
Challenge yourself and your leadership team to reframe what “executive presence” means. Rather than striving for an artificially polished performance, focus on being genuinely present with your audience. Share those moments of vulnerability that make you real – whether it’s acknowledging a challenge your company faces or admitting when you don’t have all the answers.
After all, if AI is learning to be more human by embracing imperfection, perhaps it’s time we embraced our humanity by being authentically ourselves.
