The Backbone Institute 2010
Cultivate Your Uniqueness
Welcome to the New Year! We’re glad you’re with us.
Think of your favorite movies, TV shows, your favorite author, musician, or teacher.
• A primary objective of The Backbone Institute is to help you build confidence. When your confidence is high and founded on substance—competence is the term we use—you are more likely to make stronger contributions than less confident people.
• We live in a competitive society.
• People look up to the best in their industry as role models. That’s natural. What sometimes happens is that you forget that your life is not their life and that how they got to be the way they are has little to do with how you got to be who you are.
• What about “Dress for Success?”
• Some consultants advise mimicking your boss if you want to be promoted.
• At The Backbone Institute, we say “No!” Dress for success—OK. Aspirational. Best you in your next role. But trying to be someone else doesn’t work.
• Focus your attention on being the best YOU and offering your talent, expertise, and viewpoint.
Think about your favorite movies, TV shows, books, or music. Don’t each of the characters have a unique personality or role?
The world needs YOU, not a second best someone else.
The Backbone Institute weekly feature: CALL UP YOUR CHARACTER
Take some time to consider what you are especially good at. (Practice Critical Thinking)
• Seeing the stories in data/numbers
• Getting people to collaborate
• Generating new ideas for products or services
• Answering questions from a hostile press/audience
• Getting small children to play well together
• Making people laugh
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Thinking about what you’re not good at (and should improve) diminishes confidence. We all have shortcomings.
When you can identify something you’re really good at and find ongoing evidence that it makes a difference, you begin to build an identity. Your uniqueness provides a platform for building your confidence.
e.e. cummings: “The hardest thing to do is to be you in a world trying to make you into someone else.”
When you can identify and cultivate your uniqueness, you add a dimension to your team/company that advances your competitive position.
Don’t aspire to be somebody else. Do what YOU do. Bring this New Year to your door and have fun being you, making strong contributions!
