Post by Diana Walsh

LinkedIn has created an interesting tension. On one hand: “Be authentic. Be human. Be real.” On the other: Dress every minor action like a boardroom victory. We’ve all seen it. Reality: I solved a small problem. LinkedIn: I spearheaded a cross-functional strategic initiative that drove operational excellence. “I improved a process.” becomes “I architected a transformative operational framework.” “I helped a customer.” becomes “I delivered a high-impact value realization initiative.” Yes, positioning matters. Yes, language shapes perception. But there’s a fine line between communicating value and inflating normal work into theater. Ironically, the people who actually drive outsized impact rarely need dramatic wording. Their results speak. Their peers know. Their reputation compounds. Less noise. More signal. Strong communication is a skill. But credibility is built on trust, not vocabulary inflation. Food for thought: Are we building credibility or just polishing optics?