Upcoming Teleseminar on Self-Promotion Thursday June 19! Are you in? Learn more…
You’re sitting in your manager’s office debriefing him or her on where things stand so far in your project. You go in there, ready to talk about A-B-C but somehow it got sidetracked, or you were asked a question you weren’t prepared for, or if in a group meeting, someone raised a point that completely derailed what you wanted to bring up as a key discussion point..
I know, it really sets you back and your voice once again is minimized to a place where you feel your progress is never showcased or worse overshadowed by someone elses. If you work in a male-dominated environment like I always have or if you work in a culture with aggressive creatures which I hear women from the UK are stuck with, then let’s just knock your voice down a few more notches.
It’s ok, you’re not stuck. Here’s 3 quick and dirty Gutsy moves you need to remember the next time you go in there with something to say, because this time you’re going to say it and it won’t make you feel icky doing it.
The WHEN
If you have any control over meeting time, then choose a time when you know your manager is more receptive and open eared. You’re either a morning or afternoon person, that’s it. Do you get them after their 8:30am coffee fix, because later on they will be most distracted as the day’s happenings unfold? It’s also a strategic move to ask for anything you want during these most receptive times with your manager. Like flex time, work from home day, extra training. A little inside scoop. ; )
The WHAT
Managers don’t have a lot of time. You are going in there with 3 bulleted short and sweet items and I mean short. These are things only which command something of your manager’s assistance. Put yourself in their shoes for one moment. I hate to tell you this, but the only two things they are thinking is “What does she want from me?” and “Do I delegate to someone else or handle it myself?”
The HOW
Have you thought through every angle as to how you tried to solve on your own before bringing to their door? Are you asking your manager’s help? Are you asking them to approve something? Are you saying the project is delayed, if so how do you think it should be handled to get it back on track and when? They can try to help you, but make sure you’ve thought the whole thing through before you raise in a meeting.
If you don’t need your manager’s help on anything, then you’re going in there with 3 proud YOU moments letting them know what key areas in the project you slammed it home. Yes, a little self-promotion is necessary.
You are smart. You are hard-working. You are in control and what you have to say is just as important as everyone elses. You with me? Maybe there are colleagues who try to sabotage every move, it doesn’t matter. Insert yourself in there, using your own assertive style that feels natural not aggressive.
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With love and lots of gutsiness,
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