Are you hiding your superpower?

"Rolf, everyone's very happy with you... but we think you could benefit from some elocution lessons." 

I was a young auditor at a Manchester firm in the UK when my senior delivered that gem.

She quickly added they'd pay for it, of course... "for your personal development." 

Fast forward twenty years and I'm an FD fundraising for an AIM-listed company, sat in a stockbroker's office in London.

The looks on those fund managers' faces said it all: "Who let the northern monkey in?" 

Back then, softening your accent was what you did to "get on." 

Plenty of people homogenised themselves to fit in.

I've always been proud of where I'm from, though. Maybe you've faced similar pressure to sand down your edges: your accent, your background, your approach. 

Here's what I've learned: that 'flaw' they want you to fix? It's probably your superpower?

++ I'm Rolf, I talk about business compliance, Spanish market entry and accounts in Spain's complex business landscape. Follow me for insights, tips and advice about cross-border accountancy.