Strategies and Tactics for Women by Dr. Shannon Reece

Why aren’t you comfortable shouting your accomplishments from the rooftops?  You know you are great at what you do.  Even though you have competitors, you know there is no one else offering better solutions than you do, because no one else has the same unique set of gifts.  So what makes you shy away from the spotlight?  Self-doubt, fear of what others might think, or because you think your customers aren’t interested?  It’s okay to let your star shine bright — in fact, it’s a necessity for your business success.

Self-promotion is not the same as being self-centered

In Part One of her new series, “Brightening Your Business’s Star Factor,” Abby Kerr offers a much needed kick in the butt to women who feel that horn-tooting is somehow inappropriate in their business –

“Self promotion is not self aggrandizement…I’m here today to drop a few new truths on you.  Your business is better –  or at least different — than some others by certain measures that have absolutely nothing to do with your personal worth or the other person’s. You are special and so is your business. And if you’re in business, you’d better want your right people to look at you.”

If you don’t take the time to tell your customers, competitors, and prospects about your business success, who will?

Dimming your light is a disservice to others

For those of you who believe that you already share your accomplishments openly, my question is, do you need to turn up the juice?  Women, in their desire to make everyone feel good and secure, have a tendency to downplay their achievements to avoid making others feel bad that their lives are not the same.  Are you essentially doing them a disservice, trying to protect them from your light illuminating the areas where they could grow?

“As women, we are natural nurturers and we lift others up at all costs, even if that means putting ourselves down in the process...When you put yourself down to make another person feel better, it only makes them feel good in that moment. It does nothing to motivate them or empower them to change anything in order to achieve their goals later on.”

It’s your time to shine

Are you in the habit of dimming your light, or hiding it in the back closet all together?  It’s time for you to get over yourself and face any insecurities that are motivating this behavior.  “…despite how you feel about sharing the great stuff you’ve done/are doing/will do, no one will have a chance to feel any way about it — good, bad, or indifferent — if you don’t tell them about it in the first place.”

You didn’t start your own business so you could hide away from the public.  You started your business because you have something to share with the world in a big way.  That requires you to be courageous enough to shine.

Remember the saying, two wrongs don’t make a right?  That logic holds true when it comes to holding back from shining in your business.  As an entrepreneur, you have the important responsibility to model success.  By downplaying your success, you limit your business growth and the potential development of those who follow and admire you.  Anyone who is jealous of your accomplishments is merely uncomfortable with the choices she has made, and not you.  And not everyone will like you, no matter how hard you try.

“Don’t be afraid to show your personality and let others get to know you through your brand or company. People want to learn about who is behind something and why you believe in it like you do. When people feel like they know you they feel that they can trust you.”

In order to shine brightly, you must embrace and love yourself just the way you are — imperfections and all.  No one is expecting you to be flawless, so give yourself a break.  Those who emulate you will have a better chance of becoming shining stars in their businesses if they see you living and working with honesty, transparency and authenticity.

Figure out where you have been dimming your light and institute change today, so that neither your business nor your audience will miss out on all you were born to bring to the world.

© 2010 Reece International LLC/Dr. Shannon Reece. All rights reserved.

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Dr. Shannon Reece – The One Trusted Woman in a Man’s Business World

Starting your own business can be tough, but having the right tools makes all the difference.  Dr. Reece provides the strategies and tactics women need to get their businesses from zero to launch and achieve real results.  For more information visit www.DrShannonReece.com.