“Self promotion” is such a loaded term, it’s no wonder that many of us find it somewhat distasteful. But if you instead think about personal branding as “sharing your successes with people who matter,” you’ll realize how simple—and valuable—it can be. In her April 2 “Calling the Game” video, Bobbie LaPorte shares an example from her own experience. By using a LinkedIn post to congratulate a client, she was also able to reinforce her own personal brand in a natural and authentic way.
Sharing Your Executive Brand by Celebrating the Achievements of Others
Hi, this is Bobbie LaPorte, back with another week of “Calling the Game,” where I share my own experience and insights while giving you valuable tools you can use to call your own game…and plan the best moves for you and your team.
If you’ve been following me, you know that I recently completed a 3-part series here on Executive Branding and Self-Promotion, a sensitive subject for many leaders. The response to the series was very positive, so I’ve decided to follow up with an example of how to operationalize your brand using a 3-step framework for defining your brand: Who – What- Where.
- “Who” in your immediate and extended network you target
- “What” elements of your brand you share with them
- “Where” you do this – for example, in your daily work activities, in outreach to your network, and on social media
This approach will help bring your brand to life to support your career advancement.
I know that for many leaders, this can feel very uncomfortable at first—whether it is 1:1 with their boss, in staff meetings, or externally with clients and other stakeholders.
My Self-Promotion Example
So let’s use an example that makes it a little easier to dip your toe into the self-promotion water….while still staying authentic to your brand.
Let’s look again at my personal brand statement:
I help executives ‘stay in demand’ through expert insight, practical advice, and personal advocacy.
Now, one very effective way to practice self-promotion is to celebrate the successes of others and your role in enabling them….citing an element of your brand.
Here is a real example of how I used this approach in a LinkedIn post:
Congratulations to my client and friend, Judy Chen, who just received the A-round of funding for her company. It took the perfect synchrony of Judy reaching out and me leveraging my contacts in the women-funded venture community to find the right partner to help Judy scale her venture. A win-win for everyone, which is the best outcome.
Okay, now, who is this post about? You might say -my client Judy Chen. And you’d be right. But…who else is it about? Yes, it is about me and how I used the “personal advocacy” attribute of my brand to support Judy’s success.
Simple, straightforward, authentic.
Operationalizing your brand must be an intentional, ongoing commitment. Over time, it will become easier and feel more natural, and you will see the difference in how people see you.
And that’s what self-promotion is all about. Sharing your successes with people who matter.
Okay, that’s it for this week’s “Calling the Game.” I hope this helps you gear up for a great week and navigate any curveballs that may come your way!
In case you missed my series Navigating Executive Branding:
Part 1: Embrace Authentic Self-Promotion
Part 2: Define Your Personal Brand