Skip to content

#8 – Book and a Buddy

623-06037633Two of the biggest reasons why it’s so hard for women to promote themselves are amnesia and shyness…which is why a “book and a buddy” can boost your promotional efforts almost overnight.

One of the first things I have my executive clients do is to start a brag book, a success journal.  The rules are simple…

  • it must live at home (not at the office)
  • it must be filled out on a weekly basis
  • it can only contain positive information
  • it can include awards, accomplishments, glowing emails, recommendations, etc…
  • don’t overthink it and be judgmental

It not only forces you to focus on the positive, but to record it, and remember it.  For many of us, it’s easier to dwell on the negatives, on the endless disappointments and struggles we encounter.  It’s as if those events have a louder voice…they scream at us and demand our attention, while the successful ones get ignored.  They are also the ones that get embedded in our memory.  It’s like dealing with one child having a temper tantrum, while the other one has perfect behavior.  Who gets the spotlight, and what event do you remember?

By isolating all the “good” things that happen at work, you are much more likely to not only remember them, but celebrate them. The brag book treats amnesia and the “Three D” symptoms women often experience…downplay, dismiss, and diminish. Sometimes they simply don’t remember an achievement  or award, and if they do, their minimizing attitude is telling them “It’s no big deal”.  They lack the ability to recall key accomplishments and celebrate them as significant professional events.

Here are some of the biggest benefits of a brag book…

  • don’t need to rely on your memory
  • provides positive documentation at an annual review
  • enables you to update your resume at a moment’s notice
  • boosts your confidence
  • provides an ongoing list of promotional options
  • offers proof of a growing and advancing career

Now that you have a brag book bursting at the seams, how are you going to promote that information?  This is where the second obstacle comes in…shyness.  It’s not always easy or appropriate to toot your own horn.  So what do you do, not toot your own horn at all?  Not an option.

Just like you have a BFF in your personal life, you also need one in your professional life.  At work, that person is your “Promotional Buddy”…a person who has your back, looks out for your best interests, and celebrates your accomplishments.  A promotional buddy steps up and toots your horn for you.

Some promotional buddies are created by design and others happen more naturally.  Either way, the goal is to align yourself with someone, or a community of people, and actively promote the efforts of each other.

Whether you strategize ahead of time or not, your promotional buddy can stand up in a meeting and say, “I just want to thank Jen for all her hard work.  She went above and beyond, and we couldn’t have gotten the project done without her.”  Then it’s your turn to reciprocate with, “I think it’s important for everyone to know that Mary was elected to the board of the professional association.  Congrats to Mary!”

It’s not necessarily important “who” announces the information, but that it’s announced…and properly promoted.  Don’t let shyness, hesitation, or reservations hold you back.  Don’t take “self”-promotion so literally, get a promotional buddy to help you.

Successful self-promotion is all about professional karma…what goes around, comes around.   Write a recommendation or endorse a co-worker’s skills on LinkedIn.  Publicly congratulate someone in a meeting.  If you actively, intentionally promote others, they will return the favor.

Self-promotion is often overlooked because of poor memory or a shy personality.  With a brag book and buddy, you now have an ongoing record of all your accomplishments and a friend bold enough to tell everyone.

Back To Top