Putting up your hand – the art of self-promotion
My parents were from Scotland and had been brought up as Calvinists and so, although not particularly religious, they were big into humility. We were taught never to boast and got very little praise for any of our accomplishments in case we got “swollen heads.” As a result, I have always belonged to the school of “put your head down and deliver” and “let your results speak for you.” The trouble is that in today’s competitive, noisy world, your results often don’t speak loud enough for you to be heard. No-one is going to know what you have done unless you tell them.
The trouble is that in today’s competitive, noisy world, your results often don’t speak loud enough for you to be heard. No-one is going to know what you have done unless you tell them. People who promote themselves are more likely to land a job, more likely to build better networks and go on to be successful. Self-promotion is particularly challenging for women and I have struggled with it all my working career. We all agree the world needs smart, diverse people sharing their knowledge and opinions and it serves no-one if we feel we can’t put up our hands.
The starting point is to believe in your accomplishments. As an example, never think that you were invited to speak at a conference, be on a panel or attend an event simply because they needed a woman or a person of colour on the agenda. There’s nothing wrong with being proud of doing something well, of your wins. Tell people what you are excited about.
Keep a score sheet of your successes, big and small and practise sharing them by stating them as facts, clearly and without exaggeration. This is very important at work if you are asking for a raise or applying for a promotion. Don’t assume your boss knows. Be unapologetic in quietly setting out your worth. In her best-selling book “Brag Better” author Meredith Fineman suggests that you need to be proud, loud (and by that she means consistent messaging, repeated often) and strategic (you need to know what you want).
In a meeting ask yourself “What do I know that they don’t?”. Remember only you can do what you can do, the way that you can do it. Never apologize for what you don’t know, rather invite people to fill you in. Use words that convey confidence Like “I’ve got a good idea” or “I can add something here” rather than “I think” I hope” “I suppose”.
Social media has made us very aware of loud “bragging” and fearful that others may criticize us for just that. But that is their issue, not yours. And you can be both grateful and generous in your promoting yourself- thankful for what you have achieved and determined to also uplift your quieter colleagues by doing their bragging for them.
(This is an extract from my book, #confidence, which you can find on Amazon.com or amazon,.co.uk)