It Pays to Advertise

Early in my career, I was reminded several times by my father that “it pays to advertise”.

This fatherly advice was not an encouragement to brag or strive to always be the center of attention.

Instead, I learned the importance of staying in my leaders’ line of sight so they were aware of my ideas and my contributions.

Bosses are busy and pre-occupied with multiple projects, and we can easily be overlooked.

To be successful, though, leaders need to be seen. While we’ve heard that “the cream will rise to the top”, sometimes the cream needs a little push to rise.

Here are a few tips to follow when you traverse that delicate balance of self-promotion and bragging.

When someone asks you to share your ideas or brilliance, oblige them. Don’t miss the opportunity to share when asked.

Consider the benefits of having someone else “toot your horn”. When a colleague promotes you, you avoid being seen as a shameless self-promoter. Think of this as having your own internal “publicist”, just as other famous people do.

Present a balanced picture of yourself. When you also share your missteps and failures along the way, you are seen as being more human and relatable.

Anchor your savvy self-promotion in the proper context, and your accomplishments will likely be more celebrated and remembered by others.