When did talking about our achievements become something to feel awkward about?
Think about the last time somebody complimented you on something you had achieved.
Did you say thank you and own itOr did you immediately respond with something like:
“Oh, it was nothing.”
“I just got lucky.”
“It was a team effort really.”
“Anyone could have done it.”
For many of us, talking positively about ourselves does not come naturally.
We are often far more comfortable recognising somebody else’s achievements than acknowledging our own. And somewhere along the way, many people have learned that talking about what they are good at risks sounding arrogant, boastful or self-important.
That is one of the reasons I am so excited to now be delivering #IAmRemarkable workshops through Haus of Coaching. Because there is a huge difference between bragging and being able to confidently articulate what you have achieved. And sometimes we need permission to recognise that.
What is #IAmRemarkable?
#IAmRemarkable is an initiative designed to help people recognise, celebrate and talk more confidently about their achievements in the workplace and beyond.
The workshop creates space to explore why self-promotion can feel uncomfortable, how our beliefs and biases can influence the way we talk about success and, importantly, how we can become more confident in owning the contribution we make.
One of the messages at the heart of the workshop particularly resonates with me:
It isn’t bragging if it’s based on facts.
Being able to say “I did this”, “I achieved that” or “this was the impact I made” is not arrogance. It is simply recognising the value you bring.
Why this matters for our careers
Visibility matters.
You can be brilliant at your job, work incredibly hard and consistently deliver excellent results, but if nobody knows about those achievements, they can easily be overlooked. That becomes particularly important during moments such as:
performance and development conversations
interviews
promotion opportunities
salary discussions
networking
career changes
leadership conversations
applying for new opportunities
Yet these are exactly the situations where many people suddenly struggle to articulate what they have actually achieved. We remember our responsibilities but forget our impact. We describe what the team did rather than our own contribution. Or we focus on what we still need to improve rather than recognising everything we have already accomplished. Learning to identify and communicate your achievements is therefore an important career skill.
What happens during an #IAmRemarkable workshop?
The workshop is an interactive 90-minute session combining discussion, reflection and practical exercises.
This is not about teaching people to become louder or encouraging everyone to start shouting about themselves. Instead, participants have the opportunity to explore their own relationship with achievement and self-promotion.
We look at some of the reasons why recognising our accomplishments can feel difficult, consider the role of bias and social expectations and practise articulating achievements in a way that feels authentic.
There are often some wonderful light-bulb moments along the way. Things somebody previously dismissed as “just doing my job” suddenly become evidence of leadership, resilience, problem-solving, influence or impact.
Achievements that had almost been forgotten become something worth celebrating. And people start to recognise that perhaps they have done far more than they give themselves credit for.
You don’t have to be naturally confident
One of the things I really like about #IAmRemarkable is that it is relevant to people at every stage of their career.
You do not need to be a senior leader. You do not need to be preparing for a promotion. And you certainly do not need to walk into the room already feeling confident.
The workshop can support people who want to become more comfortable talking about their achievements, as well as teams and organisations looking to create stronger cultures of recognition and development.
It can work particularly well as part of leadership development, career development, employee networks, inclusion initiatives, wellbeing programmes or wider team development.
Recognition should not depend on who shouts the loudest
There is an important organisational conversation here too. In workplaces, the people who are most visible are not necessarily always the people making the greatest contribution. Some employees naturally advocate for themselves. Others assume their work will speak for itself.
That can have consequences for who receives recognition, who puts themselves forward for opportunities and who gets noticed when development or progression conversations take place.
Managers still have a responsibility to recognise contribution fairly. But helping employees become better at identifying and communicating their achievements gives them another important tool for navigating their careers. It can also encourage wider conversations about how we recognise success within our teams.
Bringing #IAmRemarkable to your organisation
As a trained #IAmRemarkable Facilitator, I am delighted to be offering free 90-minute workshops for teams of up to 20 participants through Haus of Coaching.
Sessions can be delivered for teams, employee networks, leadership groups or as part of a wider learning and development programme. They can be delivered virtually, with in-person sessions also available subject to location and availability. There is no expectation that participants arrive ready to confidently list everything they have ever achieved.
That is part of the point. Sometimes the most valuable part of the workshop is simply stopping long enough to realise:
“Actually, I did that.”
And being prepared to say it out loud.
Ready to discover just how remarkable your people are?
If you would like to bring an #IAmRemarkable workshop into your organisation, I would love to hear from you. Whether you are looking to support confidence, career development, leadership, inclusion or simply create more space for people to recognise what they bring, the workshop can provide a powerful starting point.
Get in touch with Haus of Coaching to find out more and arrange a free #IAmRemarkable workshop for your team.
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