It's been an absolute honour to teach you, thank you for your trust in me. I am so grateful for the opportunity to speak in front of you today. I am speechless about the amazing responses I received about my latest publication... And the content on LinkedIn goes on and on... What is it that is so annoying about the above messages? They are all examples of fake humbleness. A trend that's happening in the real world (I ran a marathon last year, but I was really slow and the pain was unbearable. The checkout lady asked for my ID...), but in particular online and on the number one brag platform LinkedIn. Everyone knows you are shamelessly self-promoting while you try to make it look like you are not. Humblebragging is showing off something you are proud of, by making yourself look small.
The problem with these type of 'fake humbling' messages is that research has shown that the reader or listener instantly sees through the content and is left feeling a little 'manipulated', resulting in the writer or speaker to potentially be perceived as less likeable and even dishonest.
So what to do instead if you want to share your next great achievement or proud moment with the world? Stay quiet? No. Just be honest and avoid fake humbleness. Be proud of your achievement and be upfront in your message. Simply state your news: "I have scored a new job, how good is this!"
