You’re Introducing Yourself Wrong (And It’s Costing You Authority)
Why polite nods are a signal you positioned yourself too small, and what to say instead.
Let me guess how your last introduction went.
Someone asked what you do.
You said something like “I’m a Senior UX Designer with 10 years of experience in design systems.”
They nodded politely. The conversation moved on. Nothing happened.
Here’s why:
You just positioned yourself as interchangeable.
The Data Dump Problem
We’re UX people.
We obsess over reducing friction in user journeys.
We A/B test button copy.
We agonize over microcopy.
Then someone asks “What do you do?” and we create maximum cognitive load.
We dump our resume. Tools. Methodologies. Years of experience. The full artifact library.
It’s the conversational equivalent of a 47-field signup form.
And it works exactly as well.
What You’re Actually Communicating
When you lead with process, here’s what people hear:
“I execute tasks”
“I use tools”
“I follow methodologies”
“I’m replaceable”
You’ve spent the first 10 seconds of the conversation proving you’re a doer, not a decision-maker.
This isn’t just bad networking.
It’s bad positioning.
And positioning determines everything - what projects you get, what rooms you’re in, what you’re paid.
The Shift That Changes Everything
Rebecca Okamoto has a framework that fixes this.
It’s dead simple:
Stop talking about yourself. Start talking about them.
Not “Here’s what I do.”
But “Here’s what changes because I exist.”
Example:
Before: “I’m a Senior UX Designer with 10 years of experience.”
After: “I help product teams reduce churn by identifying the hidden friction in their onboarding.”
See the difference?
The first one is a resume line. The second is a value proposition.
The first requires someone to infer your value. The second declares it.
(NOTE: Upgrade to access the full library of 220+ ready-to-use leadership frameworks and scripts)
3 Ways to Reframe Your Introduction
1. The Straightforward “About You”
Formula: I help [target audience] achieve [business/user benefit].
Example: “I help SaaS companies increase trial-to-paid conversion by aligning product features with actual user mental models.”
Why it works: You just connected UX to revenue…and every exec in the room is paying attention.
2. The “Breakthrough”
Formula: I help [target audience] achieve [benefit] without [the usual friction].
Example: “I help enterprise teams launch accessible products faster without expensive, late-stage accessibility audits.”
Why it works: You’re not just “solving problems”. Instead, you’re eliminating the cost of solving them.
3. The Strength Framework
Formula: I’m known for [UX superpower] to achieve [stakeholder value].
Example: “I’m known for translating complex technical requirements into intuitive interfaces that reduce support tickets and training costs.”
Why it works: “Known for” implies reputation. You’re not claiming authority—others already granted it.
Why This Matters Beyond Small Talk
How you introduce yourself isn’t just “networking theater.”
It shapes:
How stakeholders perceive your role (executor vs. advisor)
What projects you’re invited into (implementation vs. strategy)
Your negotiating position (skill-based vs. impact-based comp)
Whether you’re seen as a cost center or growth driver
Every time you default to the process dump, you’re training people to undervalue you.
Do This Now
Pick one framework. Rewrite your introduction.
Test it in three places:
Your LinkedIn headline
Your next stakeholder meeting
A conversation outside work
Watch what happens.
Watch who leans in. Watch who asks follow-up questions. Watch who suddenly takes you more seriously.
Because here’s the truth:
Your competence got you here. Your ability to articulate impact gets you to the next level.
Stop listing what you do. Start describing what changes because you do it.
The difference is everything.
Talk soon,
P.S. If this topic resonated, here’s something practical: track the moments you catch yourself course-correcting, reframing, or spotting the real problem behind the noise.
That’s the kind of quiet judgment that compounds over time…but only if you capture it.
My Brag Sheet Career Transformation System helps you collect your thoughts, decisions, and micro-wins that turn into credible, repeatable content AND stronger performance narratives. Grab it and start using it this week!
📌 Stay Sharp Between Issues
→ LinkedIn — tactical influence plays, posted almost daily at ~8:00 AM EST.
→ My book — practical mentorship frameworks for senior UXers.
Thank you for the article.
This continues the current topic about UX design and Business impact.
One must understand the other to see the value of partnership.