When new leaders pursue career advancement, they often defer to their managers to sell their “readiness” to the organization. This is a mistake. When you do this, you hand over any control you have in the promotion process, increasing the chances of your strengths and wins going unnoticed.
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How to Self-Promote (When You Don’t Like to Self-Promote)
You are your own biggest advocate.
June 16, 2023
HBR Staff; beast01/Getty Images
Summary.
When new leaders pursue career advancement, they often hand over the control they have of the promotion process. Being proactive and becoming comfortable with self-promotion is essential to rising through the ranks. The author, a marketing executive and executive coach, offers insight into why self-promotion is so uncomfortable and strategies for new leaders to practice this essential skill:
- First, understand why self-promotion doesn’t come easy to you. Common reasons include:
- You think your work will speak for itself.
- You think that self-promotion is bragging.
- You feel inauthentic asking others for support.
- You don’t know how.
- Second, determine your value proposition. What do you want to be known for? Build the business case for your advancement by clearly outlining your goals, strengths, and areas for improvement.
- Perform a personal leadership SWOT analysis.
- Do a competitive assessment.
- Articulate your current unique value proposition.
- Develop your future career plan.
- Third, take action.
- Enlist supporters.
- Talk to your manager.
- Leverage all available communication channels.