Strategies for Self-Promotion in the Workplace

Have you ever struggled with promoting yourself and your career without feeling like you're coming off as too self-promotional? You're not alone. As a mentor and coach, I get this question all the time, and it's a tricky balance. The good news is, self-promotion done right can open doors and propel your career forward. Here's my take on it: 1️⃣ Identify Your Unique Skills: What are your superpowers? Your strengths? Highlight these and build relationships with those who will value them the most. 2️⃣ Show Tangible Value: It’s not just about saying you’re good at something—demonstrate it! Use a career walking deck to showcase your experiences, results, and key wins. 📊 3️⃣ Build Relationships: Leverage your network, find mentors, and engage with sponsors. Your goal is to become the obvious choice for your next role by demonstrating relevant experiences and abilities. 4️⃣ Be Humble and Realistic: Acknowledge the challenges you might face in a new role. Show that you’re ready to tackle them with the right support and training. 🚀 5️⃣ Tell Stories: Instead of bragging, share stories about your successes, challenges, and lessons learned. Authenticity and clarity in communication are key. 🗣️ 6️⃣ Seek Feedback: Actively solicit feedback from those who will give you honest, constructive criticism. This helps you grow and improve continuously. 🔄 Remember: Self-promotion done right is about clarity and communication. It’s about showing your value in a humble and authentic way. Would love to hear your thoughts on effective self-promotion strategies! 💡 #CareerGrowth #SelfPromotion #ProfessionalDevelopment #Networking #Mentorship #Leadership #PersonalBrand #SuccessTips #LinkedInCommunity

3 Ways to Advocate for Career Growth and That Promotion You Want!   I commonly get asked how I can advocate for myself or speak up about moving up within a company I work for. What do I need to say to my managers to tell them I am looking for something bigger?   Are you looking to take your career to the next level but unsure how to get noticed?   Here are 3 ways to be your own advocate and show leadership you're ready for more:   1. Schedule a Career Development Meeting: - Script: "Hi [Manager Name], I'd love to discuss my career development goals. Would you be available for a meeting in the next couple of weeks?" During the Meeting: - Discuss your accomplishments and how they've benefited the company. - Express your interest in specific growth opportunities or future projects. - Ask for feedback on areas for improvement and a development plan.   2. Take Initiative and Lead Projects: - Script (to a colleague): "I noticed we're facing a challenge with [X]. I have some ideas on how to tackle it. Would you be interested in brainstorming together?" Benefits: - Showcase your problem-solving skills and ability to take ownership. - Gain valuable experience outside your current role. - Get recognized for your proactive approach.   3. Shine During Meetings and Presentations: - Script: "[Summarize key point]. Additionally, I'd like to suggest [your idea] as it could potentially [positive outcome]." Tips: - Be confident and articulate your ideas clearly. - Back up your suggestions with data or previous successes. - Be an active listener and build on others' points.   Advocating for yourself doesn't have to be loud.   Be proactive, take initiatives, and demonstrate your value, and you'll be well on your way to achieving your career goals!   Let me know what you’d add to my list!   #careerdevelopment #promotion #leadership

Stop selling yourself short and stop giving the credit of your success to wrong people! For years in my early to mid-career, I’d give credit to others for my success. When promotions came my way, I'd often think, 'What did my manager see in me? I mustn't let them down.' When challenging projects were assigned to me, I'd be grateful for the opportunity to prove myself. You might wonder what's wrong with this mindset? It's good to acknowledge people around you who helped you reach where you are today. Right? In truth, there wasn't anything inherently wrong except that I was making assumptions on who was helping me and was undervaluing my own capabilities. The promotions weren't favors but recognitions of my skills and achievements. Not promoting the obvious choice would have reflected poorly on my manager, a fact they admitted to me a few years later. Those challenging projects? They were not just handed to me by my manager. There were sponsors in management rooting for me, people who had seen what I could do and knew I could turn a chaos into order. The funny part is, I had no idea these backstage supporters even existed until someone spilled the beans one day. And the manager I thanked profusely? I found out that they had, in fact, been reluctant to assign me to the high-profile, high impact projects. So, when I stepped into managerial role myself, I decided to help my team see their strengths. Here's what I encouraged them to do: ✔️ Be aware of your surroundings - understand office dynamics, know your advocates, and sponsors. ✔️ Ask why you were chosen for a project/promotion/opportunity - it helps you understand your strengths. ✔️ Recognize your worth - know that you're selected because you're capable. There's no need to constantly be in a mode of proving yourself. ✔️ Advocate for yourself - don't wait for others to recognize your value. Own your success, you've earned it! P.S.: When did you undervalue your worth and how did you come to recognize your potential?

I’ve been coaching and mentoring dozens of Fortune 200 leaders, young professionals, and students (mainly women) over the years. And here’s what almost all our conversations have in common. No matter if you have zero years or 15+ years of full-time work experience. The power of personal branding is undeniable. And by that I don’t mean becoming an influencer. I mean strategically creating visibility for yourself and your work. Too often people - especially women - fall into the common trap of thinking: “If I just put in the hours and the effort, my work will speak for itself.” Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Think about it, managers are just people themselves. And if they have more than 1-2 people reporting into them, it’s so easy to be caught up in the day-to-day and not be fully aware of all the amazing work their direct reports produce on a daily basis. Here’s what you can do to build your internal personal brand at your workplace: 1) Nail your core. Be willing to go the extra mile for at least the first 6-12 months. 2) Start talking about your work and its impact to key stakeholders. Quantify as much as possible. 3) Back it up via 3rd party validation (e.g. positive feedback from peers, client testimonials, Email/Teams/Slack screenshots) 4) If you want to be nominated and win a specific company or industry award, tell your manager and work with them to maximize your chances. Your nomination and ideally your win will make them look good in front of their boss. 5) Repeat. Remember, everyone has a personal brand. It’s how you show up in front of the people around you every day. But not everyone has control over their own brand. And I personally prefer taking control over my own narrative as opposed to letting other people define what my brand is. #womensupportingwomen #womenatwork #personalbrand #visibility #workplace

Being a top performer will not get you that promotion. Believe me, I've been there. Do you know those people grids? The top secret performance grids? Well, because I was in HR, I got to see where I was and I was ALWAYS on the top right which means top performer, high potential. So why was I turned down for 3 internal promotions? Here are the lessons I learned the hard way and what you can do to avoid making the same mistakes. 1. I wanted everyone to like me 2. I was desperate 3. I became the helper Know where you want to be, and how to get there, and let everyone in on your plans. Here's what to do: 1. Become visible ✨ Make people aware of your contributions. ✨ Shout about your career goals through a loud hailer and have a crystal clear path to get there. ✨ Contribute to every interaction and in every meeting. You're not a wallflower. 2. Grow your confidence ✨ Know the value that you bring to the team. ✨ Be intentional about your impact. ✨ Take time to recognize how far you have come. 3. Ask for help ✨ Surround yourself with mentors. ✨ Get feedback from those you trust. ✨ Learn how to say no (something I am still working on). If you want more tough love on your development and career, follow me here. #traininganddevelopment #learninganddevelopment #talentdevelopment #careeradvice #performance #promotions