Are you at risk of being overlooked for a promotion? (free worksheet download)
Self-promotion (also known as self-advocacy) is a crucial skill for career progression at all levels, including leadership. We all know this, but why is it difficult to do and why does it make us so uncomfortable?
Do any of these feel familiar?
"My work should speak for itself"
"I don't want to brag or come across as arrogant"
"My boss doesn't want to hear me talk about myself"
"Team players don't take credit"
"I just don't feel comfortable promoting myself"
These are all limiting beliefs that prevent us from taking that important step. To get past them, we need to reframe the way we view self-promotion and learn how to do it well.
I’ll let you in on a little secret, those who advance the furthest and fastest aren't necessarily the most talented or deserving. It's highly likely that what they are actually really good at, is effectively communicating their impact and value to others in their organizations.
Talent doesn't equal recognition
Unfortunately just sitting there and doing a great job is not enough. It won't get you noticed or propel you to where you want to be. Decision makers in your organization won’t always make those connections by themselves. Particularly now as we shift to more of a hybrid working model, people are dispersed, access to senior leadership requires different strategies and technology is fundamentally changing how we work. Many high-performing individuals are at risk of being overlooked without the right self-promotion.
Reframe how you view self-promotion
It is important to see that self-promotion is a leadership skill (Forbes). "It is essential in both the ascent to leadership and once you are already there. As a leader, it is your responsibility to talk about what you and your team have achieved, not only for your own benefit, but also for the team and the company. It’s how to create influence. It’s how you sell your ideas across the organization. It’s the basis of building relationships with key stakeholders and gaining access to the power networks". Viewed from this lens, self promotion takes on a different purpose: one where you are delivering value, supporting others and everyone can win.
5 steps to good self-promotion
1. Be yourself
There are some fundamental ingredients for effective self promotion and authenticity is one of them. Be honest and open and deliver what you promote. You don't need to be someone you're not and the message will always land better if you are coming from a credible place. This builds trust.
2. Think about your audience
Whenever you are trying to communicate something you need to think about who will hear it and why it is important to them, this will allow you to frame your message. Learn to summarize your successes. People are too busy to listen to all that you do - keep it relevant and punchy. As a leader you need to understand what it is that people value in a leader and then exhibit those leadership behaviours.
3. Talk about your win and the specific steps you took
Promote the steps taken and your role in achieving the objective. Facts and figures help to take the focus away from personalities.
4. Frame the win around the benefits to your team, department or company
Not only does this demonstrate big-picture thinking, it will soften the impression that you’re more concerned about promoting yourself than the success of your organization.
5. Be a team player
Recognize the work of others on your team and share the limelight with your colleagues. Reference specific individuals and their contributions whenever possible. Use “we” instead of “I.”
Downloadable resource
We've created a one-page step by step worksheet on 'Mastering the art of self-promotion' that guides you through each key step to craft the right message. Use this to prepare and practice until it becomes second nature.
Related: How to build your personal brand
We offer workshops and training on how to build an effective personal brand. This is equally relevant when advancing your career in a company or starting your own side hustle. If you are a manager, it’s also a great way to develop your people and support their leadership track.
If you are interested in knowing more, get in touch.