Part 2: Untold Stories – What the Resume Won’t Reveal
There are the stories you’ve told, and then there are the stories you’ve survived.
The untold stories live beneath the surface of leadership: the missed promotion you pretended didn’t hurt, the bias you absorbed in silence, the team you held together while quietly unraveling yourself. These are the stories that shaped you, sharpened you, and saved you—but never made it into the bio.
The danger isn’t that we have untold stories. The danger is when we believe they don’t matter.
During a keynote in a room full of senior leaders, I paused mid-presentation and asked, “What part of your leadership can’t be seen on paper?” A woman raised her hand slowly and said, “I raised three children while building this organization. That taught me more about time management than any MBA course.” The room shifted. For the first time, people weren’t masking, and instead, they felt comfortable unmasking. A man raised his hand and shared that he had been afraid to tell his family for month that he was experiencing some health problems. He pledged to start by telling his wife and making the necessary doctor's appointments.
Our untold stories hold our depth. And depth builds trust. Most of the time, that trust starts with trusting ourselves.
Limitless Leadership Strategy: Tell one untold story this week.
In a team meeting, share a moment of struggle that made you better.
In a mentorship session, offer a failure before you offer advice.
In your next keynote or report, choose transparency over polish.
Your untold story could hold the key that unlocks the growth you've been seeking.
Dr. Mary Hemphill
