Don’t leave it to luck. Build your SSP.
I once watched a peer of mine get recognized often, pointed to as an example and get most everything she asked for – including a promotion! I remember thinking she was really good at shameless self-promotion (aka SSP)– and it paid off! Since then, I have tried to build more self-promotion into my skill set and leave the “aw shucks” and “humble” responses behind.
Here are some ways to flex your SSP muscles:
Take credit for your work . Tell others about what you’re working on and why. And give credit to the team and partners who help make it happen.
Don’t assume people know what you are doing. Sometimes we get so head down in our work, we forget that while we know exactly what we’re doing, others may not. Here’s an example. My team and I were working on improving diversity in hiring. Yet, when anyone asked a manager what the organization was doing around diversity, they almost always answered, “nothing” or “I don’t know”. By putting together a map of what we had done and what was happening next, along with supporting data points that showed our progress, we were able to turn that narrative into, “the team is doing amazing work.”
Accept that you are an expert. Have the courage of your convictions. In other words, don’t end your recommendations by saying things like, “does that make sense?” or “what do you think?” Instead, say, “my experience says that…” In one of my early roles, a member of my team came to me and said she needed my approval for a newspaper ad (it was 2007). I asked her why. She said the leader wanted to advertise for her opening in the newspaper. Yet, most people were not looking in the newspaper for jobs – and hadn’t been for a while! I worked with my teammate to have the expertise to explain to leaders that newspaper ads weren’t the best option, and you need to trust our experience with the current job market to help you find the talent you need.
Promote your and your team’s accomplishments. At first this may feel “braggy,” but over time you will see that this type of self-promotion helps get you and your team the recognition you deserve for all the hard work you do.
Make sure you promote your achievements externally as well. Tell your story. Update your list of achievements regularly on LinkedIn and other professional sites. Make time to submit your work for recognition awards, apply for speaking opportunities, publish articles or find other ways to share your work outside of your organization.
Flexing these muscles won’t make you a bragger. Rather, it will help you get the recognition you deserve – and perhaps that next job or promotion you have your eyes on!