介绍： I Thought Oversharing Was Career Suicide. Then I Tried It.
For most of my early career, I believed respect came from being polished, discreet and tightly self-edited, if a little dull. Credibility, I assumed, was built by projecting competence and composure, not by exposing flaws.
Which is why what happened n...

介绍： I Thought Oversharing Was Career Suicide. Then I Tried It.
For most of my early career, I believed respect came from being polished, discreet and tightly self-edited, if a little dull. Credibility, I assumed, was built by projecting competence and composure, not by exposing flaws.
Which is why what happened next still surprises me.
While attending an academic conference that included senior scholars, someone suggested we go around the circle and share our most embarrassing story.
A few fellow junior academics went first. Their stories were safe and strategic—humblebrags masquerading as embarrassment.
Then it was my turn. Instead of choosing something sanitized, I blurted out my actual most embarrassing moment.
Back in college, I’d been cast in a dark, satirical German play. In one scene, my character gets spectacularly drunk. I threw myself into the role.
The audience roared. I started laughing too—so hard that I peed myself. Onstage. In front of 500 people.
After telling my story at the conference, the group erupted in laughter.
I laughed too—until a wave of dread set in. The next morning, I replayed the moment on a loop, convinced I’d committed irreparable reputational damage.
I hadn’t.
One of the senior scholars went on to become a mentor and collaborator. Another senior scholar also began inviting me into rooms and conversations I had no idea existed.
I now understand this didn’t happen despite my embarrassing disclosure; it happened because of it.
Oftentimes, when we cringe after an overshare, the other person is grateful to have been trusted. Undersharing, on the other hand, quietly costs us: friendships that never deepen, colleagues who never quite trust us, romances that never spark.
Oversharing isn’t always wise, but in the right contexts, revealing something real about yourself can unlock a deeper level of trust. Among people who already have status, polish is cheap. Vulnerability is informative.
I’d always thought my credibility came from control. That night, I learned it sometimes comes from letting go.
内容拓展
Leslie John （莱斯利・约翰---本文作者）
哈佛商学院工商管理教授，行为科学领域专家，专注研究决策心理与人际沟通。她面向 MBA 学员与企业高管讲授谈判、营销及行为经济学课程。著有《揭秘：过度分享被低估的力量》（Revealing: The Underrated Power of Oversharing），从科学视角解读 “分享” 的价值，为人们处理社交、职场中的表达与边界问题提供思路。
生词好句
1.overshare 英 [ˌəʊvəˈʃeə(r)] 美 [ˌoʊvərˈʃer] v. 过度分享
2.polished 英 [ˈpɒlɪʃt] 美 [ˈpɑːlɪʃt] adj. 经过修饰的，得体的
polish v. 让一个东西变得更好、更精致（refine）；抛光，打磨（make something smooth and shiny by rubbing it）
polish shoes 擦鞋
shoe polish 鞋油
polish an article 润色一篇文章
polish professional skills 精进职业技能
polish a plan 完善一个方案
polish our manners 完善我们的行为举止
3.discreet 英 [dɪˈskriːt] 美 [dɪˈskriːt] adj. 谨慎的，谨言慎行的
4.self-edited 英 [ˌself ˈedɪtɪd] 美 [ˌself ˈedɪtɪd] adj. 自我收敛，自我编辑的
edit v. 编辑
5.project 英 [prəˈdʒekt] 美 [prəˈdʒekt] v. 展现出……
projector n. 投影仪
6.competence 英 [ˈkɒmpɪtəns] 美 [ˈkɑːmpɪtəns] n. 胜任力，专业能力
competent adj. 有能力的，能胜任的
7.composure 英 [kəmˈpəʊʒə(r)] 美 [kəmˈpoʊʒər] n. 遇事不乱、沉着冷静的状态
composed adj. 遇事不乱的，沉着冷静的
8.flaw 英 [flɔː] 美 [flɔː] n. 缺点，人身上的缺陷和不完美之处
9.go around the circle 轮流（take turns）
10.humblebrag 英 [ˈhʌmblbræɡ] 美 [ˈhʌmblbræɡ] n. 低调的显摆
humble adj. 谦虚的
brag n. 吹嘘
humblebrag masquerading as shortcomings 要把自己的某项优势，包装成弱点
11.masquerade 英 [ˌmæskəˈreɪd] 美 [ˌmæskəˈreɪd] v. 假扮成……，伪装成……；n. 假面舞会
masque n. 面具（mask）
12.sanitized 英 [ˈsænɪtaɪzd] 美 [ˈsænɪtaɪzd] adj. 美化的，粉饰的
sanitize v. 消毒，美化，粉饰
sanitize our hands with alcohol 用酒精给手消毒
sanitizer n. 消毒剂
sanitize a story 把故事加工美化
sanitize the truth 粉饰真相
13.blurt out 脱口而出
14.be cast in something 被选中参演……
cast v. 选角
15.spectacularly 英 [spekˈtækjələli] 美 [spekˈtækjələrli] adv. （本文）极其、惊人地；壮观地，宏大地，有观赏性地
spectacular adj. 壮观的，宏大的，有观赏性的
16.throw oneself into 全情投入
17.erupt in laughter 爆发出一阵笑声
erupt v. 火山喷发；突然爆发，骤然响起
The audience erupt in cheers. 观众席突然爆发出一阵欢呼声。
18.set in （某种不好的状况、负面情绪）开始袭来，并逐渐蔓延
After the excitement faded, loneliness set in. 热闹散去后，孤独感就会慢慢涌上心头。
19.replay something on a loop （本文）反复回想；重复播放，单曲循环
loop n. 环状，环形
20.reputational damage 名誉受损
21.mentor 英 [ˈmentɔː(r)] 美 [ˈmentɔːr] n. 导师
22.despite 英 [dɪˈspaɪt] 美 [dɪˈspaɪt] prep. 尽管
23.disclosure 英 [dɪsˈkləʊʒə(r)] 美 [dɪsˈkloʊʒər] n. 袒露，暴露
24.oftentimes 英 [ˈɒfntaɪmz] 美 [ˈɔːfntaɪmz] adv. 很多时候
25.cringe after 在某件别扭的事情发生后，感到尴尬和羞耻（feel embarrassed or ashamed because of something awkward），思维反刍
Honestly, sometimes I do cringe after sharing personal feelings in these courses.
坦白讲，有的时候在课里分享一些个人的感受，后续回想起来，也会觉得尴尬。
26.undershare 英 [ˌʌndəˈʃeə(r)] 美 [ˌʌndərˈʃer] v. 刻意隐瞒，刻意少分享
27.informative 英 [ɪnˈfɔːmətɪv] 美 [ɪnˈfɔːrmətɪv] adj. 提供了有效信息的，有价值的
inform v. 通知，告知
28.let go 放开，松手，不去控制
反义表达：control v. 控制