I can’t tell you the number of times that I have seen being bold listed under company value. Despite so many companies touting this is something that is important to the culture, so few are actually bold when it comes to themselves. Sometimes, they’re only being bold on behalf of their company, and sometimes, even this doesn’t happen.
I think that’s so interesting because if you can’t be bold for your own self and your beliefs, how are you going to bring that boldness to your work? It just doesn’t translate. As managers and as people who have influence in the company it’s so important for us to teach this to other people.
Why do we shy away from being bold at work?
People are afraid to show their real, true self and they are afraid to be challenging. They think that if they take off the layers, they don’t know if their coworkers and others at work will like them. There is also a feeling that you should do as you are told and follow directions. However, the people that have the most successful careers are the ones who challenge the status quo and bring forward their unique perspectives. They manage to do this well by always being their authentic self.
So be really clear about who you are and what your driving passions are. Take a good hard look at yourself and understand what drives you and what’s most interesting to you. If you don’t know yourself, and you don’t understand what’s driving you, it will be difficult to convey this to others and have them bought into your ideas.
