“I hate promoting myself. Can’t I just let my work speak for itself?”
If this sounds familiar, you’re far from alone.
In my conversations with thousands of professionals over the years, self-promotion consistently ranks as one of the most uncomfortable (and most neglected) parts of career development.
Yet many of those same professionals also express frustration about being overlooked, undervalued, or passed over for opportunities.
The common thread? A struggle with self-promotion.
Keep reading to learn:
- Why self-promotion is absolutely critical in the workplace
- The importance of celebrating your wins
- Whether self-promotion is the same as bragging
- 5 practical strategies for strengthening your self-promotion skills
Why Is Self-Promotion Important At Work?
While there’s no guaranteed way to avoid being laid off, you can reduce your risk by ensuring your leaders are aware of your contributions and value to the business.
Learning to highlight your successes is also essential if you want to secure a new role, whether internally or externally.
Many of the professionals I speak with say they want their work to “speak for itself.” Unfortunately, this mindset often leads to career stagnation. Relying solely on doing good work to get noticed is a fast track to being overlooked.
Your work can’t speak for itself; you have to be its advocate.
For example, in a previous role, I implemented a well-received newsletter. I was proud of the outcome and could have let it stand on its own, but the leadership team was never aware of it, simply because I hadn’t shared it with them. Once I did, they circulated it throughout the organization as an example of best practices.
The reality is, managers and executives are busy. If you want your work to be recognized, you need to proactively put it on their radar.
Important: Self-promotion isn’t just about getting credit. It’s about making sure the right people know what you’re capable of so you can continue to grow, make an impact, and reach your career goals.
Why Should You Celebrate Your Achievements In The Workplace?
It’s not enough to talk about your successes, you should celebrate them, too.
If you struggle with confidence or imposter syndrome, celebrating your wins can help you internalize your achievements as being the result of your hard work and effort, not just luck.
Beyond that, regularly celebrating your achievements helps you normalize the feeling of success. It trains your brain to recognize achievement as something earned and repeatable, rather than rare or accidental.
Over time, this builds confidence, reinforces your value, and makes self-advocacy more natural.
Is It Normal To Dislike Talking About Your Achievements At Work?
Absolutely. It’s completely normal to feel uncomfortable—or even resistant—when it comes to talking about your accomplishments at work.
Your cultural background, upbringing, and personal experience, among other factors, all shape how you view self-promotion. For some, it can feel boastful or inauthentic. For others, it might clash with deeply held values around humility or teamwork.
Whatever the reason, know that you’re not alone, and that discomfort doesn’t mean you’re not capable of advocating for yourself effectively.
[Read: How To Stop Selling Yourself Short In Your Career]
Is Self-Promotion Bragging?
No. Although they’re often conflated, self-promotion is not the same as bragging.
Self-promotion is the act of confidently and strategically sharing your accomplishments, talents, and strengths. It’s about communicating your story and owning your value.
Bragging, on the other hand, tends to be excessive, self-serving, and dismissive of others. It’s less about sharing value and more about seeking validation.
Here are the key differences:
- Intention: Self-promotion is grounded in purpose, such as how you can help others, solve problems, or make an impact. Bragging is about inflating your ego or seeking praise.
- Tone: Self-promotion is rooted in confidence and clarity. Bragging can come across as arrogance or insecurity.
How Do You Get Better At Self-Promotion At Work?
Now that we’ve covered why learning the art of self-promotion is so important, as well as how it’s different from bragging, let’s dive into practical ways you can get better at it:
1. Reframe what “self-promotion” means to you.
Start by redefining what “self-promotion” actually is.
Many of my tech clients find it helpful to think of self-promotion as simply sharing data. You’re not boasting; you’re providing information.
You can also distinguish between subjective and objective accomplishments. Here are some examples of objective facts you can share:
- I hired…
- My team released…
- We completed…
Reminding yourself that you’re simply sharing data or facts can make it easier to talk about your achievements without feeling awkward or self-conscious.
2. Create a culture of recognition.
Building a culture of recognition can make the self-promotion process less lonely and more collaborative. This can involve both celebrating others’ successes and encouraging your colleagues to share their own wins.
In one of my previous roles, I started team meetings with “bell rings,” where a bell was passed around and rung to recognize each colleague’s contributions. It created a culture of appreciation and made recognition a natural part of our workflow.
You can encourage recognition both during meetings and asynchronously, such as through Slack or emails.
Over time, colleagues will learn to reciprocate, making it easier for everyone, including you, to get noticed for your efforts.
3. Find the self-promotion method that works best for you.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to self-promotion. Experiment with different methods to see what feels most authentic to you. You might try:
- Sharing updates during team meetings
- Sending weekly or monthly recap emails
- Posting highlights on internal platforms or dashboards
- Mentioning recent wins casually in one-on-one check-ins
The best strategy is one that you’ll actually use!
4. Set a (realistic) goal for sharing your workplace wins.
Rather than diving headfirst into self-promotion, consider setting a bite-sized goal.
For example, one of my coaching clients recently set a goal of sharing one achievement per week in either their senior leadership team meeting or one-on-one with the board chair.
If you have a recurring one-on-one or team check-in, this can be a fabulous opportunity to broadcast one of your wins.
5. Create accountability with someone you trust.
Ask a colleague, mentor, or executive coach to help hold you accountable for sharing your fabulousness.
Sometimes, just knowing someone else is cheering you on makes it much easier to speak up about your achievements.
Final Thoughts On Improving Self-Promotion At Work
You can’t expect to become comfortable with self-promotion overnight. Be patient with yourself and the process as you get used to talking about and sharing your success in the workplace.
If you’d like the support of a trained professional and Certified Confidence Coach as you build your self-promotion muscle, please reach out and schedule a consultation. I’m here for you! You’ve got this!
