Becoming Bold: From Back of the Room to Head of the Table
10 Tips to Fast-Track Finding Your Voice and Owning Your Career
One decade ago, I could never have predicted how bold I’d become — it has truly transformed who I am both personally and professionally. Distilling the lessons from this ten-year journey has clarified exactly what brought me here and most importantly, why I wasn’t ready in 2012 for the opportunity, attention, and connection that comes along with it.
In school and early in my career, I was relatively quiet and full of ideas. I became a sponge — and it took years until I had absorbed enough information and was ready to develop a unique voice that brought value to those around me.
For a decade, I carefully perfected my craft, learned from the experts, and studied their secrets to success. And the real secret is there is no one-size-fits-all secret. We create our own formulas and define that success on our own terms and on our own timeline.
Now, having served as a people leader to 30+ professionals, a board member, and an advisor to startup founders before age 27, bold may be the first word that comes to mind. Even three years ago, I might have slipped out of the conference room without anyone noticing.
Things have changed massively because I took my learnings and pushed my way from the back of the room to the head of the table — strategically.
These lessons have landed me in some of the most secure meetings with dignitaries in the world, saved me a spot at the table in corporate war rooms, and established a reputation for strategists to lean in and ask for my opinion:
1. Don’t Dilute Yourself
“No one is you, and that is your power” — Dave Grohl
Embrace duality — you can have unique, opposing interests. You are many things and this works to your benefit. Shrinking to fit the description of a job or company culture is limiting, your talents will serve you and the right environment well.
2. Do Everything
A beginner’s mindset is critical for success. Remember that there is no task too small for you. Learn marketing, do cold outreach, prepare pitch decks, staple the documents, learn the lingo, perfect your craft. Leading with an expert’s mindset is limiting, seek to expand. Entrepreneurs are often advised to spend more time working on their business, than in their business — you can begin delegating once you’ve reached this point.
3. Garner Respect
Earning the respect of those in positions of power is the great equalizer — connect with those you admire early. It shows that we are all human and that titles and accomplishments shouldn’t divide us, but rather bridge the gap in communication that separates levels of seniority.
4. Become Mission Critical
Learn what your U.S.P. (Unique Selling Point) is and become the go-to in your company for a program or project’s success. Being an essential part of your team means you may have the responsibility to execute — deliver results and the reputation will follow. Being seen as mission-critical in your first 90 days in a role will assist in achieving many of these steps.
5. Take Up Space
Claim the seat at the conference table, move inside the room even if there is overflow, resist the urge to make yourself smaller at all costs. Taking up space also means being remembered — inhabit mental space. In the same way we try to not let things live rent-free in our minds, become the person your team and clients think of when they want best-in-class service.
6. People Are Just People — They Shouldn’t Make Us Nervous
Seniority and level of success should not equal being daunted by meetings or events. I have worked exclusively with the C-suite for 7 years, I often find a commonality or a quirk that we share to even the playing field. Remember, just as you are impressed to be in their presence, they should have reason to be impressed with your unique value add. And, if you are leading teams and initiatives, invest the time to create an inviting space where nerves aren’t welcome.
7. Break Into Exclusive Clubs
“Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare.” — Aimee Lehto Schewe
Even when an obstacle seems insurmountable, see if a door, window, or even crack in the ceiling offers an alternate way in. Throughout my career, I have broken into “The Boys’ Club” 4x — in diplomacy, enterprise sales, tech, and startups. Find an ally on the inside who can help you, they likely found a mentor, too.
8. Constantly Create Community
Cultivate relationships across industries and with unlikely partners. Like-mindedness is limiting, try connecting with those that may see things differently and take the time to challenge why you see it the way you do.
9. Create the Illusion of Composure
“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” The Art of War by Sun Tzu
You can (and will) be sweating under the collar at times, and that’s okay — but creating the illusion that you are the trusted, even-tempered, and logical choice to confide in will take you far. Soon enough, little will faze you. The key is taking internal chaos and channeling it into sound solutions.
10. Compile Your Knowledge & Use It to Help Others
Lessons learned are put to the greatest use when shared with our communities. Learning in a vacuum and stockpiling secrets to success serve no one in the end. We can only become 1% better each day by absorbing and iterating over time. If you are passionate about mentorship, begin mentoring as you learn. If you are interested in launching a program or company, do it before you feel ready. Readiness will come once you are in it.
Becoming bold takes many forms and it isn’t for everyone — I certainly didn’t know it would be right for me. Bold behavior can mean being more clear and direct or it can imply being more creative, listening to your instincts, and taking strategic risks. Volume also isn’t a sole determinant of boldness, but rather the way we communicate ourselves — authentically and with purpose.
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