The English are becoming a nation of boasters, according to Lucy Kellaway. Our old values of humility or modesty have been eroded by the competitive nature of today's workplace: "What gets us noticed now is sharp elbows not elbow grease."
I know what she means. As a child I once took part in a piano competition and plonked my way to first place. My parents were naturally pleased and surprised. I then spent my book token prize on two books of piano music, and used my felt tip pens to draw a decorative fontispiece inside each, proclaiming 'This book belongs to (my name) for a win in the Bromley Festival 1973' surrounded with dancing treble clefs and other twirly stuff. I can still remember the cold reaction I got from my parents when I showed them. Even though no-one else was likely to see the books except my family, the message was clear. Success is good, but boasting about it is not.
In the sixteenth century, European courtiers were advised to adopt an attitude called sprezzatura, the art of concealing one's brilliance behind an appearance of nonchalance, to make even the hardest of tasks appear effortless and natural. I sometimes wonder if I've been reincarnated from that era, because my every instinct tells me this is something to aspire to. That's probably why I never made it to the top in my corporate career. Now I'm in business for myself I've had to do a bit of boasting, but I'm still much better boasting about other people (oops, that sounds a bit like a boast.)
Trouble is, if you don't boast about your achievements, how is anyone supposed to know you're any good? And if you're in business, is there a way to stand out from the competition while still adopting a 'show, don't tell' attitude? And how do you boast successfully without sounding boring or desperate?
I most admire people who are brilliant yet do not shout about it, as long it's genuine humility rather than false modesty. I wouldn't call myself self-effacing, but I'd be mortified to be accused of boasting. Is that wrong?
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