Relatable is Different from Having Something in Common

What It Really Means to Be Relatable

People ask us all the time: “How can I be more relatable?” Whether you’re presenting, selling, or navigating client communication training, relatability matters. It builds trust, strengthens leadership communication, and fuels confident presence. But most people misunderstand what relatability actually is.

The Common Misconception: “Find Something in Common”

Many believe relatability comes from shared hobbies or mutual interests. You’ve probably heard conversations like this:

“Is it important to be relatable when presenting?”
“Totally. Just talk until you find something in common.”
“So… we both hunt?”
“Exactly.”

This idea shows up in networking, in AEC interview preparation, even in sales presentation coaching. People fish endlessly for overlap—sports, vacations, kids, hobbies. But here’s the truth: sometimes, you just won’t find anything in common.

The Real Path: You Don’t Need to Be the Same to Relate

I live in a culturally diverse neighborhood filled with people from every walk of life. Not long ago, I met a man while walking my dog. We tried finding anything in common—and found nothing. Different backgrounds, different interests, different experiences.

But then we hit a moment of shared amusement. We both laughed at the fact that we had nothing in common. That became our point of connection.

Relatability isn’t sameness. It’s connection. And connection has many paths.

Relating Is a Verb

If you want to be relatable, don’t focus on common hobbies—focus on relating. In presence coaching and group presentation coaching, we see this shift transform business speaking skills and client engagement skills. You become relatable when you:

• show interest in someone else’s goals, struggles, or experiences,
• ask questions that help you understand them,
• reflect their challenges back to them with empathy,
• relate to their emotions even when their world is different from yours.

This is professional services communication at its most human.

Be Happy, Be Positive, Be Someone People Want to Relate To

There’s another powerful pathway to relatability: your vibe. When you’re joyful, positive, and grounded in confident presence, people naturally relate to you. Positivity is universal.

I once heard a quote I love: “There are far more good people in the world than you think. If you’re having trouble finding one—be one.”

Your energy sets the tone. Your interest opens the door. Your presence builds the relationship.

You Don’t Need to Be the Same—You Need to Be Interested

Being relatable has nothing to do with overlapping hobbies and everything to do with how you approach another human being. In business development training, AEC interview preparation, and storytelling for business, the same principle shows up: people relate to people who relate to them.

Different is good. Different is valuable. Let your personal brand differentiators stand. Then do the work of relating by showing curiosity, bringing positivity, and focusing on the person in front of you.

Being relatable is not about matching. It’s about connecting.