Carrie 'Uncorked' - Some Personal Reflections on Sharing Ideas

It’s been a month since I started on this journey of being my own boss as a consultant.  It’s been scary and fun and liberating.  To be honest, I never thought of myself as a “blogger”.  But, I’ve enjoyed sharing my thoughts with you and find that the more I write, the more ideas I want to share.  I recently heard from a colleague of mine who shared that he was really enjoying my posts.  He said they were like “Carrie uncorked”.  I was thrilled and appreciated his positive feedback, and then I stared wondering…why was I ever “corked” in the first place?

As I thought about the things that have kept me quiet, I realized that many of them had to do with fear.  I’m sure many of you can relate to this.  These aren’t fears about what goes bump in the night. These are the daily anxieties that define how we work and interact with our colleagues, clients, vendors, and managers.  Things like…

·       What if I’m wrong?

·       What if they are offended by my idea?

·       What if they think I’m stupid?

·       What if they think I’m too smart?

·       What if they find out I don’t know what I’m talking about? (Impostor syndrome anyone?)

·       What if the company doesn’t agree with my point of view?

·       What if my boss thinks I’m trying to make him look bad?

There are so many reasons to feel like we shouldn’t speak up. And, yes, being a woman is a factor in this.  Though I tend to be direct in my dealing with people, I don’t like conflict and I desire to elevate those around me. This can come at a cost to my own authenticity and a downgrading of my own ideas.  Though I encourage others to sit at the table and voice their ideas and opinions, doing this in practice can be risky.  Even now, as I write this, I am trying not to offend anyone.  I don’t want men I’ve worked with to think I am being disrespectful, or women to think I am undermining our feminism. 

As I embark on this new chapter in my professional career, I am excited about the possibilities and opportunities that await me.  There is some fear and anxiety, but isn’t there always? The point now is to move forward despite the fear and anxiety. To share my ideas and be open to criticism and feedback.  To remain “uncorked”.  I’d love to know if you ever feel corked or uncorked and why.  What liberated you to share your ideas?