Picture this: your kid (or niece/nephew/neighbor’s kid) tells you they set up a lemonade stand to make some money. You look around, and there is not a lemon or a lemonade stand in sight. Upon inquiring, they tell you, “It’s in the basement.” 🤔
You likely see the folly in this setup. The kid could have the best lemonade this side of the Mississippi and is still not destined to make any money. Because the stand is IN THE BASEMENT. Who is going to see it there?
Guess what?
Leaders do this all the time, too. They unknowingly keep themselves hidden.
For example, when I started my business, I was nervous about posting on LinkedIn (and later, starting this newsletter.) Creating content for others’ consumption made me feel incredibly vulnerable and exposed.
So, for a long time, I just didn’t do it. I told myself I was “too busy” or “didn’t have a fully formed thought” and a host of other excuses. Really, it was just fear of being seen.
Sound familiar? For you, it might look like staying quiet in meetings, keeping your opinions to yourself, or passing on opportunities to represent your company.
Hello, McFly! People can’t support or engage with you if they don’t know you exist! You need to help people see your skills and sweet spots and understand how you can help them.
If you’re concerned about being in the spotlight, try a reframe: You have something to offer. People can’t benefit from something they don’t know about.
Here’s a client example. Kate (not her real name) was less experienced and tenured than most of her colleagues, and so she was shy about speaking up in meetings. She “assumed” that everyone had more knowledge than she did. What she was overlooking was that she was bringing a different perspective to the conversation. When she shifted her mindset, she was able to add a different level of value to the team’s mission.
Whether you’re a leader, business owner, or professional, making your presence known is the first step to building trust and influence and making an impact.
So what’s getting in the way?
I’ll go out on a limb here and say it’s some form of fear for the majority of us. Do any of the following ring true for you?
- Fear of Judgment: Worrying about criticism or “not being enough.”
- Overthinking: Waiting until everything is perfect before showing up.
- Fear of Being Uncomfortable: Assuming you don’t have the skills to navigate a particular situation, so you don’t try.
Get Out of the Basement!
If you’re saying to yourself, “This all resonates, Sarah. But HOW do I do this?” The good news is, there are multiple options.
- Find a mentor – someone you admire who is putting themselves out there in different ways.
- Share your aspirations with a friend or colleague and tell them how they can support you.
- Find a book, podcast, or article that addresses areas in which you’d like to grow.
If you’re the overachieving type and want to take action today, you can apply the PACE model here, too:
- Pause: Reflect on where and when you’ve been hiding and why.
- Align: Identify what visibility means to you and the benefits of standing out.
- Commit: Choose one action to get started (e.g., share a LinkedIn post, speak up in a meeting, etc.)
- Emerge: Celebrate your wins and adapt your behaviors to suit your needs as you go.
Using the personal example noted above, let me bring this to life for you.
When I started this newsletter, I was PETRIFIED. Because (you’ve heard this before) I was so concerned about what you would think of me and what I was offering (Pause). I reminded myself why I was doing this and how it tied into my values and my purpose (Align). I publicly said I would be writing weekly (Commit). I continue, several years later, to tweak my backend process, writing, and internal narrative (Emerge). It’s never a “one and done.”
YOU (and your lemonade stand) deserve to be seen. The world is waiting, but they can’t find you in the basement.
