be your own biggest advocate

Blowing your own trumpet is a curiously English phrase that apparently stems from medieval times when heralds used trumpets to announce the arrival of important figures like royalty. When commoners wanted to announce their own arrival or achievements, they would have to "blow their own trumpet."

Today it’s meaning is generally associated with the unpleasant practice of overt and excessive self-promotion and has become a metaphor for boasting or bragging about oneself.

In the workplace, however, learning how to “blow one’s own trumpet” in a manner that gets the right kind of attention is a skill – an artform even! For anyone seeking any form of career progression, being your own biggest advocate is a fundamental requirement.

What does good self-promotion look like though? It contributes to the conversation by offering useful information that adds to the discussion and relationships as opposed to the grandstanding which most of us find just quite frankly annoying.

I’m sure we’ve all encountered people who are masters at it. They communicate their value and contribution in authentic and effective ways and their message sits easily with others, rather than feeling like it’s being force fed.

They do the basics so well but what could you do?

↳ Be ready to articulate exactly what you’re working on and what it’s delivering for the organisation.

If this isn’t naturally you or it’s out of your comfort zone, start by listing your top strengths and skills and be prepared to speak about these with ease and comfort.

↳ Use meetings and discussions as an opportunity communicate your contribution and value.

Your peers and network can’t promote you as a valuable asset if they don’t know what you do. Build connections by taking on tasks and getting things done, demonstrating evidence of your worth.

↳ Learn to accept praise where it’s been earned and do so graciously.

Acknowledge its importance to you and use it to showcase your achievements in a variety of different contexts.

↳ Think big and beyond your immediate circle of influence.

Your manager recognising your accomplishments is insufficient. Career and leadership transitions rely upon increasing your visibility beyond your immediate organisational unit so seek assignments that increase your visibility and gain exposure.

↳ Deploy your emotional intelligence and ensure that your self-promotion is landing as you’d want it to.

Timing is everything and delivery is key. Choose your words wisely, avoiding superlatives or over-the-top descriptions that risk alienating your audience.

Above all else remember that self-promotion when done with authenticity is not bragging, it’s enabling others to understand you, your work and how valuable you are to them.