As an executive coach, I work with my clients to help them clarify what they truly want and then assist them in getting from where they are to where they want to be. Part of this process involves identifying the ‘blockers’ or barriers that are in the way. From year-to-year I find certain themes surfacing among my clients. One that seems to be coming up recently is the notion of self-promotion.
It is important for us to promote ourselves in a positive light and highlight our best skills and experiences. But how do we do this without being too self-promoting? Consider if you identify with any of these statements:
• You are pigeonholed and are not being seen for your complete set of capabilities.
• You are not asked to join the top-level strategy meeting even though you know you belong there.
• You think that you should be evaluated based on merit alone, but you are continually the bridesmaid for the next level promotion.
• You just left an important job interview but did not know how to speak about your accomplishments and capabilities.
