In an age of blatant self-promotion, it is common for many people to boast about their strengths. They like to tell the world how special they are. Quickly giving others an unabridged resume is the order of the day. Promoting one’s strengths seems like the strategic thing to do. Everyone else does it.
The funny thing is that people are always more impressed when they discover your strengths rather than being told about them.
When those around you learn you are spectacular at something despite your not mentioning it, the news strikes a deep and resonant chord. Only those with the utmost confidence and comfort in their own shoes would choose to demonstrate, rather than boast about, their strength.
Just going about your business and showcasing what you do especially well carries much more weight than forecasting how great you are. By demonstrating through your actions and outcomes what you do best, people take much more notice of how special you really are. Whereas promoting your strengths is a promise, letting others discover them for themselves is a guarantee.
There is something highly trustworthy about a person who shows people what they excel at rather than just telling them. Once others learn you have been keeping a strength or a past accolade to yourself, they become much more curious as to what other skills you possess. This contrast to common braggadocious displays makes your newly discovered strength stand out even more.
The humility of not broadcasting a signature strength, combined with the self-confidence it takes to allow others the luxury of learning about it on their own, enhances credibility in a way that strikes people like lightning. They come to believe that anyone who is modest about their greatest strengths might be extraordinary in so many other ways. They want to know more.
In the end, the biggest discovery they make is to learn that self-promotion is overrated. If only they could resist the temptation and follow your lead. But that takes an inner fortitude and security, which by the way, is yet another strength you’ve kept to yourself.
A Daily Dispatch from the Front Lines of Leadership.
