Nobody likes a braggart at work and nobody respects a coward. The secret to finding the right balance between being too humble and arrogant is a delicate one.
It is however well worth thinking about. After all, you have talents, skills, experience so why are you hiding your light behind a desk?
Heres about your skills.
Ask yourself why nobody, including your boss, knows about the skills and successes you have attained. This may be caused by a humility overdose or that you are too shy to talk about them.
Perhaps you simply missed opportunities at team meetings, job perfromance chats and even in job interviews. Maybe you have not kept a careful track of them either and your memory lets you down just at the wrong moment.
What you can do.
Keep a record of your daily or weekly successes. Match them to your job description. Keep them handy mentally or as a hard list, and mention them at opportune moments.
Make sure that you add in “Accomplishments” to the agenda for any meeting you may have with your boss. Mention any relevant successes.
If there is no formal agenda, always make a point of concluding the meeting with a remark such as, “Just thought I’d mention that I am getting some great feedback from customers on the new feedback forms and the team is ahead on the deadline for the report.”
A great idea to move forward is to look at the job description of your possible promotion and measure up how well you are doing already. This technique also helps you get ready for that all important interview.
2. You may get lumbered with more than your fair share of menial tasks.
Let us imagine you have been employed in a marketing role and you are doing a lot of menial and administrative tasks which are not in your job description. You may end up being a dogsbody. Very often, the reason is that your humility is being exploited and that is not fair.
What you can do.
If you are working for a start-up, then there may be nothing to be done as everybody is expected to muck in. But if you are in a larger organization where roles and responsibilities are well defined, then it may be time to speak up.
You need to be able to show that the menial tasks are preventing you from doing your real job, which is marketing. It is no harm to remind your boss that your skill set is in the job description. You could also remind her that the menial tasks need to be more fairly allocated.
3. Colleagues may underestimate you.
Have you thought about helping your coworkers? Maybe you are modest or you jealously want to keep your skills and experience to yourself. This is a mistake because most colleagues will underestimate you because you have never showcased your talents and skills.
What you can do.
When there is a problem to be solved that is a perfect match for your skills set, step up to the plate. Offer your help. Your colleagues will not only be grateful but will be happy to endorse a person who is an expert and helpful. This sort of publicity will pay handsome dividends down the line.
4. You come across as lacking in confidence.
The problem with low self-esteem and a lack of confidence is that they tend to feed your humility habit. There is nothing wromwith being a little humble but are you getting a little addicted? People are getting the wrong impression.
What you can do.
Focus on your achievements and stop regretting those failures. Make a mental list of your star qualities. Remind yourself that having the right mindset will increase your productivity, communication skills, and irresistible charm.
Before long, you will have reached the top of the ladder and it is all due to your intelligence and superb talent.
5. Your networking is not so effective.
When you are too humble while communicating with others , this can leave a negative footprint. Your new business contact may think that you are not convincing, not qualified enough and are perhaps pessimistic.
You do not want to go to the other extreme where you are perceived as egocentric, arrogant and over confident. Displaying the right amount of humility is the secret.
What you can do
Analyze your weaknesses and be aware of them when networking. Work on how to improve them. At the job interview you will certainly be asked about your weaknesses or even failures.
You would be surprised at how many candidates are suprised by this question. Claiming to have no weaknesses is a sure sign of ignorance, immaturity and a lack of self awareness.
6. Nobody knows about your great ideas.
This is another reason why being too humble does not pay off. You are the one who never gets more responsibility because your ideas are never broadcast. You also tend to shrug off compliments instead of saying a simple “thank you.”
What you can do.
Try to be more courageous and let your views and ideas be known. When you get a compliment, say thanks but also mention how much effort you put into it.
When someone asks for a volunteer for an important project, summon up the courage to offer your services. Also, say why you are the one with the right skills and experience.
7. You never become a leader.
Doubting your capabilities? Thinking that the company is going in the wrong direction or that a colleague is getting away with murder? Maybe you think that it is not worth the effort, but too much humility and self doubt can ruin a career.
What you can do
You can start small by offering to take responsibility in your team for certain tasks. Speak out and speak up. The skills you have here are obvious to everyone and if they are not, then tell them!
You will gain some useful experience and confidence. You will be much more aware of your strengths when you meet goals and deadlines. It is never too late to start.
8. Your failings are getting in the way
You are over thinking your defects and lack of skills. Part of the explanation may be that the wrong friends can exaggerate your faults and failings. I mean the so-called friends who are ready to criticize you and also try to discourage you at every turn. A mindset like that is an additional handicap.
What you can do.
You are the one who is only too conscious of your faults, failings, and lack of self-confidence. Gravitate towards positive and encouraging people who will recognize your efforts, talents and people skills. These are the people who will appreciate your true worth and, with their encouragement, you will be able to see that there is no need to be too humble.
Food for thought…