How Do I Avoid Bragging When Telling STAR Stories?
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
Someone or AI wrote, “Using the STAR method can help you avoid bragging by focusing on facts and evidence rather than opinions and emotions. However, there are some other tips that can help you sound confident and humble at the same time. First, use a positive and enthusiastic tone, but don’t exaggerate or embellish your achievements. Be honest and realistic about your role and contributions, and don’t take credit for other people’s work. Second, acknowledge the challenges and difficulties that you faced, and how you overcame them. This shows that you are resilient and adaptable, and that you can learn from your mistakes. Third, give credit to others when appropriate, and show that you can work well in a team. This shows that you are collaborative and respectful, and that you value diversity and feedback.”
My comment, restricted to 750 characters or less was, “The definition of bragging is “excessively proud and boastful talk.” State facts in a story form. Don’t go overboard. Speak with enthusiasm and conviction about the challenges you faced and how you overcame them. Include a numeric metric of your impact (money saved/earned or, where appropriate, the percentage improvement you created). . Think of it like a movie plot–the villains were terrorizing the townspeople and you, our hero, rode into town or mobilized the townspeople and saved the day and people lived happily ever after.”
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