How a Simple Seven-Word Exercise Helped Me Reclaim My Confidence and Career Direction

One of the most powerful tools for clarity I’ve ever used didn’t come from a certification, a coaching session, or even a performance review. It came from a friend...and a single, profound question.

Rhonda Henley, Vice President of Partner Sales in the Americas at Cisco, once said to me:

“People will always tell you what to fix. But how often do they tell you why they come to you?”

That stopped me in my tracks.

As professionals, especially in tech and sales, we are trained to optimize. We welcome feedback on our weaknesses. We attend workshops, read books, and seek mentors to help us improve our blind spots.

But rarely do we stop to ask a different kind of question: What am I already doing right? What makes people trust me, seek me out, or want me on their team?

This shift in focus, toward our strengths and how others experience us, was a game-changer. And it started with a free tool called Seven Words About Me.

What Is “Seven Words About Me” and How I used it?

It’s beautifully simple: It's a free tool that allows you to send a link to your network, and they anonymously submit seven words that describe you. Not paragraphs, not performance reviews. Just seven words that reflect who you are through their eyes.

When I tried it, I shared the link with three distinct circles:

1. Tech Sales Colleagues – people from IT/Telecom and the broader B2B ecosystem.

2. Dance Community – teammates from my NFL/NBA dance days, studio owners, and former students.

3. Personal Circle – friends outside of work or dance, from church to everyday life.

The results were…honestly, wild. Across three completely different parts of my life, the same few words kept coming up. It felt like holding up a mirror I didn’t know I needed.

Why It Works (and Why It Mattered)

At the time, I was navigating a major career transition—stepping out of an almost 16-year tenure in a well-known tech company. I wasn’t sure what was next, and the ambiguity was unnerving. This exercise gave me something rare: data I could trust, directly from people who’d worked with me, danced with me, and lived life with me.

Here’s why this worked better than any “what should I do next” quiz:

✅ It’s anonymous, so people are honest.

✅ It’s focused, forcing clarity in just seven words.

✅ It reveals patterns, not just isolated traits.

In a sea of uncertainty, this gave me something solid. A signal through the noise.

Who Should Try This?

If you’re:

• In a career transition or questioning your next move

• Struggling with confidence or clarity

• Wanting a fresh perspective that’s actually grounded in how others experience you…

…I can’t recommend this enough. It’s free, takes five minutes, and might just help you reconnect with your unique value in a whole new way.

🔗 Try the tool here

This is not sponsored and GrowthQ has no affiliation to Seven Words About Me or its creators*

Big thanks to Rhonda for introducing me to it. I’ve since passed it along to dozens of others, including GrowthQ members, navigating similar inflection points. And I hope it helps you or someone you care about. Share this with someone you mentor or care for.

Here’s to seeing ourselves clearly. Not just as we think we are, but as we’re truly experienced by others.

#SelfAwareness #CareerGrowth #Mentorship #GrowthMindset #CareerTransition