What is Your Hidden Advantage?

There is no magic answer to running your business successfully. There is no one-size-fits-all formula. No one else has the recipe that will work for you.

It’s up to you to figure out your own recipe: What works for you? What feels right? What gives you what you really want?

Becoming aware of the pitfalls and learning to approach your business differently can lead you to step into your power to become a confident business owner who:

• Is proactive and moves your company forward while being responsive to the world around you
• Runs a business that can shift when needed and take advantage of opportunities that others may not even see
• Doesn’t feel compelled to charge too little and give too much
• Unapologetically scales your revenue for strategic growth
• Discovers how to run your business your way

This is the power of discovering Your Hidden Advantage™: your special ability that enables you to build value in your business. We can explore the concept of Your Hidden Advantage with two mini case studies:

1. Kathy has a knack for thinking outside the box. Her ideas are unique and sometimes revolutionary. When her clients comment on this ability, she brushes aside the compliment, often saying, “It’s no big deal. Anyone could have seen that solution.” Clearly, this is a Hidden Advantage for Kathy, a special ability that can build significant value in her business.
2. Theresa is a master of team building. She can bring together a group of people with vastly different points of view and – magically – bring the group to consensus. Everyone leaves her team-building workshops ready to work together and energized to tackle strategic goals. Awed by this ability, her clients tell her she has a “special touch.” Theresa always dismisses these compliments. If she could leverage this outstanding talent, it would bring significant value to her business.

Kathy and Theresa need to develop two significant skills to identify and optimize their Hidden Advantage: shifting their thinking and communicating effectively. 

Today’s Question:

It’s important to unpack why this advantage is hidden. Hidden by who? From whom?

Many characters occupy our minds, including The Ghost of the Good Girl. Our Ghost is ever-present, constantly reminding us:

• Be careful
• Be right
• Be smart
• Be nice

If you’re a Good Girl like me, that last item consistently keeps us blocked: Be nice. I think of it as the “price of nice,” and it may sound like this:

• “If I talk about my accomplishments or unique abilities, it feels like I’m bragging.”
• “People will think I’m arrogant if I mention my talents, and they won’t like me.”
• “I’m happy doing my work. I don’t need to talk about myself.”
• “People will ask about my background if they want to know more.”
• “I believe in letting others talk first, and I’m a great listener.”

But Here’s the Twist . . .

Purposely hiding topics that make us uncomfortable is a regular occurrence for most of us. We tend to downplay or hide our achievements, our stories, and our value from anyone we fear will judge us. So that’s essentially everyone.

Unintentionally, aspects of our value may be hidden even from ourselves. For example, many years ago, a client told me how much she valued that I was consistently calm. She recounted times she had contacted me feeling “totally freaked out” and how I helped her approach situations from a different perspective. It wasn’t apparent to me that my calmness was a valuable business asset!

Now What?

Has someone given you feedback about a particular skill set, capability, or personality trait that they appreciated? Did you recognize this as a Hidden Advantage? Or did you dismiss the compliment because this skill, capability, or trait comes naturally to you? “Oh, that’s nothing,” you might say. “It’s easy. Anyone could do it.”

When you learn to identify your special ability, build your value, and highlight Your Hidden Advantage with powerful messaging and stories, you will get better results with less effort and stress.

-- Excerpt from Patty’s book, Your Hidden Advantage: Unlock the Power to Attract Right-fit Clients and Boost Your Revenue

What is Your Hidden Advantage? I'd love to hear what you think and if you’re struggling with the ‘price of nice’. Simply respond to this email. I read and respond to every email personally.