Overcoming ‘Cringe’ to Achieve Visibility: Alicia Teltz’s Strategy for Business Growth

In a recent LinkedIn post, Alicia Teltz discusses the profound impact of overcoming the psychological barrier of ‘cringe’ associated with self-promotion to achieve significant professional opportunities. Teltz, who previously held a role at LinkedIn itself, highlights how her own reluctance to post on the platform, despite her expertise, prevented her from gaining the visibility she desired.

The ‘Cringe’ Factor and the Power of Exposure

Alicia Teltz candidly admits to experiencing significant discomfort with the idea of posting on LinkedIn. She states:

“It was because posting felt CRINGE. (So, so f*cking cringe)”

This feeling, Teltz explains, is a common hurdle for many professionals. However, she draws upon psychological research to reframe this challenge. Citing Polish psychologist Robert Zajonc’s ‘Exposure Effect’ from the 1960s, Teltz points out that familiar individuals are often perceived as more competent, trustworthy, and likeable, even when their objective qualifications are identical.

According to Teltz, this principle has direct modern business implications:

• Repeated visibility leads to industry leadership.
• Quiet experts risk being overlooked.

Teltz underscores the statistical opportunity this presents on a platform like LinkedIn, which boasts 1.3 billion users, yet has a very small percentage of active posters.

From Invisible to Invited: A Strategic Shift

Motivated by the ‘Exposure Effect’ and the realization of her own missed opportunities, Alicia Teltz decided to actively combat her aversion to posting. She publicly announced a goal to reach 10,000 followers in 90 days, a target she achieved just before the deadline.

This strategic shift in visibility, Teltz argues, was a catalyst for remarkable career advancements. She notes:

“And so many doors opened that I ended up: Leaving my job at LinkedIn to start my own business. → Getting global speaking invitations. → Landing seriously cool brand partnership deals. → Working with the world’s largest organisations. (Hi Google 👋🏻)”

Teltz emphasizes that professional success often hinges on being seen, even if one possesses exceptional, yet unshared, skills. She posits:

“99% of the time, people choose ‘visible + good’ over ‘invisible + excellent’. 🤷🏼‍♀️”

The core message from Teltz’s post is an encouragement for professionals to embrace visibility, asserting that opportunities are often awarded to those who are present and consistently sharing their expertise, rather than remaining silent experts. She concludes with a powerful call to action, urging readers not to be invisible and to claim the opportunities they deserve.