A New Use for an Old Cliché: Don’t Toot Your Own Horn

Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
Cover for National Police Credit Union
Thank you for 50 (!) years of service! Enjoy your retirement and stay safe!Image attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

Thank you for 50 (!) years of service! Enjoy your retirement and stay safe! ... See MoreSee Less

11 hours ago
NEW EPISODE: Pre-Approval Costs

The Mortgage Beat is live with an all-new episode featuring John Aretos, CEO, Police Mortgage, created For First Responders Who Are Second to None!

To hear the episode, please visit: https://policemortgage.com/mortgage-beat-episodes/.

#PoliceMortgage #Mortgage #FirstResponders #LawEnforcement #EverybodyGoesHomeLetsGetHomeTogether

NEW EPISODE: Pre-Approval Costs

The Mortgage Beat is live with an all-new episode featuring John Aretos, CEO, Police Mortgage, created For First Responders Who Are Second to None!

To hear the episode, please visit: policemortgage.com/mortgage-beat-episodes/.

#PoliceMortgage #mortgage #firstresponders #lawenforcement #everybodygoeshomeletsgethometogether
... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago

National Police Credit Union is honored to welcome the Merrillville Police Department (Indiana) into our field of membership. We look forward to serving you and your families. ... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago
Congratulations! Thank you! Stay safe!Image attachmentImage attachment+8Image attachment

Congratulations! Thank you! Stay safe! ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago
We will Never Forget.

We will Never Forget.Today we remember and honor Everett Police Department Officer, Dan Rocha. Officer Rocha lost his life in the line of duty on this day in 2022. Gone but not forgotten. ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago
Congratulations!! Stay safe!

Congratulations!! Stay safe!Help us congratulate Officer Gualbert Button, our newest TMPA member at the Kennedale Police Department! 🚔 Sworn in Friday among family, friends, and peers, his journey from the Philippines, academic achievements, and previous police service set the stage for his new role.

Again, congratulations brother, we are eager to see you succeed! #TMPAFamily #KennedalePD
... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago
Thank you for your service, K9 Drago!
Congratulations, Sgt. Jorge! Stay safe!

Thank you for your service, K9 Drago!
Congratulations, Sgt. Jorge! Stay safe!Drago will spend his retirement days at Sgt. Jorge's home enjoying family and fun times. K9 Drago has retired from the Essex County Sheriff's Department after serving since 2018. His partner K9 Sgt. Leonardo Jorge has been promoted to their Investigations Unit.
... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago
Happy birthday, K9 Freya!

Happy birthday, K9 Freya!Happy birthday to K9 Freya of the Grand County Sheriff's Office - Colorado. ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago
Congratulations and thank you! Stay safe!Image attachmentImage attachment+2Image attachment

Congratulations and thank you! Stay safe! ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago
💙💙💙💙

💙💙💙💙Cute, a future police officer posing for a photo with the Troy Police Department. ... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago
Congratulations and thank you! Stay safe!Image attachmentImage attachment

Congratulations and thank you! Stay safe! ... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago
Welcome and thank you! Stay safe!

Welcome and thank you! Stay safe!The Lincoln Township Police Department would like to take this opportunity to welcome Officer Brock Emery to the department. Officer Emery is a local resident and is a graduate of Lakeshore Public Schools. Officer Emery attended Kalamazoo Valley Community College and then Madonna University. After college, Officer Emery enlisted in the Army. During his time in the Army, Officer Emery was involved in the Presidential Escort Detail and the Caisson Platoon. Officer Emery is married and currently lives here in Lincoln Township. Welcome Officer Emery. ... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago
Welcome and thank you! Stay safe!

Welcome and thank you! Stay safe!We are so excited to welcome the inaugural Members of
The Ennis Police Department Detention Facility!

Detention Officer Jonathan Villagran, Detention Officer Christopher Stroud, Detention Officer Dillon Oates,
Detention Officer Angelica Estrada, Detention Supervisor David Dodd

We look forward to a long, prosperous, and successful journey as our department continues to grow and become a premier Law Enforcement Agency in Ellis County.

Congratulations on joining our community.

Service, Honor, and Vigilance.
... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago
Welcome and thank you! Stay safe!Image attachmentImage attachment

Welcome and thank you! Stay safe! ... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago
Welcome and thank you! Stay safe!

Welcome and thank you! Stay safe!Help us welcome Levi Birkey to the police department. Officer Birkey comes to us with two years of police experience. He will begin 12 weeks of field training starting Sunday. ... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago
NEW EPISODE: The Unpredictability of 2024

The Mortgage Beat is live with an all-new episode featuring John Aretos, CEO, Police Mortgage, created For First Responders Who Are Second to None!

To hear the episode, please visit: https://policemortgage.com/mortgage-beat-episodes/.

#PoliceMortgage #Mortgage #FirstResponders #LawEnforcement #EverybodyGoesHomeLetsGetHomeTogether

NEW EPISODE: The Unpredictability of 2024

The Mortgage Beat is live with an all-new episode featuring John Aretos, CEO, Police Mortgage, created For First Responders Who Are Second to None!

To hear the episode, please visit: policemortgage.com/mortgage-beat-episodes/.

#PoliceMortgage #mortgage #firstresponders #lawenforcement #everybodygoeshomeletsgethometogether
... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago
Congratulations and thank you for 45(!!!!) years of service, Superintendent Clapprood! That is an incredible milestone! All the best and every success in your retirement! Stay safe!Image attachment

Congratulations and thank you for 45(!!!!) years of service, Superintendent Clapprood! That is an incredible milestone! All the best and every success in your retirement! Stay safe! ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago
Thank you for 28 years of service! 
#Hero

Thank you for 28 years of service!
#HeroWell done Brother. Lieutenant Pablo Cruz has retired from the Ohio State Highway Patrol after 28 years of service.
... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

Latest Tweets

Feed Them Social: TikTok Feed not loaded, please add your Access Token from the Gear Icon Tab.

A New Use for an Old Cliché: Don’t Toot Your Own Horn

Translation in today’s language:  Don’t flex on everyone.

Taken in that context, this is good advice.  If all you do is talk about yourself and your accomplishments, you will eventually have to get used to the sound of your own voice because no one else will want to spend time with you.

The problem with this cliché comes into play when it is taken too literally.  If you interpret this directive to mean that you should never tout your own accomplishments, you will neutralize your best advocate.

As an example, if you are interviewing for a job and you either cannot or will not talk about your unique traits and the value that you would bring to the organization, you are unlikely to get that job.  Similarly, you will find that it is extremely difficult to win an argument or even persuade anyone to listen to your opinion if you refuse to cite your credentials to validate your expertise in the topic up for debate.

Your willingness to talk about your experiences, what you have learned from them, and the accomplishments that you have achieved as a result is a vital component of your ability to establish credibility with others and, eventually, to your ability to inspire their confidence and trust in you.

Talking about what you can do as opposed to what someone else cannot do is also a healthy way to strategize and problem solve when you collaborate with others.  A discussion that centers on what you or others in the group can contribute creates a focus on what you can control and where you can exert positive influence.

Humility is a wonderful attribute and a great checkpoint between establishing credibility and bragging. Selectively highlighting your value at the appropriate times is healthy and it does not indicate a lack of modesty.  Besides, no one else is more capable of representing you and your value than you.  Your knowledge, experiences, and abilities are meant to be shared.

If you have taken the time to learn how to play the horn, play it at the right time and make beautiful music when you do.  You will attract an audience and they may even ask for an encore!

Scott Arney
Chief Executive Officer
Chicago Patrolmen’s Federal Credit Union

Share This Post

Recent Posts

How many times have you heard these statements uttered? I was thinking that instead of trying to define an intangible, highly subjective concept such as fairness by what it is not, it might be worthwhile to take a crack at what it is.
If rain is a possibility in a weather forecast, the prediction will usually be based on a percentage chance of that rain, such as “there is a 40% chance of rain tomorrow.”

GO!

Learn more about Strategies for Investing at the Credit Union’s next Financial Fitness for First Responders, a free online virtual educational seminar created for Law Enforcement Officers and their families. For more information, visit our website.

GO!

Learn more about Strategies for Investing at the Credit Union’s next Financial Fitness for First Responders, a free online virtual educational seminar created for Law Enforcement Officers and their families. For more information, visit our website.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

We’d love to add you to our mailing list.