Hi all, just wanted to change the subject line to draw attention to Roger's reply to Simran's post. It will go down in history as one of the all-time greats in the Silicon Beach pantheon!
On 28 August 2012 13:08, Roger Kermode <roger.kerm...@gmail.com> wrote: > Ok so in principle I agree with Simran's original post on self-marketing, > I reckon most people have met some one at some point and had this reaction. > > With apologies to Pete Davison who loves this term, I'd like to weigh in > on this thread with an observation about "awesomeness" in lieu of "talking > up oneself" to get attention. > > Every now and then I come across someone who just blows me away. They tend > to have a some common traits regardless of whether they're from Australia > the US or wherever. It's got nothing to do with how many exits they'e > had, their level of education, how their current job or business is going, > or how much money they've got in the bank and everything about their > attitude, focus, energy, and the way they treat others. > > Typically these folks tend to > - be really knowledgeable but don't try to "push sell" you on their list > of achievements > - are interested in learning / discovering the truth, even if it means > they have to change their own point of view > - are present in the conversation with you, they won't check their laptop > / phone while with you > - are genuinely interested in understanding you and your needs, they will > test and confirm that they understand your position a lot > - will propose / test ideas with you but always leave space to be > challenged / allow themselves to be wrong > - will challenge your ideas by asking questions (they won't make you fell > like you're an idiot, even if you've just said something silly) > - will generally stop talking if you interrupt them in mid-sentence > - will generally be helpful provided you are not obnoxious or rude to them > - will seek to build teams / alignment to achieve large results > - are very action oriented and results oriented: They Get. Stuff. Done. > - are passionate about how what they're doing helps others > - hold themselves and others to high standards of conduct > - are confident and calm in their own abilities, they don't need to make > others feel small to pump themselves up > - they show and don't tell > - do what they say they're going to do > > Talking oneself up often feels unnatural and runs the risk of creating a > perception of arrogance. There are plenty of people who don't get funded or > get the sale simply because they're trying too hard and end up leave the > potential investor / customer thinking "This guy/gal is really super smart > or accomplished, but sheesh what an A**hole, they won't listen to any > advice, no way I could work with them: too much work, not enough fun, > life's too short" There are plenty of VCs who tell you they have passed on > deals for this reason. > > Shifting the focus on how to help others and the discovery of truths with > high energy and a results-orientation can generate significant interest and > a deep respect: "This person clearly knows their stuff, and do what it > takes to achieve a great result.... even if it means they're told they're > wrong. I could work with this person" > > Every time I meet one of these people I am grateful and I seek them out > going forward. They are a pleasure to be around. They're kind of people I'd > like as partners and to do business with. There are a reasonable number of > people on the list whom I'd hold up as examples of the above behaviours, > hopefully they know who they are as I won't embarrass them by naming them > or myself for missing someone who is awesome out. > > False humility can make you look timid and uncommitted. > Talking up your own achievements can make you look arrogant and hard to > work with. > Being awesome is the way to go :) > > cheers, > > Roger > > > > On 28/08/2012, at 7:46 PM, Tom Dawkins wrote: > > This is so true. You won't find much of this humility in the US startup > scene. I had to learn how to talk myself up a little more over there, I > don't think it comes as naturally to Australians. Much more chilled > out/humble(ish) here. > > Tom > > ------------------ > Sent using large fingers on a small device, apologies for any spelling or > grammar fails. (Was that last sentence even grammatical?) > On Aug 28, 2012 7:40 PM, "Stephen Young" <stephenmdyo...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Agreed. I'd have thought that humility was a luxury a startup >> entrepreneur could ill-afford. This is especially so, if you're >> selling in the US. The average American entrepreneur can make a trip >> the bathroom sound like it was Homer's Odyssey. Humility won't get >> you a meeting - let alone a sale. >> >> On Tue, Aug 28, 2012 at 5:26 PM, Clifford Heath >> <clifford.he...@gmail.com> wrote: >> > Love your attitude simran and I agree with what you're saying… >> > in situations where the value of the *ideas alone* will direct the >> > outcome. However, a lot of geeks mistakenly believe that is >> > more often the case than it really is. We love ideas that are >> > right and think that must be everybody's priority too… However, >> > in many cases, decision making processes are not rational and >> > are not based on the merit of the ideas being espoused, but on >> > other factors. >> > >> > I spent some years early in my career being less effective than >> > I might have been simply because I didn't understand that even >> > good ideas need to be sold - and that also requires selling >> > yourself. >> > >> > Like it or not, you have to learn how to be political as well as >> > competent. >> > >> > Clifford Heath, Data Constellation, http://dataconstellation.com >> > Agile Information Management and Design >> > >> > On 28/08/2012, at 4:34 PM, simran wrote: >> > >> >> Indeed... i didn't intend for humility to equal self deprecation, >> however, i think it's important to champion the idea, rather than "the >> self" - i equate it to being passionate about something, working at it, >> with say money being a "side effect"... if we chase the money as a primary >> goal, i personally think the road is unforgiving... i just found a bit of >> "i'm an expert at this" and "my life now is about contribution [virtually >> implying that i had learned everything there is, now i'll do "charity"]" >> type of emails on this list and others.. and those make me cringe :) >> >> (i think championing an idea will get you noticed without that even >> being your intention, in fact, it specifically can't be your "intention") >> >> >> >> personally, i love to see "i really believe in", "i think this idea", >> etc, being the central point... >> >> >> >> just some thoughts, i've been known to be wrong before ;) perhaps >> "self" promotion is necessary, i'd like to believe otherwise, and hopefully >> will align some of what i'm saying with some of what i do myself :) :) :) >> >> >> >> On Tue, Aug 28, 2012 at 4:22 PM, Clifford Heath < >> clifford.he...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> Yes. This isn't only true for women either (you go, girl!). >> >> We each need to have a fair assessment of where you stand >> >> in the scheme of things (which varies depending on context) >> >> and judiciously use your elbows to make it clear that you lay >> >> claim to that level in the pecking order. Having staked a >> >> claim ("I can do that") you need to be able back it up with >> >> action, or be rightly thought a jerk. >> >> >> >> False humility hurts yourself and also the organisation >> >> which might not get the best of you, because they will not >> >> ask you to do what you can do best. >> >> >> >> Insufficient humility obviously hurts too - but as I indicated, >> >> that's contextual. How much you should push for the place >> >> you deserve depends on the extent to which it will play for >> >> you vs against you. If you have a lot of demonstrable runs >> >> on the board, you're more likely to be given the opportunity >> >> to shine again, and so it grows. >> >> >> >> Ultimately, you earn respect not by downplaying your >> >> abilities, but by stepping up and proving them. >> >> >> >> Clifford Heath. >> >> >> >> On 28/08/2012, at 4:05 PM, Silvia Pfeiffer wrote: >> >> >> >> > I know that if I don't mention what I'm good at and what I do, I get >> overlooked as "the secretary in the room". That's a bit too humble for me. >> Sorry, but I'll continue to proclaim to be an expert in blah... That >> doesn't mean that I proclaim to be *the one and only* expert in blah. But >> it also means I don't get completely ignored. >> >> > >> >> > I guess it's a difficult balance to strike... >> >> > >> >> > Cheers, >> >> > Silvia. >> >> > (contributing a bit of a different viewpoint maybe) > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon Beach Australia mailing list. 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