Now there is a topic you don't see people write about often. I could think of a million things that scare me but lets just narrow it down to 5. I will share what has contributed to my fears and being scared when you are trying to make a name for yourself. Keep in mind this is in association with my retail experience but I think it is important to understand that just because it scares doesn't mean you are not capable of being successful.
1. Announcing that you are an expert in your profession- I struggled with this fear for a while because I thought people would stray away from me because I was very aware of how good I am when it comes to leading and developing others. I would hold back because I never wanted to step on other peoples toes. the problem is, I held myself back from greatness and showing the world that I was not afraid to make shit happen.
2. I had fears of being in charge of women and men that were older than me. So all of my retail career I have been able to over see many different specialty retail stores and leases. I had no clue that it would be hard to adjust to giving direction and feedback to women who were 10 to 12 years older than me. It wasn't long before I realized that I was an inspiration to these women and they never felt threatened by me because I carried myself as a professional. they respected me and encouraged me to be the leader and manager I am today. I presented myself as someone who wanted the respect from my peers and they gave it back to me in return.
3. Success- I had to overcome the fear of marketing myself to companies as to why they should hire me. Being a young woman of color, there is a stereo type that we are uneducated and cannot conduct our selves as being professional. I used this as my motive to prove that I was capable of becoming what I wanted and proving that there is so much more to retail than just customer service. you have to be willing to literally put yourself on a pedestal and be vulnerable. retail has obviously changed and most people would rather you not bombard them with stuff as soon as they walk tin a place of business. So proving to these companies that I had what it took to make the business happen became my new objective. Again, marketing yourself is huge because that is what makes you a better candidate for the position.
4. Mistakes- in any position it is trial and error, so knowing when to take a step back and re evaluate yourself is key. From my personal experiences, supervisors/ managers respect you so much more when you acknowledge that you messed up. One can make it impossible to work with if you think that you don't make errors. I have been successful because I communicate and speak my mind. Never be afraid to share your ideas with your supervisors, they appreciate the feedback. now not all management staff will be open to feedback because they tend to be stuck in their own ways thinking that if it works it doesn't need to be fixed.
5. Last but not least, the fear of being accepted- no matter who you are at some point you will encounter this feeling. I had to stop worrying about being accepted and let my experience speak for itself. The way you carry yourself for example, speaks volumes and displays a level of expertise that cannot be taught. In most cases retail can teach you patience and respect, but it cannot prepare you for the way the society responds to all the changes both minor and major that are happening. You must learn to be true to you and what you stood for from day one. I have always stood for being genuine with all my interactions and giving customer choices. I empower people through their fears to embrace them and use what works for that individual.
I hope that this post encourages you to be you unapologetically but at the same time remain who you intended to be from the very beginnin
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This is another diva production don't trip!
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