Written by: Vickie Sullivan  |  April 14, 2020

How to Position Your Past Accomplishments

One of the best perks of my business is watching what clients do with my work. A recent happy dance was with Sylvia Acevedo, CEO of Girl Scouts USA.

I worked with her way back when on how to position her contribution. A deep dive discovered something she had hidden: She was once a rocket scientist. Why did she hide that? Sylvia thought that accomplishment was “too old.” Which begs a bigger question: How do you position achievements from your distant past?

This recent clip of Sylvia as Fox News Power Player of the Week is a great example of how weaving your past can work. Check out the lead in. And then check out how a quick mention of her childhood played into becoming a rocket scientist. The result: Her compelling story explained her vision for the Girl Scouts now.

Listen: Two Best Ways to Use Your Past

Too many people assume their past successes don’t count – that they are no longer relevant. My perspective: Accomplishments never go away. They just get repositioned.  If you use your past as context for what you’re doing now, well, anything is fair game.

Now Read This:

• Use Your Past Strategically to Capture Attention
• Your Position of Power: Packaging Your Expertise for High-Fee Markets