I’m talking with Lisa Bragg, Author of Bragging Rights: How to Talk about Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion, about THREE ways you can get moving on bragging successfully so you can get credit for the work you do, the expertise you’ve accumulated and the impact you’ve had and will have in your career and life.
We’re talking with Lisa Bragg, Author of Bragging Rights: How to Talk about Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion. In this episode, you’re going to get THREE ways you can get moving on bragging successfully so you can get credit for the work you do, the expertise you’ve accumulated and the impact you’ve had and will have in your career and life.
One: Accumulate a brag book- get clear on what your braggables are and WRITE. THEM. DOWN
Two: Get bragging and make it easier by using this simple framework:
Three: Shine a light on the braggables of others! This elevates your own profile and recognizes you as a leader.
If you’re going to lead with who you are, you’ve got to brag about who you are.
You’ll find Lisa’s book in the show notes and speaking of books! …
This month, Ask Like an Auctioneer, my book to help you ask for more and get it, is LIVE for pre-order. You can find it and buy it today on Barnes and Noble, Target, Powell's books and Amazon. Audiobook is coming at Launch date later this year.
You can Pre-order Ask Like an Auctioneer now! ORDER HERE
Check out all things Dia Bondi here.
Check out Lisa’s work.
Get free bragging resources.
Want to bring Lisa to your organization or event? Click here.
Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Dia Bondi 00:19
Hi everyone, this is Lead With Who You Are. I'm Dia Bondi, and on this show, we explore and discover what it truly means to lead with who you are. And we're doing it with people who embody just that. In this episode, we're talking with Lisa Bragg, Author of Bragging Rights, How To Talk About Your Work Using Purposeful Self Promotion. Let me just say, Rock on. On this episode, you are going to get three ways you can get moving on ragging successfully so you can get credit for the work you do, the expertise you've accumulated, and the impact you've had and will have in your life and career. If you're going to lead with who you are, you gotta brag about who you are. You'll find Lisa's book in the show notes. And speaking of books this month, Ask Like An Auctioneer, my book, to help you ask for more and get it, is live for pre order. You can find it and buy it today on Barnes and Noble, Target Pals books, and Amazon. And the audio book is coming at launch a little later this year. So pick it up. And don't wait to ask for more and get it so you can reach your goals faster. Hey, just a quick reminder, you can subscribe to this show on your podcast platform of choice. We're live nearly everywhere. And you can always listen to the show at diabondi.com. If there's a leader or innovator in your life, who is in their shiniest when they lead with who they truly are, please share the show with them. And rate, subscribe, and leave us a review makes a huge difference in the reach that the show has when you let everyone else know what you love about the show. Thanks so much. Lisa Bragg has literally written the book on how to talk about success, her book, Bragging Rights, How To Talk About Your Work Using Purposeful Self Promotion, releases in May 2023. She is a speaker advisor and professional mentor. And Lisa is the founder of Media Face, a Toronto based content and consulting firm. She's also been a TV reporter and anchor for 15 years, we were coreless activators together and she is a real pro. Lisa, I'm so glad to have you here today. And we're having you on the show because our audience is chock full of transformational leaders, Founders, high achieving, and ambitious professionals who have done and do great things and have great impact. And in my 20 years of leadership, communications coaching, and since launching Project: Ask Like An Auctioneer, it's become really clear to me that owning our achievement story and then telling it bragging is a challenge at any level in our career.
Lisa Bragg 03:27
Oh, it's so is.
Dia Bondi 03:28
It really is. And I remember watching an interview even with Sallie Krawcheck, the founder of Ella vest, when she launched her book, it was just a few years ago. And as the host was like talking to her about her achievements and her book. I could I thought about you and I saw it it was after you and I met because I saw her squirm. And then slowly while she sat in her seat, she slid the book that she was supposed to be promoting out of view of the camera to clearly just like want to change the subject. So it's this is a challenge for so many folks. And you as the Author of Bragging Rights are here with us to have a convo about how we can share how we can share how we lead with who we are and get credit for it. So thank you so much for being here.
Lisa Bragg 04:19
Oh, and your people are my people. And it happens so often where we just say, Oh, no, no, no, that's not me. Don't tell me all those things, great things about me. We just hide it. And that doesn't help telling people how we want to tell people how we are here to serve. And so all of that helps people know what to do with you and where you should go next. So we need to talk about our success.
Dia Bondi 04:39
I love it. So to start with you and your story. If you were to answer the question, Who are you? How might you do that today?
Lisa Bragg 04:50
You know, I am my book. So I am a hidden gem today. I feel like I'm on your podcast, but I am my book. I am somebody who often. I am successful and I have to stand here and say that to you and own that, and I, you know, have done so many things in my life. And I know I'm here to serve, but I am constantly my book. I like to hide, I like to, you know, just talk about you all day, that would make me very happy. But I know that I need to tell people what I'm supposed to be doing and where I'm where I want to go. So they can help me get there. And go further, further faster. So today, I am a hidden gem.
Dia Bondi 05:29
That's fantastic. So you've taken a huge interest in tackling bragging, I think it was the first thing you and I talked about when we first met around and was even way pre book you were doing this, you know, bringing this idea to life for professionals in organizations, and maybe outside of organizations, teaching frameworks to help people do a better job of bragging in a way that's aligned with their actual achievements, and taking credit for their great work. What instigated this for you?
Lisa Bragg 06:01
Well, I think when you look at the podcast name, my last name is Bragg. So Lisa, brag, so I've had to carry it, the last name Bragg my whole life. And so when I was yeah, so. So when I was about 15, I realized that brag meant something to other people that it didn't mean to me, and that you'd get eye rolling. And I was a high achiever, young person and my friends were brilliant, way smarter than I was. But they would also would so frequently hide their accomplishments, hide how successful they were, you know, they we just wouldn't diminish ourselves so that we wouldn't stand out and that we would fit in. And that's very much what you do when you're a teenager, we want to fit in, we don't want to stand out, which is really sad. And then when I was a broadcast journalist, I was a journalist for a long time. And I would go up to people, and you know, early on in my career, I was a videographer. So those are the people that would carry the camera and have a microphone. It sounds so antiquated. Now, because it's all that way. But we would have is technology that was different. So it wasn't just a reporter, I was also doing the camera at this point, too. And it was so much fun doing it sometimes. But I would go up to people and say, you know, Jan, you're the expert, I'd love you to tell me about x, y. And she would say, oh, no, I'm not the expert. Oh, no, go down the hall to John. And it would happen over and over and over again. So I had cornered, you know, Jan, and say, like, No, I would really like you to do this, I will help you through it. Because I was also by myself, I had a little bit more leeway. And people would people did trust me. So I do some media coaching on the spot. And when I helped people to actually tell their story and be on camera with me and own that they were the experts. I would then watch them go off and do more and more interviews. And then they would do greater things. And I have still to this day emails and thank you cards from the people that I said, Hey, really, I do think you're the expert. I don't want John because you know what? All my competitors went to John. So I want you someone who's never done this before to tell us the story because you're a different person makes a different story. And we need more diversity and voices. And so over and over and over again, I was pushed off, I'm not ready. My hair is not done. I don't know what to say I'm not the expert. And that frustrated me extensively that people weren't willing to own that they were experts in what they were doing. And so that's a part of bragging is, is owning that you are the expert. And so even now in my work, I feel like I anoint, I sometimes I use a magic wand, my one of my daughter's like little toys. She's much older now. So she's not using her magic wand. But you know, those sparkly magic wands. And you know, or lightsaber If I'm really being cool. And tell people Yes, I anoint you, I give you power, that you are the expert that I think you are and the rest of the world thinks and so often, it's so much self belief. So those are the three really big things that brought me to it as as a as a young person, then in my career as a journalist, and then moving into starting what is now bragging rights.
Dia Bondi 09:03
It's such a beautiful idea of like anointing somebody or you know, declaring and having the title expert and previous episode, we talked about sort of living in to your expert status. And when you anoint somebody as an expert, there's almost a persona around that. And there's so much power in naming and claiming a persona that we can then step into. I mean, I think there are, you know, world class athletes, I think, doesn't Beyonce have a an alter ego that she has named and uses to call and calls it forth when she needs to perform in a way that meets the expectation and the context that she's in stadium shows et cetera? Like the the the notion instead of saying, No, I'm not an expert to be anointed as such. So you can step into that persona I think is really a wonderful little ritual and a great tool. all for letting us say yes to that role, even if it feels awkward for us.
Lisa Bragg 10:04
And you know, in my research to for my book, I found that some people don't even feel comfortable with the role the title of leader, and they are the leader, they may even be the CEO but leader feels like too heavy of a word to them. So experts and forget about visionary, it's like, you know, so when an outsider when someone says you are the leader, we have to own that or that you're the expert, because the people we're talking to you're talking to aren't people who just watched two or three TED Talks and read Harvard Business Review or Fast Company or some magazine article, these are people who already have been working at their craft and know what they what they're doing so and you can start working on your craft when you're 10. And being the expert by the time you're 20. That's okay. It's not an age, but it's really a mindset that you have worked on your craft and that you are, you know it and you can actually articulate it. And sometimes, to get over some of these things. You just need an outsider to say it for you. So yeah, step into it.
Dia Bondi 11:00
So Lisa, you talked about people being uncomfortable. And in my coaching practice, although I don't, you know, part of the platform map that sort of underpins the coaching work I do is about somebody's provenance or origin story, and it can feel like bragging even though I don't possess it, you know, we don't talk about it that way. I this idea of like, I'm uncomfortable, can sometimes. I don't know, I have a friend and colleague who would reframe that for folks to say, yeah, you might be what if we replace the word uncomfortable with unfamiliar, brilliant, because we don't practice we don't practice a lot. You know, figuring out how, because it's uncomfortable, doesn't mean it's wrong. It might just mean that it's unfamiliar. And I'm hoping later in the conversation, we'll get into like, what are the what are the ways in which folks can actually practice and get more familiar with a, an approach to or a framework for bragging in a way that feels like unfamiliar but they're willing to do so? As you think about your own accomplishments, your your brag bubbles? Do you notice what you might you yourself might have been hesitate hesitant to own brag about, but you made yourself do it anyway?
Lisa Bragg 12:10
Oh, so many things. I am my book. And so you know, I, I started one of Canada's first content companies. So before content was content, and we were doing all these great things online. You know, I was doing video production and e-learning. And helping people. That's where I got started with Bragging Rights is that I was helping with my company media phase, saying, well, we should put your subject matter experts online. And so they can give away knowledge for free and like, give away our knowledge. Oh, you know, actually showcase some of our people? Oh, yeah, we should do that. Yes, we should do that. So helping them get online for the first time. So owning that somebody had to point out to me, you know, you are. And when I say Canada's first it's actually the world like part of the world part of the early people. I wasn't the first but you know, I have to put myself up into that. Oh, yeah, I was doing that in the early ...
Dia Bondi 12:57
Avant garde in that time.
Lisa Bragg 12:58
And to own that it's like, oh, a little bit too, too much for me, and no, I have to own that. Because then it's like, oh, she's thinking head, she's a forward thinker. And then people start to attach these ideas when they think of me. So by saying that, yes, I was thinking of this very early, early on figuring out the technology, advancing the technology and helping my clients realize the opportunity at hand and making the connection. So all skills that still, while we're all doing content now, but it's how do you then take those skills that I learned and bring them forward now and it's they so apply in so many different ways. But it's, you know, often that we hide what we have done, we don't like I'm so media face, my content company was one of Canada's fastest growing companies for several years. And for women on company to reach a million dollar, 2 million dollar mark. And I'm not saying for ad spend, or anything. This is, you know, direct sales and really a good revenue mark like to say that, and to be on these lists, like there was only I think, out of the top 100, top 100 There's only three of us or something like that. So that's terrible in Canada. And as it applies to the world where women owned businesses don't make it past a million or $2 million. And so to stand in my my space and said, I did that, and I did it year over year, like this seems saying to you right now, it's like, Oh, should I like temper it? And it wasn't just me. It's my team. You know, it's I have a team behind me helping me do these things, but someone has to own to, you know, the success of something. And, you know, in my research, too, I found that, we'll talk about our teams, but in the end, one person ultimately gets credit for things. So sometimes it has to be me.
Dia Bondi 14:39
So, okay, let's talk about your research. You know, that you obviously, you had an incredible amount of experience firsthand, working with people who do better in front of your camera in conversation with you when they have the invitation to stand in their expertise. And so that's just a lot of your own. experience on, you know, in the front lines with these folks talk about the the kind of research you did that informed and the writing of the book, or what ended up in the book.
Lisa Bragg 15:10
I looked at what the research was already online for bragging and self promotion. And I realized that, you know, I scratched away the surface. So what we read in the magazine articles was just the end result studies. And I wanted to know who's saying all these things. So when you say bragging is bad, and self promotion is bad? Who is saying this? And who is it based off? What's the sample size. So I did a large research literature review, and saw that a lot of surveys and studies were based on small coal cohorts of American students, so maybe 2025, students who felt really that bragging was very wrong and bad, and we shouldn't do it and how they felt, you know, and we were then getting all these articles bombarding us in our business magazine saying, make sure you don't talk about yourself, you know, the cream always rises to the top, and all those kinds of things. And like, Well, does it really in this world that we're living in now? Are those not really old ideas, and also, if they're university students, they're in this the place of where they want to fit in, they don't want to stand out. So I looked at the literature, and I realized that they were talking to people and researching people who are 2023 years old, and yeah, and not across the world. And so that's where I decided to do research survey and talk to first of all, it was, you know, I did ask that reached out to people and said, Here's this information, what do you think, and people came back. So I have it's qualitative and quantitative. So I did interviews after the fact. But I found that people actually do want to hear you bragging, and they want to hear your success. They want to hear those stories they want to cheer you on, it's very small amount, I think, was 2%, that don't want to hear about your success at all the rest of us are cheering for you. So I really felt it was important to not just go with what was been said and done in the past, and to really unpack it for all the people to say, what is also across the world, because we are a global world. So why are we just looking at one small group of people and taking it over and over again, and amplifying this message that may not actually reflect a greater good?
Dia Bondi 17:14
I think it's so interesting what you're pointing to. So with the Project: Ask Like An Auctioneer in my forthcoming book around this, you know, we're talking about asking for more and getting it. And, you know, there, I had a suspicion that people want to help a lot more than you want to ask, like what you're pointing to people want to hear about your accomplishments a lot more than you think they do. You know, and there's new research from a sociologist and at Stanford. I'm writing a blog post about it right now, who, who proved that people want to help more than you want to ask. So this uncovering if we can wrap our heads around how much more people are cheering for us, and want to hear about our successes than we think they do? Doesn't that give us more real estate, and more license to go ahead and make those things that we're proud of? more visible to others?
18:08
Yeah, it's about telling people because people want to hear the good news stories. I think we've gone through this era in, you know, in corporate and business communication, where it's been about, talk about your failures, talk about the failures, the failures, the failures, and you know, what, humans actually we had to we were able to thrive because we talked about our successes. Where is that? Where do I go to get that? How do I improve? How do I find things? That's how we survived and it's not just failed? Don't go there. Don't go there? No, we show the way.
Dia Bondi 18:40
Exactly. If we don't, if we focus so much on what not to do, we don't get to pay attention to what to do and what to do more of, and how to do more of that thing. I was just coaching somebody last week about this very idea. And I have to use this in my coaching practice all the time to say, I can never This is a very low level example. But I can never tell somebody don't talk so fast. I have to say speak slowly. there because there is some I don't know, we can't fill negative space, you know. So if we know what to do more of, and if I hear from you, you know the stories of your successes, what went into the wins that you own now and can name and claim, it does show others what's possible and the path to it instead of just protecting against what not to do, which keeps us stagnant.
19:31
Yeah. And then we become so worried about failure. And I think that's what a big issue in our world is. We're so worried about failure we're being Yes, we have to show our authenticity to a point. But when we keep only talking about failures, we're not giving anyone the breadcrumbs to the future that they really want to have. And so I really believe in us showing the way and talking about successes, our wisdoms, our wisdom, our accomplishments, all the good things that we can point to not being Pollyanna-esque. You know, we failures are still part of it. But how do we really shine a light and make sure that our successes aren't stepping into a spotlight. So it's some sort of rarity, that it's actually something that all day long, we're shining and shimmering and shine. And shimmer is actually the original way back to 1305, I think is the date my book, but way back when shine, and shimmer is what bragging meant. And it was then also about bravery. And then it also added in about pride and pride was a good thing that and then pride morphed into a negative thing. And that's when we really became into the factory system, where we all wanted to stay in line, keep your head down, don't stick it out, because you wanted a factory check the you know, you wanted that pay. And that's where we started to get into these organized systems that didn't allow you to stand out, it was really how do you fit in even more.
Dia Bondi 20:49
So I want to get into the how I also want to just double click on what you said a minute ago, you said to share your wisdom. And when I think about again, I'm just listening for the language that you're using, that let people step into owning their expertise. When you talk about sharing your wisdom, then it's not a self, it doesn't have to be a selfish extractive act of bragging that eliminates other people's or overshadows other people's success. It's when you brag you have an opportunity to share, as you say, the breadcrumbs and to share your wisdom so that others it can have a positive, it can be a Wayshower, as you say. So I just I'd like that idea of pairing, bragging and wisdom sharing kind of together in a cozy little nest with one another. I think that's useful.
Lisa Bragg 21:40
And you touched on a great point there because so many of us have been trained to think bragging is so bad, it's taboo. Because what we've started in the last maybe 50 years, I don't know, but not that long ago, where it is that bragging was self aggrandizement. So we forget the word self aggrandizement, which is where we that puffery, that icky Ness that we feel where you know that I'm better than you, I'm putting you down, because look at all the great things I'm doing that put down feeling that's actually self aggrandizement. But we lump it all together under bragging, where bragging really is talking about your successes with pride. And people sometimes don't like the word pride, I think. I think anyone who's listening to this podcast and listening to your wisdom, likely needs more pride, we have to have pride in the work we do, because then it elevates what we're doing for even more people.
Dia Bondi 22:29
Well think about it, we say to one another, I'm proud of you. I'm so so everyone's allowed to be proud of you, but ourselves. Like that's, that seems odd. Okay, so let's get into that. Okay, so how do we do this? Like, what if, if I'm like, Okay, this year is the year I'm going to do you know, a better job of owning my accomplishments and talking about them with the world? Like, where do I start? And how do I actually start actioning this?
22:57
So this is basic, this is 1-0-1, but we don't do it. This is a brag to yourself first. So it's your own mindset like have that whenever one gives you a kudos don't slink off the chair, don't hide it, have your brag book, capture that information from people, those little things that people say, write them down. If you're working inside of corporation, take it off the server if you can, and make sure you have it, write it down on your notebook or send it to your emails, have those things that are there for you. So you can refer back to them. I still have some of my notes from when I was a broadcast journalist that were my kudos and they're really important to have because they they remind you that from an externally that you've done a good job or you have something worth bragging about and often we need that external you know, the the anointment of you are an expert. We need that sometimes to really get ourselves going and understanding what our strengths are. So starting with your own brag book is essential. And people like oh wait till I'm more confident. I don't talk so much about confidence. I talk about courage. So take one step of courage forward to say I'm going to tell people about an award I won. So scary people freak out over putting awards and that's where we say ..
Dia Bondi 24:07
Even though an award is meant to be public. It's a badge.
24:12
Uh-huh-huh, like, it is, it's a badge and we need to own it and when we write, because often we want you to announce it on social media and if you're afraid to it's really that simple of I won an award whatever it was, I won "x" i won and just even leave it at that but if that's too scary for you, I won an award because because that is that soft word because I you know whatever ...
Dia Bondi 24:39
.. had a great team behind me so because I you know because I stuck it out even when it was really difficult because an amazing partnership of fill in the "blank". Can we do that?
24:53
Perfect. it now those are the because it's and that makes it even sweeter when you do those things. But you have to stand in your self first. "I won." because often what happens is we put all this other stuff about our team and about the award and all those things. And it's this great big reverse Oscar speech. It's like we don't have anything to say about ourselves. It's where you flee, you bury the lede, which is a journalism thing, where at the very bottom is what the point you're actually trying to make. You have to flip it, you I won the award, and then you say, thanks to my team, you have to put that first. And then people will know and then they'll celebrate and be excited for you. But when you bury it, because you're not confident, and you're not willing to take the courage to put it out there and you want to soften it. That's where it becomes confusing for people. So own whatever it is that you're trying to talk about, in a positive way, own that brag and put it out there in the smallest way. So it's just start by even saying it to yourself, "I won this award."
Dia Bondi 25:48
I hear this like three, like this little three part series like I did, I won, I blah. Because and then whatever you want to give credit to. That does not diminish your ownership of the win or the achievement.
26:08
Don't ever diminish it. Because then that becomes a humble brag. And I think we know a lot of people know what that is. It's a it's something positive with a complaint. So it's where you brag. Yep. Yes.
Dia Bondi 26:18
I hear myself do it. And I can feel it, I can just be like, I can feel it. And it has that also, much like that grandiosity or that puffery you mentioned, it also has an ick factor, because you're sort of being a little underhanded, and not direct. And so it, it can also have a little it can also be a little slippery,
26:39
Oh, don't do it. It because it's a complaint plus a brag. So it makes people feel oh, you're complaining. So I won this award, but I'm so tired or, or look at me, I'm picking up my award. But you know, my car, like just anything that's adds a complaint to it, because you're trying to soften the brag. That's what they're trying to do. They're trying to say, Look at me, oh, but like, I'm not worthy of this. And that's really problematic for several reasons. One, it diminishes your accomplishment, then it also diminishes the people who gave you the award, or whatever it is that you did account, you know, for thinking about our clients, that they gave you an account. I know you're not always celebrating that on social media. But even internally within an office, oh, I won this account in but you're Oh, but now it's so much work, like or whatever it is that adding a negative to it. People then think, Oh, you're not happy that you won this award or this contract, or whatever it is. And then also, you're putting down the people who either gave you that contract. So if you complain to a client about the work or the award, that's a problem because they give you that, and these are people who thought you should deserve it. So you need to be thankful for it, and not diminish it. And also think about the people who didn't win it. And you're saying, Oh, well, you know, this humble brag with it.
Lisa Bragg 27:47
Poor me.
27:49
Poor me, look at me picking up my award, you know, I had, oh, I had to get dressed up last night to go pick up my award. Like that kind of thing. We see it on social media, it makes us all feel bad. It makes me feel bad for them. And then also saying I'm humbled, being humbled by winning this award, banish that be proud, I am thrilled. I am excited. I am honored. You're honored. being humbled diminishes the award value, you are honored. So flip that saying I'm honored. You know, that's the language you want, not I'm humbled.
Dia Bondi 28:23
it's almost like we have to tolerate the power that comes with owning our accomplishments, stories. Yeah, like to stand in your own power like that. People squirm, but just stay with it.
28:36
Stay with it. And the only people that are squirming, are the people that need to actually do it. There's so many people who are awesome, they get a pass on bragging. So we can look at celebrities, I go through this in the book, but what celebrities because we we we want them to talk and brag about themselves. And they go on TV shows all the time. And we want to see the pictures of their awards we want them to because it's as if it's a proxy for our own lives that we want them to brag. Think about cowboys, you know, we're thinking about American culture, think about cowboys, think about politicians. Think about CEOs, we want a lot of CEOs to brag, because then they're able by talking about their successes, they bring more contracts, they bring higher, higher profile clients more, you know, a higher trust, trust, trust. Trust is a big part of it. When you're able to communicate that you're doing something at this level. It's really what bragging and self promotion that I talked about is really about, it's how you're here to serve. And when you're doing it, you're telling people, here's how I am here to serve you. And that will then help you earn the trust so they can give you that higher level client because you've said here's the people I've worked with in the past. Look at all the awards. I've won. Oh, automatically. I know Dia she's already got this. I don't even have to worry about it. Even though I don't know you. I know you've really well, but somebody was I don't know her but I can see all of the things that she's done. We've built up social currency and that's what we need to do and it's very loud and noisy. Lazy era, and I'm not telling people to be loud, I'm telling people to be purposeful, and to really pick how you want to show up in the world. And to do it in a way that feels good. Because, you know, we're taught to be hidden gems, and that's a problem.
Dia Bondi 30:14
So we've got two things here, we've got one, start to collect your trove of bragging apples, write it in your journal, whether your bullet journaling or your you know, your you've got a digital page you capture it on, but collect that, that trove of brag bubbles that you can say, yes, these are accomplishments that I can use as a way to take credit for my genius for my effort and work for my, the grit that I've held off, like the thing that expertise I've built. Okay, that's one thing. The second one is to start to elevate their visibility. And with this three part framework, have I won, or I did or I accomplished plus, because and then an explanation or a, you know, a shout out, that doesn't diminish your own ownership. What's the third thing that we could do to brag successfully?
Lisa Bragg 31:12
I have so many things in the book, it's kind of ...
Dia Bondi 31:15
Yeah, I can't wait. Well, we will for folks, we will put a link to it in in the show notes. So you can find this book for yourself.
31:21
A third thing to help, um, you know what I'm really always about how we help each other and elevate each other. So I think one of the things I talk about is, when we shine a light on others, that light amplifies back on us. And so be willing, be courageous, have that abundance mindset and not a scarcity mindset to realize that if I give you kudos and cheer you on that it doesn't diminish me, even if we are actually competitors, like, right reifying for that same piece of work. You know what, in some way, it does come back in a positive way that you're confident, confident and comfortable with having somebody and showing that somebody else is good, when you show that it just somehow elevates. And it's not just somehow I'm just I'm not qualifying it enough, but it makes you look like the leader and expert you are because you're not worried about competition, you're not worried about these small, being diminished. And it's not back to high school or worrying about other people, you can stand in your own strength. And so I really advocate for what's called shine theory is where we shine the light on other people and help elevate them, and also sistering up where some of us need support from time to time to help elevate sistering is a is a construction term where we put a joist, you know, often in floors, where we put something underneath it to make it stronger. And so if we can think of that, how can we come together to make each other stronger, then we can move ahead together, instead of thinking that this is one might, one piece of pie, kind of idea.
Dia Bondi 32:55
So I'm going to take that piece of advice. This weekend, I'll be delivering a TEDx talk around my book that's coming out as like an auctioneer, and I'm taking with me a good friend to the Speaker's dinner, which is going to be wonderful networking opportunity. I mean, these folks need to know him. He needs to know them. It's like, I'm so excited to connect those. I'm going to actually ask him before we go, what specifically he would like me to shine a light on as I introduce him to people. So in that way, it's almost like bragging not for him, but sistering Maybe I don't know.
33:30
Yeah, it is, it's sistering up. You're also you're supporting him to grow beyond and so doing these things, then we'll help him and then you never know how things come back to you so sistering up and allowing him to shine. It just amplifies. So yes, absolutely do that. They gave me shivers that you're gonna do that and help them you know, I helped think it also helps do we're bigger people when we help other people. So that's a big thing is to allow them to shine so good
Dia Bondi 33:57
for you not, and to not like, leave it up to chance that I'm shining a light on the thing that is most important to be seen about him right now the accomplishments that he's gotten. So yeah, that's a really, I don't know, we don't need to like guess do we, if we're going to sister up we can ask one another what's most important that I highlight this year for you based on the goals or where you're going or like that?
34:22
And that's in the book too, is really being intentional, your for your what's the intention? What is your intention? And then anyone that you're working to help? What is their intention? Because we always mark it to the future us right? So we're not worried about our reputation, our past we're thinking about where we want to go. So your friend, where does he want to go? Instead of giving his resume which we can all find online? Where does he want to go? Because that's exciting to people and when you talk to people and you see their passion because we're talking about where we're going, that lights them up and so asking him in advance, what's next for you? That's something that will help him to to elevate and for the people that you're talking to. It'll be exciting for them.
Dia Bondi 35:00
So it's so perfect that you asked this question around like, what's next for you? Because it's on my list of questions for you, Lisa. Your book is good. Your book is coming out in May, I encourage everybody to go get it. What a What a delightful toolkit to help you shine a light on how you've led with who you are and what you've created, the impact you've had. So for you, Lisa, what's next for you?
Lisa Bragg 35:24
Yeah, so I want this book to serve as many people as I can, I really believe it's needed that we need to stop being hidden gems, we need to throw out that bragging is taboo, we need to move beyond that you should, you know, be a good girl, put your head down and do good work. And eventually someone will notice you, I want to throw that out. And I want people to really allow themselves to get the opportunities that they already deserve, and desire. And they just need to talk about it more and let people know how they are here to serve. So that's how I'm here to serve. And with that, I have different programs and events that I'm offering, but I really want the book to reach as many people as it possibly can so so they can start taking some steps forward. So that's my next year is really being dedicated to helping this book get out into the world into as many hands and ears as I can.
Dia Bondi 36:12
So as we always ask this question at the end of our conversation, which is like, what is it? I mean, if your work is all dedicated, as how I see it is, you know, helping people lead, create a path with who they are, you know, and so when I when I offer that question, you know, what is it for you to lead with who you are? How might you answer that today?
36:36
Yeah, it's, that's a brilliant question to ask, too. I think it you know, because we're always changing. And I think it's allowing myself and knowing myself to lead with being bold, and not be my book, you know, being that hidden gem, but being bold, and allowing myself to step into this next level of success that people are telling me and people are excited. And I have to allow myself to step into that level, and to go with it. So leading with who I am not diminishing myself as a big thing. I'm guilty of that I had past staff who thought I were to patch I was too passionate. And so you try to dim yourself for other people. And when you do that, that doesn't work, I found that over and over again. So it's being my true self and being bold and direct with kindness and being passionate, and really wanting to serve. And when I'm in that space and remembering to get back into that space, that's when more good things happen to me. So when I lead with with that, that's when that's when good things happen. That's the shine and shimmer part. So it's it's it's work for me it's work.
Dia Bondi 37:43
Where can people find you? And what can they do with you, Lisa?
37:46
Oh, thank you. Lisabragg.com is my website and on there, I do have a gift for your listeners. It's Lisabragg.com/listenerlove and you can get some tools there for for your pleasure. And then I'm also on social media, you can find me @thatlisabragg or on LinkedIn, of course, @LisaBragg. And then you can definitely reach out to me for the book, your it's going to be available on May 11th. Happy to come and do a talk with your group, virtual or in person and happy to to share this because I think all of us need to really be seen and be heard so we can get the opportunities we deserve.
Dia Bondi 38:25
Fantastic. And I'm going to give a plug that if you are a leader or four in an organization that is wanting to reposition itself as a valuable strategic partner to the rest of the organization. And your team can do a better job of bragging about the accomplishments that they've made individually or collectively to help with that initiative. This content may or may not be with whatever form it is whether you buy, you know a bulk order of books and hand them to your team or you bring Lisa in to run a workshop or do a talk or one of her programs. This might be a real, a really great accelerator in helping you to reposition either your organization in a market or your function inside of an organization so that it can get the credit it deserves.
Lisa Bragg 39:12
Thank you Dia because I want to do want to mention it's not a Me, me, me book, there is a great chapter that's really about how a leader can help their team to shine and when your team shines what happens for you, you look even better. So that's like a really critical piece. So thank you for setting me up and sistering up with me so we have shine together. I really appreciate you right away putting it all into action. So you're awesome.
Dia Bondi 39:36
Love having you, Lisa. Thank you.
Lisa Bragg 39:37
Thank you.
Dia Bondi 39:40
Lead With Who You Are is a production of Dia Bondi Communications scored, mixed and produced by Arthur Leon Adams, the third and Executive Produced by Mandy Miranda. You can reach out to us at Hello@diabondi.com. If you can like, rate, share and subscribe at Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your favorite podcasts, go to diabondi.com for shownotes and to learn about all it is that we do to help you speak powerfully and lead with who you are.