Self-Promotion: the concept brings two competing images to mind. On one hand, we are told to be proud of our accomplishments, confident in our work, and to refrain from modesty if we want our employers to know how much value we bring.
On the other hand, we've also been taught that no one likes a braggart. And we know this because we all know a braggart, and we don't like them.
How do we balance this--especially as women from Minnesota, where "Minnesota nice" also means a large degree of modesty? The AmLaw Daily recently had an article about how a Lack of Self-Promotion Hurts Women in Large Firms. The article surmises that a contributor to the dearth of women in position of power is due to a somewhat stereotypical, but also true, fact that women are more reluctant to self-promote.
Many women don't ask for business and career opportunities, for leadership positions, for chances to strut our stuff. Correspondingly, many women don't tell (read: acknowledge their wins) when they are successful. Instead, women tend to wait for the recognition and reward--a wait that can last a career.
The article goes on to suggest solutions for both employers and women in trying to overcome this reluctance.
And, as a final note, the definition of braggart is: "One given to loud, empty boasting." A realistic portrayal of your accomplishments clearly falls outside of that definition.
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