As a professional, promoting yourself can be a challenge. This may be particularly true for those from the global majority who have been raised to believe that self-promotion is synonymous with arrogance. As a result, many individuals may shy away from speaking about their accomplishments, for fear of coming across as conceited. However, it’s important to find a balance between humble confidence and self-publicity. Don’t be afraid to shine a spotlight on your achievements, especially those that can help promote your brand. Being too modest can hold you back and prevent you from reaching your full potential. So, go ahead and celebrate your successes!
Here are some strategies That Make Self-Promotion Easier
- Think Of Yourself as A Brand: When you think of yourself as a brand, it’s not about you, but the brand you represent. Just like companies brand themselves to create an image, we create a personal image to build a brand around ourselves that leads people to think of us in a certain way. Your brand is a reflection of the story you want to tell about yourself and how you prefer others to see you. Building a brand is crucial as it precedes your reputation and is the first step in creating a rewarding career. It opens doors for you, generates new opportunities, and lends you greater credibility. Building the right kind of footprint for yourself is important so that you can provide people with content that bolsters their opinion of you.
- Document Your Successes and Achievements This list is invaluable when it’s time to ask for a pay rise and promotion. This record serves a twofold purpose: first, you can consult it when you encounter self-doubt as it is a reminder of your on-the-job successes; second, you’ll be prepared with an accurate record of all the great things you’ve accomplished for your company when the time comes to review your performance and compensation.
- State Facts as They Are: Own your achievements without overdoing them. It’s essential to be concise in your explanation, stating the facts simply and directly. Self-promotion backed by evidence to substantiate it is well received. This conveys confidence and authority versus arrogance.
- Give Credit to Others: Giving the rest of the team due acknowledgement and using ‘we’ instead of ‘I’ is a good rule of thumb to avoid coming across as a narcissist. Be sure to highlight and thank ‘the team’ for valuable accomplishments as you articulate your contributions.
- Accept Praise Gracefully: When you are recognised for your accomplishments, do not shrug it off. Accept your star role in your own production. Downplaying your involvement doesn’t help build your brand – it damages it. A sincere thank you and a firm handshake show you appreciate the acknowledgement of a job well done.
- Tell A Story: If you are reluctant to share a personal accomplishment, try weaving it into a story form. For example, when you share a win, you could focus on the challenges/ vulnerable moments related to it or any other lessons learned. This simple change of approach can help you feel more comfortable talking about yourself because it will be less directly about you. Moreover, showcasing achievements by sharing your struggles and sacrifices is an engaging way to help people relate to and learn from your experiences. People love heroism. And it makes you human, too – a genuine and relatable one. Inspiring stories that have a zero-to-hero angle always resonate well. You inspire others around you by retelling how you survived and overcame a challenge. Such stories give hope, and hope can be a compelling thing. Owning and sharing your mistakes honestly can also help you build solid relationships.
- Be Grateful for Your Success and Show Humility: It’s one thing internalising your success and knowing that you had a role to play in it more than anyone else. But it’s another thing to say that out loud without recognising all the people who helped make you successful along the way. There is something about humility and expressing gratitude that makes people more agreeable. Humble leaders are in tune with their teams and often well-liked and respected.
- Keep Mini Elevator Pitches Handy: Elevator pitches are typically succinct and persuasive sales pitches about yourself, your experience and/or your offerings. These speeches take the same time as an elevator (lift) ride, hence the name. These elevator pitches are also referred to as ‘brag bites’ that are short sound bites or brief marketing monologues about yourself that you can use at a moment’s notice and in any situation. Endow these intros with energy and enthusiasm and practise using them. By preparing them in advance you can ensure that you don’t come across as pushy or disingenuous when an opportunity arises to extol your virtues.
- Recruit a Wing Person: Consider bringing a friend to events where you may need to discuss your accomplishments. You can even ‘talk up’ each other. Thus, instead of bragging about your own experience and background, you boast about your friend, and they brag about yours. People you are speaking with are much more likely to be receptive to a third party bragging about you than if the information came from you. Also, often we are far more confident when advocating for others.
- Use social media To Your Advantage: Social media tweets, and posts can help leverage, shape and strengthen your brand (assuming it’s appropriate for your job). Selectively share information that defines your brand interests and expertise, not undermines your professional reputation. Sharing and commenting on topics showcasing your brand is another valuable way to build awareness. You can even volunteer to write for your company newsletter or any professional organisation where you are a member.
Hira Ali
Hira Ali is an executive coach, leadership development specialist, and speaker. Founder of Advancing Your Potential and champion of allyship programs and inclusive talent management initiatives, she is also the award-winning author of two books: Her Way To The Top: A Guide to Smashing the Glass Ceiling and Her Allies: A Practical Toolkit to Help Men Lead Through Advocacy.
