Appropriate Approaches to Self Promotion
Q:
Hi Tammy,
I’ve just been enjoying reading various articles that you have written on the web. You give some very helpful advice.
I have a question that I hope that you can offer me some advice/guidance on:
• If I receive some praise and thanks for my contribution on a project at work either by a customer or a manager in a different department, how can I let my own manager (or people with influence) know without appearing as boasting?
• Do I do it in a different way depending on if I receive an email or am told it in person?
• Do I do it myself or do I try and get that person to talk to/email my manager?
Thank you for your time,
Katrina
A:
Hi Katrina,
Thanks very much for your note—I’m delighted that you’ve found the posts useful!
Your question is great, because too few people (especially women, I’m afraid) fail to think this through.
Here’s the bottom line: it is completely normal, acceptable and desirable to pass along this type of feedback to your manager and, depending on its significance, to others with influence. It is not boasting.
Here are some guidelines:
1. Email is a good way to pass along the info, whether you received it by email or orally. If the latter, you should write a brief email, along the lines of “I heard from Joe today that he was really pleased with the results of the analysis.” If you have details, I’d add one or two sentences, like: “He found the customer interviews particularly useful.”
2. Keep it brief and matter of fact. Don’t write a long cover email detailing how hard you worked, the sacrifices you made, etc. 
3. It is okay to show some emotion. “I was so happy to get the attached feedback from Joe!”
4. Mention others who were involved, emphasizing their contributions. “The team really did a great job on this one.” “Kary really came through with some great insights!”
5. If its important feedback on an important issue or project, its fine to send your note to a broad group. If its routine, day-to-day feedback, I’d confine it to my direct boss.
6. Don’t hide the bad news. If you get some negative feedback (particularly from a customer), you should send your boss a quick, matter-of-fact note, including the remedial steps you have taken. “I heard from Ron that he was not satisfied with the response time. I’ve spoken with him and committed to putting two people on the next project.”
In business, you have to be a good self-advocate. It’s not like school where someone will eventually see the test results and realize how good you are. The onus is on you to communicate your accomplishments in ways that are professional, informative, and fair.
Good luck, Katrina. Thanks again for writing.
Best,
Tammy
What’s the First Step?
Q:
Hi Tammy—
As a manager looking to strengthen our talent strategies, what one thing would you do first?
A:
Get good at project-based work. Figure out how to use contractors, how to let employees work 3 months on and 3 off. Our research shows that that’s in more demand than, say, a 4-day week. And both young and old—over 55 and under 35—are demanding it. Make sure you’re able to make the smartest use of people who want to work differently—because there’s no escaping that many are going to work differently.
