As the saying goes, self-praise stinks. Being unable to highlight our own achievements and thus being overtaken by less capable people is, however, not good either. A personal brand can be build without without bragging or even lying. An interesting article on this topic has been recently published on Fastcompany.com. The following three typical misconceptions about self-promotion were summarized.
1. Doing a good job means having a good reputation
Working hard and achieving good results is not enough. Do not assume that your bosses and colleagues will notice your success themselves. If you do not want other people to be rewarded or promoted instead of you, start to promote your results actively.
2. Your boss will spread your good reputation
When your boss helps you, it's great. However, do not rely only on him - he might not be your boss forever. When he leaves, your reputation should not leave with him. Nobody else but you make your own luck.
3. Promoting your own successes is bad
Most people do not like promoting themselves. Excessive modesty may, however, be harmful. Try to contribute to the discussions at work with interesting ideas so that your colleagues could see that you have an opinion. Talk to your boss about what you are working on and what you want to achieve.
-kk-