In an age of blatant self-promotion, it is common for many people to boast about their strengths. They like to tell the world how special they are. Quickly giving others an unabridged resume is the order of the day. Promoting one’s strengths seems like the strategic thing to do. Everyone else does it.
When I read the below newsletter, I felt very confused. I have believed through out my career that actions speak better than words.
Getting my head down and doing the work was my mantra. But issues happened when despite doing a fantastic job, my strengths were not discovered. People who were vocal about their achievements got noticed and rewarded. At times they were no better than me… just more vocal.
May be the author might want to address (with concrete examples) how to get your work discovered? Cause waiting for people to discover is definitely not an effective strategy in my experience.
There is a difference between promoting yourself and your work and allowing others to discover your strengths. I don’t recommend people putting their head down and hoping people will notice. Quite the contrary. Giving those around updates about what you're working on and the results you're achieving is essential. That doesn't include boasting about one's strengths such as technological prowess or the ability to create analytical models.
Yes if the individual lacks self-awareness and merely is sharing. No if the individual possesses self-awareness. We must keep in mind, most of the time, words are cheaper than actions.
Could you clarify this for me? If someone has contributed to others, given their time and energy, accomplished great things over 20 or 30 years, received industry awards and public acknowledgments, and has gained much experience and knowledge along the way. In other words, their resume or CV is now 3 or 4 pages long compared to the 1 pager they started with. In your definition, is their promotion or advertisement of these accomplishments and discussing them in public speaking engagements considered "blatant self-promotion?"
If that person finds themselves in a room where nobody knows their name or their pedigree, there is a real choice.
The point we are trying to make is that there is actually more power in letting others discover those career highlights instead of that person talking about their own accomplishments.
If there is an option, the best leaders choose not to talk about themselves this way.
I can certainly see that. My example was not in a small setting but in someone building a brand over their accomplishments. Sure, I see your point. I've worked to come up with a simple one-liner to offer only when I'm asked, "Hey, what do you do for work or a living." People ask those questions to search for a standard grounding connection while conversing in a social setting. I wanted to say that if you asked that question. My answer today is typical, "I like to think of myself as a problem solver with a passion for science. I work to find ways to come up with solutions that are smarter and cleaner." I always follow it by asking that person, "What are you passionate about?"
Now I'm curious. How about telling me how you walk into a room where no one knows you, and someone comes up and, after a cordial name introduction, asks, "Hey, what do you do for a living?" How do you introduce yourself under the context of this post?
The way you answered the question in your previous paragraph is a great example, David. No reason to interject titles or honorifics on top of the way you phrased it by framing your work and your passion instead of your rank or your titles.
When I read the below newsletter, I felt very confused. I have believed through out my career that actions speak better than words.
Getting my head down and doing the work was my mantra. But issues happened when despite doing a fantastic job, my strengths were not discovered. People who were vocal about their achievements got noticed and rewarded. At times they were no better than me… just more vocal.
May be the author might want to address (with concrete examples) how to get your work discovered? Cause waiting for people to discover is definitely not an effective strategy in my experience.
Hi, Neha, I appreciate your question.
There is a difference between promoting yourself and your work and allowing others to discover your strengths. I don’t recommend people putting their head down and hoping people will notice. Quite the contrary. Giving those around updates about what you're working on and the results you're achieving is essential. That doesn't include boasting about one's strengths such as technological prowess or the ability to create analytical models.
I heard it as being willing to embody the strength in service of or as helpful to others over prioritizing the promotion of experience and knowledge.
Seems like a bias of helpful action and trust that the right people see your best
That’s a great notion, Kevin. It’s why we like the operative definition of leadership is “making people and situations better.”
This is a good point. I believe the challenge is in simply sharing our stories with our colleagues (the ones we trust), and not boasting.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you, Joe. Do you think the tangible difference between boasting and simply sharing a story lies in a person’s self-awareness?
Yes and no.
Yes if the individual lacks self-awareness and merely is sharing. No if the individual possesses self-awareness. We must keep in mind, most of the time, words are cheaper than actions.
Could you clarify this for me? If someone has contributed to others, given their time and energy, accomplished great things over 20 or 30 years, received industry awards and public acknowledgments, and has gained much experience and knowledge along the way. In other words, their resume or CV is now 3 or 4 pages long compared to the 1 pager they started with. In your definition, is their promotion or advertisement of these accomplishments and discussing them in public speaking engagements considered "blatant self-promotion?"
It certainly could be viewed that way, David.
If that person finds themselves in a room where nobody knows their name or their pedigree, there is a real choice.
The point we are trying to make is that there is actually more power in letting others discover those career highlights instead of that person talking about their own accomplishments.
If there is an option, the best leaders choose not to talk about themselves this way.
I can certainly see that. My example was not in a small setting but in someone building a brand over their accomplishments. Sure, I see your point. I've worked to come up with a simple one-liner to offer only when I'm asked, "Hey, what do you do for work or a living." People ask those questions to search for a standard grounding connection while conversing in a social setting. I wanted to say that if you asked that question. My answer today is typical, "I like to think of myself as a problem solver with a passion for science. I work to find ways to come up with solutions that are smarter and cleaner." I always follow it by asking that person, "What are you passionate about?"
Now I'm curious. How about telling me how you walk into a room where no one knows you, and someone comes up and, after a cordial name introduction, asks, "Hey, what do you do for a living?" How do you introduce yourself under the context of this post?
The way you answered the question in your previous paragraph is a great example, David. No reason to interject titles or honorifics on top of the way you phrased it by framing your work and your passion instead of your rank or your titles.
Agee; boasting is never attractive, even in the most talented.
I cannot resist:
1) Best example of this topic;
2) the "mother" of all examples--> "The DONALD"