Don’t DWELL. Instead: DIVERT

Would you be surprised if I told you that 7 in 10 women would rather minimize than share their successes?

This is something I hear All. The. Time.

From women and men!

For many of us, there’s a fear that when we SAY NICE THINGS about ourselves – when we share our achievements and credentials – we will come across as conceited or arrogant.

We need to get out of our heads!

To help you do just that, the latest Talk About Talk episode highlights several strategies that make it easier to SAY NICE THINGS about yourself…

Don’t Dwell. Divert!

Imagine you’re in a job interview or at a networking event or in any situation where you need to establish your credibility.

What do you do?

Your instinct might be to focus on your awards, accomplishments, credentials, degrees… 

Talk About Talk #115 - Say Nice Things - image of a stack of books, with graduation cap and diploma
Image by Billion Photos via Canva

Should you mention these things? Absolutely.

Should you DWELL on them? Absolutely NOT!

Instead, I recommend DIVERTING to other, related details.

Talk About Talk #115 - Say Nice Things - image of a blue road sign with white arrows pointing straight and to the right

Image by Briit via Canva

 

What do I mean by this? Here are a few examples of how to use this strategy to SAY NICE THINGS about yourself by diverting (not dwelling):

  • If you are discussing your DEGREE ➡️ Divert to your RESEARCH or what you LEARNED.
  • If you won an AWARD  ➡️ Divert to how HONOURED you are to receive it.
  • If you are newly LICENSED ➡️ Divert to what you are now CAPABLE of doing.
  • If you learned a new SKILL ➡️ Divert to a related fact people will find USEFUL.
  • If you’re celebrating a major ACCOMPLISHMENT ➡️ Divert to the PROCESS that got you there.
Got it?
Divert, don’t dwell

Call It Out

Sometimes the best strategy for saying nice things about yourself is to get out of your head and simply CALL IT OUT. Be OVERT about it.

“I’m actually very proud of that.”
“I recognize this as a strength.”

Or if you’re still worried about coming across as a braggart…

“I hate to sound like I’m bragging
but this is something I’m genuinely proud of.”

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: you’ve got to speak up for yourself and your work!

Talk About Talk #115 - Say Nice Things - quote by Andrea Wojnicki on a turquoise background: "Your work does not speak for itself. You must also speak for your work."

That’s it for this week. I hope these strategies will help you find the confidence to SAY NICE THINGS about yourself.

If you know anyone who would be interested in learning how to say nice things about themselves, please forward this email to them. THANK YOU! And if you have any questions, suggestions or feedback, please email me anytime!  

Talk soon,

Related posts:

  1. #95 TAKING THE STAGE part 2 – Communication Skills for LEADERS with Judith Humphrey
  2. Is “SELF-PROMOTION” a good thing?
  3. GENDER STEREOTYPES in Communication (Yes, we’re going there!)
  4. #115 Say Nice Things About Yourself