Moving beyond lists of roles to stories of impact, clarity, and presence.
In seasons of change, clarity becomes its own form of leadership. Whether stepping toward new opportunities, navigating transition, or re-imagining your contribution, how you communicate your story matters. In today’s landscape — where one role may draw a hundred applications — a memorable CV or profile is not defined by length, but by presence. It reveals coherence between purpose and practice, between what you offer and what you stand for.
Your story is your distinction. When expressed with intention, it becomes more than a record of employment — it is a reflection of evolution. A strong professional narrative does not simply list what you have done; it illuminates the impact and meaning behind it. It shows the rhythm of how you lead, the integrity of how you contribute, and the promise of how you might continue to grow.
This is the essence of narrative presence — revealing who you are through the pattern of what you have achieved, and aligning the story you tell with the leadership you live.
Telling the Story Beneath the Summary
A CV is often seen as a record of employment — a static list of roles, dates, and duties. Yet beneath that structure lies something far more important: a story of contribution. Each role represents a moment in your professional whakapapa, revealing how your experience, values, and decisions have shaped who you are in practice.
When we treat a CV or LinkedIn profile as a living narrative rather than a catalogue, we begin to express not just what we have done, but why it matters. This is the shift from responsibility to resonance — from describing work to showing the difference that work made.
From Role to Result
A powerful CV doesn’t only list responsibilities; it demonstrates impact.
Compare the statements below:
- Provided executive leadership for a strategic project.
- Provided executive leadership for a strategic project that increased organisational engagement by 30 percent and informed a new five-year plan.
The second line tells a story. It shows outcome, scale, and value. It helps the reader understand what changed because you were there. These are the details that reveal capability — not through adjectives, but through evidence.
Think of each achievement as a snapshot of transformation. What was the situation? What did you contribute? What shifted because of your involvement? Those three questions can turn even the simplest line of text into a meaningful statement of growth and leadership.
Numbers as Narrative
Quantitative information — percentages, timeframes, budgets, or participation data — is often avoided out of modesty. Yet when used with integrity, numbers give your story weight and precision. They transform abstract claims into measurable insight.
If you streamlined a process, note how much time or cost it saved.
If you led a team, indicate how many people you supported and what collective success was achieved.
If you delivered wānanga or training, describe how engagement increased or practice improved.
Numbers, when paired with reflection, become narrative — they show evidence of mahi well-done and relationships well-held.
Voice and Alignment
Your professional documents should sound like you — not like a template. The language you choose communicates leadership presence. Write in a tone that aligns with your kaupapa: confident yet humble, clear yet relational.
Avoid overly generic phrasing such as results-driven professional with excellent communication skills. Instead, speak directly to what you value and demonstrate:
Leads with integrity and curiosity, fostering spaces where ideas and people grow in rhythm.
This subtle shift from description to declaration reveals who you are, not just what you do.
LinkedIn as a Living Whāriki
LinkedIn is not an online CV — it is a living whāriki of professional identity. It allows your narrative to breathe, connect, and evolve.
Banner: Your banner image sets tone. Choose an image or design that reflects your kaupapa — your place, your work, or your guiding values.
Headline: Use this space to position your presence, not just your job title. For example:
Kaupapa-aligned leader | Strategic thinker | Supporting transformation through rhythm, reflection, and clarity.
About Section: This is your korowai kōrero — where you weave story, purpose, and practice. Write in the first person. Share what motivates you, what you have learned, and what you hope to contribute. A good structure:
- What matters to you (values and vision)
- What you bring (skills and experience)
- What you are creating or seeking next (aspiration and alignment)
This section is where presence replaces performance — where people encounter the human behind the professional profile.
Consistency and Coherence
Ensure your CV and LinkedIn profile speak to each other. Consistency builds credibility; coherence builds connection. Your narrative should flow across platforms — each expression reinforcing the same kaupapa, tone, and message of who you are and what you stand for.
The Reflective Thread
Behind every professional document sits reflection. To write a compelling CV or profile, we must pause long enough to recognise the patterns within our journey:
- What themes keep recurring in the mahi we choose?
- What values have guided our decisions?
- How have we evolved in the way we lead, collaborate, or create impact?
Answering these questions reconnects the external expression of our work with the internal rhythm that drives it.
Presence as Practice
Ultimately, a CV or LinkedIn profile is an artefact of presence. It holds the echo of our mahi — the projects completed, the people influenced, the lessons learned. When written with clarity, honesty, and alignment, these profiles do more than attract opportunities; they invite resonance. They show the coherence between what we believe, what we do, and how we show up in the world.
Your professional story is not a performance; it is a pattern — a poutama of contribution, woven through every experience that has shaped you.
Reflection For Leaders
- Does my CV describe tasks or tell stories of transformation?
- What measurable outcomes illustrate my contribution and growth?
- Does my LinkedIn profile reflect my voice, purpose, and presence?
- How can I ensure my professional narrative remains alive — updated, reflective, and aligned with who I am becoming?
Further Exploration
To deepen this kōrero and explore how narrative becomes presence in practice, visit Te Puna Kōrero: Poutama Signature™ — a revitalisation pathway for professional presence, purposeful positioning, and leadership identity.
Image credit: Tahere, M. (2025).
Author: Megan Tahere. (2025).