How to QUIETLY shout about how good you are!
A puppy nervously approaching a microphone
You’re great at your job, a savvy communicator and ambitious team player. But what if you’re modest or shy?
Here’s 6 ways to be clear about your value as you sidestep arrogance.
Get good at making confident contributions without explicitly boasting. Instead of saying, "I’m great at what I do", showcase your expertise by sharing insights. It’ll highlight your value without you overtly bragging.
Amplify others. The Obama administration was famed for the ‘amplification’ agreement among women staff: if one offered an idea, others would repeat it and credit the author. A great way to tacitly show what you believe in.
Nurture strong relationships with colleagues. By fostering connections you create opportunities for others to recognize your skills and achievements, as well as benefiting from collaboration opportunities.
Be a Hype Person: acknowledge, support and celebrate others’ wins. You’ll prove you value the collective success of the team and if you do it right, you’ll come across as a mentor rather than a ‘yes’ person.
It’s important to find the line between self-promotion and self-involvement or bragging. As Elvis Presley said, “Let your head get too big, it’ll break your neck!” Avoid putting yourself up there while ignoring others' contributions.
Invite feedback. The more you get used to hearing what others think of you, the easier it gets. With practice, you won’t feel defensive hearing how you ‘come across’ - it becomes simply data, rather than feeling personal.
Successful self-promotion involves being mindful of others, celebrating team achievements, being okay with course-correction and by staying true to yourself. Strike this balance and you’ll effectively showcase yourself.
Now ask yourself: Do you think you’re a good self-promoter? What’s your secret?