Building Credibility
You don't need to talk about your achievements, your work will speak for itself
True/False
False.
Honest self-promotion is not bragging or boasting, but an honest, authentic, and persuasive presentation of what you have done and what you are capable of accomplishing.
Saying no can be difficult because people often interpret it negatively.
True/False
True
Despite this, it's important to know how to set boundaries and effectively in order to manage your time, energy, and resources - which is a characteristic people you work with will appreciate and respect more in the long term,
Women are less confident in their abilities than men.
True/False
False
Research shows that the widely-held idea that women are less confident in their abilities than men is an incorrect interpretation of appearances. This alleged lack of confidence has been cited as one of the contributors to inequity in promotions and the poor representation of women at the top levels of corporate leadership.
Women are likely equally confident, but warier of self-promotion
There's a stakeholder pitch that's being planned and everyone else in the room thinks that the proposal in place is a great idea. However, you know that there may be a problem with it. What should you do?
A) Stay quiet, you don't want to come across as clueless since everyone seems to be in agreement with it
B) Raise your hand and inquire about the aspect that you see the problem arising from
C) Take some time to think about it after the meeting, maybe you're missing something
B
Confidence matters as much as competence. Having confidence in your know how is critical. On one hand, if you're right you would avert a problem for the team and even if you might end up being wrong, expressing your concern shows that you're invested in a positive outcome and you make yourself visible to stakeholders in a room.
A colleague was struggling with a deck for tomorrow's CEO review. He comes to you for help and says no one does it better than you. You should:
A) Stay late and help him finish it as you are part of the same team
B) Give him some reference material from work you've done in the past to help
C) Review the deck as is and give him your thoughts and suggestions
B & C
It is important to support and collaborate with colleagues by sharing your thoughts/ suggestions and not necessarily by staying late and helping them finish their deliverable
You've just been assigned to lead a new project which has you working with a senior manager at your company. The approach you want to take to the project will enable a 30% reduction in manpower days and seems to be in line with the need for a novel approach. During your initial connects you realise that the senior manager you're working with has a very seasoned and traditional pov on the execution. However given their seniority, experience and prior relationship with the stakeholders involved it is best to follow their lead.
True/False
False
If all you ever do is nod your head, smile politely and “go along to get along,” then you are selling yourself short. Pushing back or disagreeing is not about being pushy. It’s simply owning your right to see things differently than others and finding the most balanced way of doing things.
It's Alia's first time interacting with a key stakeholder on a zoom call. How should she introduce herself?
A) Hi I am Alia, I work as a Brand Manager at Titan and will be working with you during this project
B) Hi I am Alia, I will be working with you on this project. I work in Anand's team and have been here for the last 3 years. Good to meet you.
C) Hi I am Alia. I work as the Brand Manager for the Fast Track range of watches in Titan, I will be helping lead this initiative.
C
You have 30 seconds to make an impression on someone, you should use it to say something they will remember YOU by.
Devika already has enough deadlines to manage. Her manager just called and told her to onboard the new batch of trainees joining next week. She should:
A) Re-arrange her schedule and make time for the onboarding next week
B) Delegate it to a junior colleague who hasn't done this before but could be good at it
C) Revert to her manager letting her know that she doesn't have bandwidth for this right now
B & C
Delegating the task to a junior colleague will not only help her manage her deliverable but will also help them develop interpersonal skills and network with junior colleagues
Sending an email to your boss highlighting the impact of the work you put in can be seen like it's bragging or self-serving
True/ False
False
self-promotion isn’t actually about you. It’s about the impact of your work—and that’s not something you want to hide.
You can also think about it this way: When you succeed, so does your manager, and so does the company. Sharing your results won’t just make you look good, it will make your boss happy, too.
Nadia's boss called her in to talk about a recent stakeholder delivery that went off really well. The stakeholder made particular mention of the design Nadia had personally created for them and that they wanted to do similar work across verticals. Nadia thanked her boss and said it was a team effort and left it at that. This was the right move on her part.
True/False
FALSE
Nadia should have used that opportunity to talk about the work she had done as well as how the team came together to execute it. It was an opportunity for herself to showcase her capability to someone who could define her career path.
Your boss wants you take up leading an initiative that excites you and has the potential to further your career in the organisation. However, you've already got a lot on your plate and can't afford to take on more responsibility. Should you:
A) Respectfully turn down the opportunity, citing you would like to take on something similar when time permits
B) Take up the opportunity since it provides value to your growth - you don't mind spending a few extra hours to handle all your deliverables
C) Highlight to your boss that this is an opportunity that excites you but that you have other work taking up all your time and see if they can offer some help
D) Take up the opportunity and delegate some of your work to team members that can benefit from the learning.
C & D
Saying yes to opportunities that add value to your growth at work is essential. Highlighting your needs to your boss and relying on your team members to help you accomplish tasks can help you get more done and communicate what's important to you in terms of your career growth in the organisation
You're in a team huddle and sharing your ideas on a new project that has just been assigned. A team member interrupts you before you can finish expressing your point and diverts your managers attention. You should:
A) Hear what your team member has to say as you may have missed something earlier
B) Politely ask your team member to allow you to finish
c) Catch up with your manager post the huddle to explain your idea
B
While everyone is entitled to provide inputs in a group setting, it is important to confidently present your complete idea and not allow others to derail your thoughts/ conversation
You've booked the conference room for a critical team discussion, however, you see that your boss is currently working in there. What do you say?
A) I'm sorry but I think we need this conference room
B) I could be wrong but I believe we have this room booked
C) Hi, we've got the room booked for an important team meeting
D) I'm not sure but I think it is our time to use the conference room
C.
When women put a lot of inconsequential words around their thoughts or opinions and/or attempt to hedge, apologize and come across as if they’re asking permission for their opinion or idea - all of these things diminish the content and credibility of their opinion/idea because of the way it is delivered.
A major stakeholder delivery got pushed and now clashes with the first day of your vacation. What should you do?
A) Work to clear the sticky points with your team and leave for your time off
B) Delay your time off by a day, since this is a critical stakeholder
C) Loop in your manager for context and ask for support
A & B
While it is critical to ensure that the delivery goes off smoothly, you deserve your breaks. So plan well and in advance to ensure you have support
Nisha has spent weeks perfecting a new sales pitch presentation for a new client, prior to the client meeting her manager asks another team member present it to the client as Nisha has never done this before. She should:
A) Accept her manager's decision as she is inexperienced and this is a crucial meeting
B) Reach out to her manager and ask for the opportunity to present her own work
C) Speak to other colleagues to find out what is an appropriate amount of time to wait before getting your first client presentation
B
There is always a first time for everything, having worked hard and perfected the presentation no one else would know the content better than her. With inputs from her manager she should grab the opportunity to develop her presentation skills.