http://www.sherylkline.com/blog
Sue (not her real name:) is a senior executive who is responsible for cultivating and maintaining relationships that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. She had an extraordinary year, growing this number significantly even during the extreme disruption that 2020 brought. What was shocking was her response to me acknowledging her unprecedented success…‘It’s not that big of a deal.’
What? It was a HUGE deal, for her, for her team, and for her company. She didn’t want to brag or take too much credit. Of course, this is understandable. How we were raised, our culture, or experiences up to this point, can have a lot to do with how (or if) we speak up, especially when it comes to communicating our impact.
Here are two key reasons why it may be time for you to communicate your impact more boldly.
1.) You May Limit Yourself
... for future opportunities to advance yourself or to help others.
Many times we get stuck in our own world and make assumptions. The main one being, ‘If I do my job and do it well, I’ll get the recognition I deserve.’ Many times that is a myth, and you are leaving your impact up to chance. Others do not know what you love to do, what lights you up, what your specific blackbelt is unless you are explicit in your communications. What makes remarkable teams and companies is a group of people who are diverse and who can support each other, so it’s important to make sure your superpower and milestones are not secrets. They often do not speak for themselves, enough.
2.) Others are Watching!
For women and those who are further marginalized within and outside our gender, it’s important to have role models who speak up, so they follow suit. As emerging leaders develop their competencies and their passion, they’ll need to know how to advocate for themselves and how to be explicit with their goals, dreams, and aspirations. Is there anyone watching or looking up to you who could benefit from you owning your impact?
Here are a couple of ways to communicate your impact more boldly and in an authentic way. Schedule a time to:
1.) Write down what you love, what you do well, and any recent accomplishments or milestones (large or small). Have a dedicated journal, and record everything. This will also come in handy in the event you need to update your resume or CV.
2.) Choose one person in your organization to share these with, preferably someone who could benefit from knowing. This could be a subordinate or one of your managers. Let’s get used to speaking up for yourself for your benefit and others.
Whether you have an impactful conversation, your numbers come in off the charts, or you had to make a tough but important decision, let’s communicate your impact and passion more boldly, for you and for others who may benefit!
If you want to learn more about communicating your impact more boldly, keep your eyes out for additional tools, content, and programs offered to our Limitless Leader community in the next few weeks. Can’t wait? Follow this link to apply for a private chat, http://www.sherylkline.com/ignition.
Cheering you on always!