Do You Believe Your Own Hype?

The other week I was watching Meryl Streep accept the golden globe for best actress. During her speech she gave thanks to her late mother and said that she taught her what it was like to be confident in her skills and abilities and still remain humble. After the speech, a reporter commented that it must be very hard to be a celebrated figure and remain humble. Ms. Steep responded, “It is easy to remain humble, it is harder to be confident.”

That comment reminded me of a farewell speech given by a former colleague of mine who was leaving the college that we both worked at. Kathryn remarked how people often ask her how she does what she does while still remaining humble. It was widely known that her position was a high profile position in the college and she was well-regarded by the public, staff and the community. Her position also afforded her the luxury of working directly with celebrities, candidates for presidents and very high profile people. It is easy to see why people would assume that it is difficult for someone so high-profile and confident to remain humble.
She responded to the question that she remained humble because she did not believe the hype. How powerful and a sure sign of a true leader!

So, as leaders how do we remain confident and yet not believe the hype that can sometime cause us to lose focus and get off course?

1. Perform with a purpose- In Kathryn’s case; her purpose was to bring awareness to the college and the wonderful things it had to offer. She knew the value education would have for people who attended, but sometimes the message is clearer when it comes from someone else.
2. Remember that you are not a team of one- When you give respect, you become respected. Giving thanks to those who help you along the way and being appreciative of the assistance given to you by others goes a long way.
3. Help others along the way-If as a leader, you are doing your job well, if and you decide to move on to better opportunities, you should have set the stage for someone to fill your shoes.
4. Stay true to who you are- Don’t try to be something that you are not. Be true to your beliefs and values and carry those with you even when you are away from the office.
5. Let your work speak for itself-Sometimes people are not always recognized for the accomplishments or attributes they bring to a job, but that should not hamper your abilities to recognize your own contributions and awareness that you are a person of value.

Sometimes it can be easy to “believe the hype,” and become a little absorbed in what is going on around you or what you are doing at the moment but the most important things to remember are to stay focused, stay committed and don’t lose sight of your purpose and what you are really here to do. In other words… Don’t believe the hype!