You know you are telling only half your professional story. Yet, the other half, the untold half of your story, dominates your head, doesn’t it?
Perhaps that is why you remain unconvinced about the power of your own story. And, perhaps, that is why your story is not as convincing, compelling and differentiating as it really could be.
In fact, the story you currently tell makes you sound like so many other people. With the same job titles, pay grades, levels of education and from the same generation that you reside in.
When you tell only half your professional story it is usually because of your mindset.
Either you are:
- Faking it until you make it and, as a result, suffering from imposter syndrome; or
- Dismissing as insignificant the very aspects of who you are which are your most powerful professional attributes; or
- Burying details because these either are embarrassing, humiliating or associated with co-worker or workplace toxicity.
And you are not alone, my friends.
Lots of fine professionals, just like you, only tell half your professional story because they block out its true significance.
Except that when you take the time to explore the context in which your professional stories occur, your story starts to look a whole lot different than what you remember. Then, you start to recall overlooked details and underappreciated professionalism, on your part.
When that discovery happens, you stop telling only half your professional story.
Instead, you start telling more courageous and compelling stories. And, your stories start focusing on more than just you. In fact, the heroes and heroines of your stories may be the very folks you ignore, marginalize or forget about along your professional path.
The other half of your professional story holds the keys to your professional success.
My storytelling keynotes, workshops and facilitated group programs focus leaders, managers, employees and stakeholders, like you, on discovering the other half of your stories. The story behind the story that you have become so invested in telling yourself. When that professional epiphany happens, you move forward from what is holding you back.
Isn’t it time to get yourself, your team and your organization to where you all really need to go? Together? Through compelling and courageous storytelling?
Then, let’s you and I take those next steps. Together.
- Planning your next corporate or association meeting? Engage me to present one of my Storytelling for STEM Professionals and Left Brain Thinkers speaking programs, workshops or moderated facilitation services. Contact me here.
- Download my new checklist and worksheet: Six Professional Development Targets to Hit each Month.
- Subscribe to my blog. Share your email address in the red box in the right column of this blog. Never miss another insightful post.
Babette Ten Haken’s One Millimeter Mindset® Storytelling Speaking Programs, Workshops and Facilitation Services leverage storytelling to catalyze employee and customer success and retention. She motivates individuals and teams to combine courage, curiosity and critical thinking skills to co-create compelling stories which inspire trust in one another. Especially in industries with STEM and left-brain stakeholders.
Find out more about Babette’s professional story here. Babette is a member of SME, ASQ, SHRM and the National Speakers Association. Her playbook of communication hacks, Do YOU Mean Business? is available on Amazon.com. Babette’s speaker profile is on the espeakers platform. Contact Babette here.
Image source: Fotolia / Adobe Stock
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