Heather Monahan Challenges Notions of ‘Vanity’ in Professional Presentation

In a recent LinkedIn post, Heather Monahan discusses the perception and reality of investing in one’s professional presentation, particularly for female speakers. She directly addresses a question she received about why she utilizes a “glam team” for her keynotes, pushing back against the notion that such preparation is excessive or purely about vanity.

Monahan frames her use of a professional team not as an indulgence, but as a strategic choice for how she chooses to present herself on stage. She states:

No. I invest in a team that gets me camera-ready before I walk out. A morning routine that has nothing to do with vanity and everything to do with how I choose to show up.

The core of Monahan’s argument is that the perception of investing in appearance is often gendered and unfairly judged, particularly for women. She draws a parallel to the professional sports world to illustrate her point.

Challenging Gendered Perceptions of Self-Investment

Heather Monahan highlights a societal tendency to view investments in personal presentation, especially by women, as indulgent, while similar investments in performance are seen as smart. She challenges this dichotomy, arguing that the effectiveness of a presentation is not dependent on the personal cost of preparation but on the delivery itself.

“Nobody asks a professional athlete why they have a trainer,” Monahan points out, drawing a clear distinction between how male and female professionals are often perceived. This analogy serves to underscore her belief that investing in oneself, whether in physical readiness or presentation, should be viewed as a performance enhancer, not a frivolous expense.

Monahan further elaborates on this by emphasizing the role of confidence in public speaking. According to her:

The stage doesn’t know or care what it cost me to walk out feeling confident and ready. It only knows whether I delivered.

This perspective shifts the focus from the perceived ‘cost’ of preparation to the ultimate outcome: effective delivery and impact. She asserts that the confidence gained from feeling prepared and polished enables a stronger performance, which is the ultimate goal for any speaker.

Reclaiming the Narrative on Self-Investment

A significant part of Monahan’s message revolves around shedding the need to apologize for investing in oneself. She suggests that the hesitation to invest in how one shows up stems from societal conditioning that has historically equated female self-care or presentation enhancement with vanity. Monahan advocates for a paradigm shift where such investments are recognized as legitimate components of professional readiness and performance.

She concludes her post by reflecting on personal growth and the release from unnecessary justifications:

So I stopped apologizing for investing in me.

This statement encapsulates her journey towards self-acceptance and empowerment, encouraging others to question what they might be needlessly explaining or justifying to others. Monahan prompts her audience to consider their own experiences with societal expectations and their personal resolutions to embrace self-investment without reservation.