For my clients with spiritual values, accurately and clearly representing their successes, contributions, and value to a company or to customers can be extremely difficult. We have a value for humility – a beautiful thing – and an aversion to arrogance. We don’t want to puff up our egos!
At the same time, if we aren’t transparent and clear about the 100 amazing things we do in a day, week, month, or year, then who will know? If we aren’t clear about the value we can bring to clients, customers, or a company, how else will they know to ask for or take advantage of our services or products?
So, I’m going to bend your assumptions about representing your contributions, value, and success. What would happen if you thought about them selflessly? What if it wasn’t about you – but about what you can contribute, how you can serve, and the benefits or impacts to others?
So, if you have to write a bio, a self-review, marketing copy, etc., here are some questions you can ask yourself to honestly, accurately, and humbly represent your gifts, achievements, and skills:
How are you in service to others?
This can apply to any group you work with, including but not limited to:
- Your team
- Your customers or clients
- An organization, community, or industry
- A project or mission
What are you grateful that you’ve been able to do?
Gratitude can be a useful gateway to help you a) identify your achievements and contributions and b) find language for them. For example, I am grateful to get to support people to show up as better leaders; to communicate more effectively; to find their true selves even at work; to be authentic, to stand in their truth. I can use these reflections in my bio, marketing, articles, interviews, etc.
How do others see or value your contribution?
When in doubt, ask! What do your customers, team members, or investors say about you? What do they thank you for? When I did a 360 last year for a client, everyone I interviewed praised her to the skies. When I reviewed the praise with my client, she was astonished. “I didn’t realize I had done all those things and had that kind of impact!” Of course, asking others for their feedback only works if you take it in. You can fully receive the reflections and praise with humble gratitude. (i.e., I am so grateful that I get to support others in a way that is valuable to them!)
Representing your success, service, and contributions is an exercise of standing in the truth. It’s just what is. At a certain point, being in denial of the good you do is a denial of truth.
And please remember – you aren’t living in a mountain monastery where these questions are irrelevant. In today’s world with social media, performance reviews, or reviews of your business on the internet, no one benefits from you playing small. We need to know about the good you do. So speak up and share the truth!
I celebrate the good you do in the world; thank you for all you do.
Want these articles delivered to your inbox? Sign up here:
I respect your email; I will not share it and I will only send content that is about awakening at work.