Advocating for yourself is often framed as a simple matter of “just speak up” in the corporate world, but for most people, it feels more complicated than that. A lot of us grow up internalizing fairytale stories and modern media that portray resilience, kindness, and resolve. Cinderella is a prime example – she’s basically running a household for free, gets a surprise glow-up from her fairy godmother, and still stays kind through all of it. Kindness matters (of course), but the story conveniently skips the part where you have to speak up for yourself without magic. There’s no outside help that steps in to fix it for you in the real world. No magical creatures appear to help you draft that email. Instead, you learn to navigate it yourself, usually through trial and error.
As marketers and consultants, we spend our days helping companies communicate their value through consistent, intentional storytelling. We build narratives that highlight strengths, differentiate offerings, and position companies for success. Yet when it comes to self-advocacy, many of us hesitate to apply the same approaches. We downplay our impact. We soften our language.
What I’ve come to learn is that feeling stuck is often an illusion. In marketing, if a strategy isn’t resonating, we pivot. If a message isn’t landing, we refine. If an outlet isn’t serving the audience, we explore new ones. The same should apply to our professional lives. We don’t have to stay put. There’s no obligation to remain in spaces that minimize what we contribute or overlook what we’re capable of. We always have options: finding better alignment, exploring roles that reflect our strengths, and choosing workplaces where transparency, fairness, and trust are part of how things operate.
Maybe the adult version of fairytales is simply owning what you’ve done without waiting around. It doesn’t have to be a big moment. It can look like quieter choices: boundaries, better fits, and environments that feel right. Some people see it one way while others don’t, and I’m still figuring out how to frame the rest of it, but this feels like the direction it’s heading.
Jenna Eisenberg – Research Manager
