Like it or not, self-promotion is the only type of promotion we can rely on to get ahead. Waiting on your coworkers, managers, or teammates to give you your flowers will leave you frustrated and angry. Women and people from under-recognized groups need to make sure their accomplishments are voiced, known, and ultimately recognized. You must speak up for you. But how? I am glad you asked. The following are three ways to confidently speak up for yourself, with no regret, shame, or apology.
1. Stop Hatin’. How many times you have been in a situation where someone else was talking about themselves and you thought they were bragging? You think to yourself: They are always talking about what they have done. Well, are they lying? If not, you should join in and remind others of your accomplishments as well. This person understands the benefits that come with reminding others of what you have done and what you are capable of. Ask yourself why you believe what they are doing is so wrong. Especially, if what they are saying is true. What if the manager didn’t know that you were the person who finished the project? What if someone else tried to take credit? This is your opportunity to set the record straight. Otherwise, someone else could receive a promotion you deserve because management understands the benefits they bring to the team, but what about you? Hearing others speak on behalf of themselves should be your queue to reframe the way you think about speaking your truths.
2. Remind Yourself of Your Accomplishments. Write down what you have accomplished, no matter how great or small you believe the task to be. More importantly, do not call out your accomplishments using the word “just”. Do not minimize or sell yourself short before the other person even has the chance to. You speak just as highly about learning a new skill set as you would about coming in over the weekend to meet an important organizational deadline. Stand in front of the mirror with these accomplishments and say them to yourself. While this may appear to be a small step, it will show you how uncomfortable you are with speaking positively about yourself. Continue to speak aloud about what you have accomplished until it becomes second nature. Then, you are more likely to casually call out what you have done when speaking with others. Your confidence when talking about what you have accomplished is just as important as the accomplishment. Additionally, keeping track of your achievements allows you to have your support ready when there is an opening for a new position or promotion. Seeing your successes written down also works as an additional form of encouragement to take your accomplishments to the next level. If you are one who always looks to improve, you can use the current list of achievements as a baseline for your next set of career goals.
3. Learn to Accept Compliments. Stop saying “That’s okay.” “I’m just doing my job.” “That’s what you pay me for.” None of those matters. If someone wants to toot your horn, especially if that someone is from a member of management, let them. Try saying “Thank you” and leave it at that. You can even add to it. For example, when the manager tells you how they appreciate your coming in late to complete a project, instead of saying “It was no problem” (when you know it was), you can say something like “I am glad I was able to come in and help and still able to spend time with my family who is visiting this weekend.” Make sure they understand that you were not only a team player, but also the sacrifice it took to complete the task.
These steps are important for women and people from under-recognized groups to make sure their accomplishments are voiced, known, and ultimately recognized. Particularly since these groups of people are typically known or taught to be humble and that “hard work pays off”. We are no longer in the days of “Your work will speak for itself”. We have years of mistreatment and being overlooked to know this to not be true. Remember and rehearse these tips until they become second nature and you can speak confidently about yourself, the same way you can speak confidently about someone else.
The Transform Tuesdays newsletter was created to help professionals in corporate positions navigate this world of corporate America by overcoming the hurdles hindering them from growing to the next level in their careers, including knowing their value, using their voice, and being authentic to themselves.
Sherrika Sanders has been an accountant by trade for over 15 years. During her years as a corporate accountant, Sherrika progressed through various roles from Revenue Accountant to Corporate Controller. She worked to develop consolidated business processes, post-acquisition financial integration, and Fresh Start Accounting upon emergence from Chapter 11 within seven months of initial filing during her time as an Assistant Controller. Sherrika resigned from her role as Corporate Controller to take a leap of faith and start her own company, Transform the GAAP (Goals Assigned Achieving Purpose), where she specializes in helping employees on the accounting teams of Private and PE-backed organizations increase their productivity by identifying errors and inefficiencies in their current processes to meet organizational deadlines and professional goals. If you are seeking one-on-one or group coaching sessions, click on the following link for a complimentary consultation on how you can work with Sherrika to Transform the GAAP together. Sherrika believes in a judgment-free zone where all are contributors working towards a common goal. Visit https://www.transformthegaap.com/ to learn more.
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