5 ways you're probably underselling yourself
Do you do any of these?:
Not allowing yourself to make mistakes
Not speaking up in fear of not having the “perfect” answer
Dumbing down your accomplishments
Thinking you’re undeserving of a raise because the business isn’t doing well
Not stating your values in a way that feels good to you (during a negotiation)
These examples highlighted above are not small things because it shows up in your everyday life.
Not allowing yourself to make mistakes
Let me start off by saying, you are allowed to make them. This does not negate your accomplishments, your skills, or your knowledge. Errors are a part of the human experience, we grow and evolve from them. You are not less deserving of praise and guidance because you messed up along the way.
Not speaking up in fear of not having the “perfect” answer
Okay, so you aren’t the subject expert? So what. That doesn’t mean that you should silence yourself in the rooms that are in need of your perspective. The world needs your unique perspective and wisdom as a WOC.
Dumbing down your accomplishments
Take a moment to recognize how you respond to compliments on your work.
“Yeah, that was nothing. No big deal.”
“It’s my job”
“Aww thanks, it was a team effort”
All I hear is deflection, deflection, deflection. Those projects didn’t just come to life, you put in the work necessary to take it to the next level.
Accept the compliment and hype yourself up with affirmations.
“I worked really hard on this and I appreciate the recognition.”
“I would like to be the lead on more projects like these.”
And speak up for your work during your negotiations because no one knows it better than you.
*Tip: Create a new folder in your work inbox to store your accomplishments. Each time you get recognized/shouted out via email, move it into your special folder. This will help you update your resume and/or prepare for a promotion.
Thinking you’re undeserving of a raise because the business isn’t doing well
This one is a lot to unpack. To start, ask yourself this:
Did you perform at your best capability with what was available?
If yes, you deserve that raise!!!
Things like: downward trends in the market, a downturn in the economy, reduction in staff, stagnancy in customer growth, a global pandemic, etc.
Are NOT in your control - therefore you shouldn’t even be factoring it in when it comes to your performance.
If you put in the work, ask for the money. Don’t assume they can’t afford it. Or, as I like to say, “stay out of people’s pockets!”
Not stating your values in a way that feels good to you (during a negotiation)
Have you ever left an interview feeling icky because you lied throughout the entire thing?
Your answer to every question was fluffed up because you were too scared to ask the interviewer to clarify.
Instead of winging it, get the heart to ask what’s important about that question.
Be curious!
Ask interviewers what you really want to know:
“What have you done internally to support your Black, Indigenous, and People of Color employees?”
“How do you handle when an employee isn’t doing well or when employees aren’t interacting well?”
When you fluff up the questions you often end up in situations where you will burn out. Be intentional about expressing what matters to you.
Looking for a career guide to help you stop “playing it safe? and living out someone else’s version of success?
➡️ Join our leadership group coaching program, here.
Leadership & Negotiation Coach for Women of Color in Technology|Founder|Workshop Facilitator, Speaker & Trainer
Nadia’s career and leadership expertise has been featured in CNBC, HuffPost, FastCompany, New York Times Kids, and The Muse.
BROWSE BY CATEGORY: