Get out your own way

Developing our individual confidence is the key to overcoming barriers to progress.

BY LAURA SUTHERLAND

I’ve worked in public relations for almost 20 years, across most sectors and many industries. It’s amazing how much we have to learn about a new industry, and how much of this information we have to retain and develop in order to help businesses and organisations overcome challenges. It’s true that we are one of the only strategic functions which needs a 360-degree overview of an organisation.

Public relations professionals have a knack for spotting people problems because we know that we need to maintain good business culture to attract and retain both talent and business, and that a good reputation speaks for itself.

However, we can probably agree that many of us who run our businesses/ agencies have a case of ‘cobbler’s children’: We don’t shout enough about our own achievements, do our own PR, because we’re so busy doing it for other organisations. But why is that the case?

We talk a lot about imposter syndrome in our industry. I think that’s a long way of saying “lacking confidence”. If you had confidence, you could overcome what you were struggling to stand up to, and you’d have more faith in yourself – but of course that’s easier said than done!

I first identified that I was standing in my own way of achieving what I wanted to because I felt like I didn’t have much to shout about, that I was just doing what I do. I’ve often felt that those who do shout about their achievements do so in poor taste, and it made me shy away from even thinking about going beyond my blog and email.

I also felt that the same voices were speaking, and it became boring. I didn’t want to be someone who was always quoted, always in the PR news bulletins, and I didn’t want people to get bored seeing my name.

As an industry, we’ve been in danger of the ‘louder voices’ taking over everything from senior positions, industry leadership roles, voices of authority on podcasts, guest speakers at events – it was yet another moment when I realised that our industry needs people who think differently, who have different experiences, who are seriously passionate about their thing and who don’t do stuff just to be liked. But the trick is to help these hidden voices make themselves heard.

There are ways to grow in confidence, proactively help yourself, and get out your own way. Firstly, I think we all pretty much know when we’re struggling and when we’re stagnant. But it’s at that point we need to look to understand why we’re struggling. What’s the thing that won’t let you progress? Identifying this barrier – external or internal – is the first step in overcoming it.

There are ways to grow in confidence, proactively help yourself, and get out your own way

My next suggestion is that no matter what stage in your career you are at, and no matter your specialism, I think everyone needs a mentor. Having had one in the past myself, and more recently having developed the CIPR’s Progress scheme and my own development and coaching plan, I know it can make the difference between ‘going for it’ and letting opportunities pass you by. Even now, in the current climate when so many are looking for jobs after redundancy, having a mentor can be the sounding board you need.

Often when I speak to mentees, it’s all about giving yourself permission to do what you want or need, and having a plan to get there. Confidence comes from encouraging yourself to make that bold move, to take a calculated risk or to stand up to someone who isn’t being fair. Everyone will have their own techniques to help them cope and manage certain situations, and it’s getting to know these situations and how to cope with them that can help you progress. You need to really analyse yourself at these points in time.

It’s also fair to say that over the years, I’ve been privileged to have been sought out for numerous roles, so I’ve been used to people coming directly to me with opportunities. Or, if I look at client work, I’ve always had my books filled by referral and repeat business. But I’ve learned that you can’t wait for someone to make the first move. It’s not impolite to make a move and be bold with it. It takes confidence, but it gets you places, and faster too! It’s also how you grow a business, if that’s what you’re trying to achieve. There are some great examples of people doing this right now, with a clear proposition and faith in their business model.

Thinking and acting like an entrepreneur is what gets me up in the morning. It gets me excited about opportunities, it allows me to dream and to experiment, but it also needs me not to think of failure when things don’t work out. Just because something hasn’t gone to plan first time doesn’t mean it never will. Test, tweak, try and repeat! Don’t give up after the first hurdle. We’re made of strong stuff, us PR pros.

I’m pleased to say that, more recently, I’ve moved out of my own way, and I’ve embraced change, upskilling, constructive feedback and so much more. I’ve even created my own platform (other than the blog) – my podcast, People Buy People – so that not only can I share my thoughts, but I can give other people a platform too. It’s not about PR news, it’s more about the people who work in public relations and communication, and those who need a little help to build their confidence. This article is itself one other way that I’ve pushed myself to address my nervousness around sharing my thoughts about a challenge many professionals in our industry face. Building your confidence takes time, but it pays in dividends.