(3-4 mins)
For the longest time, I thought there were only two options when it came to talking about my work: Say nothing and hope people notice OR talk about it and feel deeply uncomfortable. Neither option worked particularly well.
Silence made me invisible and the few times I did talk about my work, I’d walk away replaying it in my head, thinking, “Ugh. Did that sound braggy? Did I overdo it? Why did I even say anything?”
If you were raised to believe that humility equals goodness and self-promotion equals arrogance, this tension probably feels familiar. But over time, and after watching who actually gained trust, got promoted, and got pulled into bigger conversations, I realized something important. The people who advanced weren’t bragging. They were telling better stories.
Why Bragging Feels So Bad
Bragging feels gross because it’s self-centered. It focuses on you - how hard you worked, how smart you were, how much you did. There’s no context, no relevance and no connection to the bigger picture. So your nervous system goes, “Nope, not safe.” That discomfort is actually useful information. It’s telling you that bragging isn’t the move, but it’s not telling you to stay silent either.
There’s a third option.
What Strategic Storytelling Actually Is
Strategic storytelling isn’t hype or exaggeration, and it definitely isn’t chest-thumping. It’s simply this: explaining what you did, why it mattered, and what it changed. That’s it. When you do that, you’re not asking for praise, you’re helping people understand how the work connects to outcomes.
For example: Instead of, “I worked really hard on this project.” Try: “I led this project to solve X, and it resulted in Y, which unblocked Z for the team.” Same work. Different frame. One sounds like you want credit and the other sounds like you understand the business.
The Moment This Finally Clicked for Me
I remember sitting in a meeting years ago, listening to a colleague talk through an update. She didn’t sound flashy and she wasn’t overly confident but still everyone paid attention. I wondered why for a while and then it hit me. It was because she told a clear story. She shared the problem that she noticed, the decision she made and what changed as a result. There was no drama, no over explaining. She didn’t go on endlessly just to hear the sound of her own voice. And that was the moment I realized that people aren’t allergic to hearing about your work. They’re allergic to not understanding why it matters.
Effort vs. Impact (This Is Where Most People Get Stuck)
Many high performers talk about effort because effort feels safe. “I stayed late;” “I worked all weekend;” “It took longer than expected.” But as I’ve been mentioning both in these newsletters and on LinkedIn, leaders talk about impact: What moved forward, what risk was reduced, what decision became easier, and what outcome improved. This shift alone can change how you’re perceived. Because effort says, I tried and impact says, I delivered (without bragging).
How to Practice Strategic Storytelling (Without Feeling Weird)
Think in this simple sequence: Problem → Action → Impact → What’s next
You can use this anywhere. In meetings, updates, performance reviews, Slack, emails.
Here’s an example: “We were seeing delays in onboarding (problem), so I rebuilt the process (action). That cut onboarding time by three days (impact), and next I’m testing it with the enterprise accounts (what’s next).”
Why This Works (Especially for 1st & 2nd Gen Professionals)
This Week’s Reflection + Action
Pick one moment this week where you’d normally downplay your work. Instead of staying quiet or talking about effort, tell a short story. What were you solving for? What did you do? What changed because of it and what is going to happen next?
Try it once. Then notice: Did people ask better questions? Did the conversation move faster? Did you feel more grounded talking about your work?
Like I said last week, visibility is a muscle and every rep counts.
Reply and tell me when you’re going to try this and the outcome you’re hoping for. I love hearing from you.
👋🏽 Hi! I’m Minal - a Career Success & Leadership Coach for 1st & 2nd gen professionals (the first in your family to build a career here or the child of immigrants balancing two cultures). I help you move past outdated work advice, communicate with confidence and clarity, and show up as a strong, credible leader so that you can earn promotions (and raises) faster without burning out, shrinking yourself, or pretending to be someone you’re not. If that sounds interesting to you, reply to this email to see how we can work together.
🔥 If this resonated with you, share it with someone who does incredible work but still struggles to talk about it. And if you haven’t subscribed yet, join Unmuted here 👇🏽 to get next week’s issue. You don't want to miss it!
See you next week,
Minal
