You’ve undoubtedly heard the term mover and shaker. It’s used for book lists, politicians, business leaders, and entertainment personalities. A mover and shaker know how to stir the post, kick up the dust and generate constructive action. They’re unwilling and unable to stand for the status quo when there is the opportunity for so much more. Are you a mover & shaker? Can you use this concept to advance your career? How could you use effective self-promotion to become a mover & shaker?
This article is not for the fearful…but it can make you fearless. How? You don’t have to be the consummate self-promoter like Donald Trump or the headline-grabbing Paris Hilton to gain notoriety for your career. It’s all in the self-promotion tactics you choose to use.
Here’s a real example.
Tom has aspirations of someday leading his own business. Today, Tom has mastered the art of marketing by creating a quiet buzz around his talent in his current position as operations manager for a small business unit. He hires people who are driven to succeed. He gives them space to “do their thing” while being available when needed. As a result, his people quietly promote Tom as an extraordinary leader. Tom creates extended teams so that more people get to know and help him in his role. He has also joined organizations and associations to learn more about leading a business and shares his operations expertise. He’s been asked to travel globally to help new departments establish their operations teams. So the buzz around Tom is getting louder. And he’s quietly generating it. His manager and organization leaders view Tom as a leader. His recommendations are easily supported and quickly implemented. He has become a mover & shaker in his business and all without the usual fanfare.
When it’s time for Tom’s performance review, will it be difficult to establish his leadership, credibility and whether he deserves a raise? Will his manager question if his efforts were self-serving or for the good of the company? Will Tom be perceived as someone who can someday run a piece of the business? Or his own?
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Looking at Tom’s story, what can you take away?
Self promotion can take the form of “others promoting you”. This is the most effective way of establishing your credibility, talent and reputation. Advancing your career requires the support and “buzz” of others. Tom’s example can provide unique ways of doing so. To self-promote your own talents and skills, what can you do, today? How can you build a team around you who will help you grow as well as learn from you? Where can you start to build your own “buzz”?
Take a look around you at the people who are successful without grabbing headlines. Who are people talking about? Whom do they admire? What are the successful people doing? What did they do? They can provide the best examples of how to be successful in your business or industry.
There are lots of resources available to help you develop your self-promotion strategy.
– Seek out a mentor in your business or industry.
– Contact a career coach who can help you create a plan of action to bring you the results you desire.
– Conduct information and executive interviews with those folks who have demonstrated success in an area of interest.
You don’t have to be “large and in charge” to let the world, most importantly your boss, know how much you contribute and how talented you are. But you do have to know how to make sure they know it!
