The Grit & Grace Leadership Podcast

Embracing Self-Promotion: Lisa's Guide to Celebrating Your Successes and Elevating Your Career

• Jen Kelly • Season 2 • Episode 17

Share episode

Struggling to showcase your value without feeling like you're bragging? In this episode, Lisa Bragg, author of Bragging Rights: How to Talk About Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion, reveals how to turn self-promotion into a powerful tool for career growth.

Lisa shares her journey from TV reporting to becoming an advisor and author, offering strategies to communicate your achievements effectively. Learn how to showcase your work, target the right audience, and leverage social media and networking events to boost your visibility.

We'll also explore how to ensure individual success doesn’t overshadow team efforts and how to create a culture of recognition through practices like 'brag sessions.' By the end of this episode, you'll feel empowered to celebrate your wins and advocate for yourself confidently and authentically.

Follow Lisa Bragg:
Website: www.lisabragg.com
Instagram: @lisabragg
LinkedIn: lisabragg/

Purchase Bragging Rights:
Amazon.ca
Amazon.com
Indigo.ca


For us for actionable tools & tips for your leadership journey
Instagram @Grit.Grace.Podcast
Follow our LinkedIn Page
Website: www.thegritandgrace.co


Jen Kelly:

Joining us today is Lisa Bragg, author, speaker and advisor. Through her research, lisa's uncovered that discomfort with self-promotion is a universal challenge, especially for women.

Lisa Bragg:

You know, so many of us have been taught to wait your turn or to be nice, and being nice means that you give your credit away. We've been taught. You know, if your work were that good, it would speak for itself. Well then my work isn't that good, because nobody's talking about my work. So then I'm going to work harder and I'm going to do more things, and then we start on the cycle, and then we're looking for this external validation.

Jen Kelly:

It's time to stop hiding. Learn how to talk about your work with authenticity and confidence. Let's dive in. Lisa, welcome to the podcast. Lisa has literally written a book on how to talk about success. Her book Bragging Rights how to Talk About your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion, was released in May. You're a speaker, advisor, professional mentor. You have founded MediaFace, which is a Toronto-based consulting firm, and you're also, in a previous life, a TV reporter. So, first and foremost, welcome to the show. We're thrilled to have you here.

Lisa Bragg:

So glad we're here, and I've just enjoyed your other episodes too. So so many things to listen to.

Jen Kelly:

Oh, thank you so much. Well, I'm excited because you know, listen, this is a topic that I have had to personally put a lot of time and investment skill does not come naturally to me. I can boast all I want talking about products or companies that I work for, but when it comes to my own personal achievements, I have to work a little harder at that and be very mindful. So we do have a lot to dive in. But I want to first set the context, because bragging can have many connotations, but as it relates to your work and the content we're going to continue to talk about. How should we think about bragging?

Lisa Bragg:

So bragging means how to talk about one's success with pride. But the reframe is that pride also means justified self-love. So that's that give yourself that pat on the back, that big hug. It's justified. And where we get confused is self-aggrandizement. It's a mouthful, and that's actually where we see that puffery, that ickiness that I'm better than you. All that kind of stuff comes in self-aggrandizement. So I would really love to liberate the word brag, because we have bragging rights, which we say and self-aggrandizement. So you know, I would really love to liberate the word brag, because we have bragging rights, which we say hey, your team has bragging rights. We say that as something that we want and we want to cheer people on so that they have bragging rights. So we're, we just need to find our language and finesse things a little bit more. So I would love to liberate bragging a bit more.

Jen Kelly:

Well, you use self-promotion and purposeful self-promotion a lot in this book, and how should we think about purposeful self-promotion? I know many people think about you know I'm either talking about my achievements, my work or my personal brand. But let's start with the definition.

Lisa Bragg:

So self-promotion I figure it is so bragging is what is it the success thing that I want to talk about? And self promotion those are the tactics that I want to get out into the world. Am I going to be on more podcasts? Am I going to write a newsletter, send out emails? Am I going to really do more on social media, commit this year to doing more on social media? Or am I going to pick up the phone and call someone or go to a networking event? So self promotion is the way.

Lisa Bragg:

So it's not a social media book and it's not all about social media, because so many of us it's a thing to do, but it's not the thing for everyone. And what I talk a lot about, too, is that we want to narrow cast instead of broadcasting, and so social media is one of those broadcasting tools. But really, how do we think about that audience we want to serve and that's why I want it to be purposeful who do you actually want to reach? And it could be an audience of all of the internet, which is unrealistic for us, but it could be an audience of one. Who is that one person that you really want to reach and be in their sun who is that person and then trying to get in contact with them because it's really, it can come down to life-changing results can be one person, and so when we think, instead of broadcasting to everyone, I have to put out social media posts every day, I'm going to be a social media guru.

Lisa Bragg:

No, it's really about how do I get in front of that person that I am meant to serve, and really what it's about bragging and self-promotion. It's really about how I am meant to serve. If I can tell the world this is how I am of service, then they're going to use me. But so many people that I've connected with and writing the book and in all these podcasts and everything that I'm doing now, we don't tell people how we are of service. So then they go down the hall to that mediocre person instead of finding us, and so that's why we need to talk about our successes, so that people know what we are the awesome person that they need to come to for, however, we're meant to serve.

Jen Kelly:

What was the journey like for you, pivoting from being an interviewer in television to now you're out here talking about your book and having to kind of come across very differently. So what was that journey like for you?

Lisa Bragg:

Every day. It's a practice and that's that's why I am my book and people are saying like well, aren't you beyond that? You know what it's a practice? Because so many of us we've been taught put your head down, do good work and eventually someone will notice you.

Lisa Bragg:

And as a journalist back in my day, we weren't supposed to be part of the story. Yes, I was in there and I'd be at the scene and do whatever it was, but it was always about the audience, the people who were in my story and featured, and so I didn't talk about myself. People really didn't know a lot about me, and so it was really actually quite hard to move from journalist and then into a business owner, because then I put my business owner hat on and I was the company, and so I didn't know where media face my content, company, what started and ended and where did I start. And so I was. You know, I just had that CEO label, entrepreneur on my head, and that was what I did and I fed everything into the company. Yeah, and that's that's a problem.

Lisa Bragg:

If you're not an entrepreneur with a company, you work inside an organization, and so you might say, well, I'm a director, I'm a VP, I'm a manager, I'm a leader and that is your end. All be all titles. But titles are fleeting, and so I found it really hard to go from you know, not talking about my success, and really everyone, it's all for the team into saying, well, no, I need to start claiming credit, because then people know how I am of service. I would love it if people could just find me on my tiny piece of the internet. Just come to my website, find me there. It doesn't work that way, don't you wish it would like? Come on, find me. So we have to go and do the work and put effort behind it and know that sometimes you are going to fall off and not, you know, do whatever the book says to do for a little while, but then you come back to it and realize, okay, I'm going to start again and keep moving forward.

Jen Kelly:

So in your work with people, especially women, who may feel uncomfortable about talking about their achievements. What's at the root of this?

Lisa Bragg:

You know, so many of us have been taught to wait your turn or to be nice and being nice means that you give your credit away and you know there's no I in team, but there is I in credit. We've been taught to if you're that good, your work would speak for itself. Or to really truly believe in meritocracy, which doesn't quite work unless you're close to power, and so these things are often ingrained in us. You know, we want to be kind to each other, but we end up giving away too much when we're too nice, and so I think there's a challenge with us that we've been conditioned, you know. You know, if your work were that good, it would speak for itself. Well then, my work isn't that good because nobody's talking about my work or I'm not getting that promotion. So then I'm going to work harder and I'm going to do more things, and then we start on this cycle and then we're looking for this external validation. So it becomes this whole thing instead of saying, wait a minute, you know what I need to do self-promotion I need to talk about my successes. I need to brag to myself first, and that's some of the ways that we can get over it. But I found.

Lisa Bragg:

At first, I thought is it a white Canadian woman's problem? You know, like is it my problem that you know my last name is brag? Do I just feel insecure where I don't want to talk about myself? You know, I'm going to just keep working harder. And so I realized, though, through my international research, that it's not just my problem, it's actually global. So many people who went to my research said yes, it's me.

Lisa Bragg:

Bragging is icky, you know, you don't talk about your successes.

Lisa Bragg:

You wait for others, but in this day and age, we can't wait for anyone else, because everyone's so busy with their own lives, doing their own things. You know, we can't even remember what we wore or ate yesterday, so how do we expect other people to do that for us? And, frankly, nobody cares about your future, the way you do so, having compassion for yourself, knowing that it's generational. You know we went to factories as a long time ago, but we went into factories and we were told to be cogs in the machine, and it's only now that we're saying, ok, no, no, no, no. Now you need to talk about yourself, because you are back to being. You know you are your own product in this knowledge economy. So how do you get out there and sell yourself, especially when people don't necessarily understand what you do and all the strengths that you have? But compassion for yourself and for the next person too, who isn't really good at self-promotion yet either understanding and asking and helping them along the way. But it's a, it's a challenge.

Jen Kelly:

Yeah, and the pitfall too. And maybe it started in school with like, put your head down, work hard, your teacher will notice you, the grades will come. That has translated into the workforce, where it's this like overexertion, proving oneself, but then there's the resentment and the anger that starts building of like why can't this person see or notice, like everything that I'm doing and why should I have to?

Lisa Bragg:

Yeah, that is such a good understanding of it, though, but we are taught in school here's the rubric but it doesn't apply when we're in real life too. So it's very much ingrained, and that's where we also get these perfectionist tendencies, where we have to be perfect, because that's what we're used to from school, where nowadays, you know I talk about 75% is the new. A hundred percent, like just if you are in most positions. Right, if we're an architect, we have to be a hundred percent, but most of the time, our effort that we give the people who listen to your podcast, they're already giving a hundred percent.

Lisa Bragg:

Or, let's use some sports terms 115%. You're already giving that and more. But if we dial it down and just say you know what, I'm gonna try this at 75%, it's gonna be scary to do that, because you're used to giving everything, your all, but I bet nobody will notice that you've shaved off 25%. It's shrinkflation. Try that. Try it a little bit to see how it feels to just give something that it's good enough. Ship it, as Seth Godin talks about.

Jen Kelly:

I would say the 75%. I get there faster because I'm not in my head kind of worrying about all of the what ifs in the lack of perfection, and so even in that you know the 75% is 25% better because of that dynamic shift. Right, what are some practical techniques for promoting oneself without coming across boastful?

Lisa Bragg:

well, I don't use the word boastful too much. It's uh, it's an interesting word. I find it that's the word that I go to when people aren't really doing things well. So instead of saying self-aggrandizement, you know, boastful. I think it's such a tricky word, though all of this is tricky because it's so much about context. So it's context of where people are.

Lisa Bragg:

So you and I can talk about having podcasts, but to someone else listening behind us, they may want a podcast, and hearing us talk about it might conjure up some feelings to them. Or, you know, we might be homeowners or going to a cottage or traveling, and it's so. It depends on the person you're talking to, and so it's the context you're in. Or we might be homeowners or going to a cottage or traveling, and so it depends on the person you're talking to, and so it's the context you're in. That's why so often our families don't understand us. They don't understand what we're doing and we're getting up to Families.

Lisa Bragg:

It's often an interesting dynamic of support or no support at all, and it's context-based, because they don't understand the world you're in, and so you can easily brag to people who are in the same context as you, but it's different. So that's where you have to understand who am I talking to and what? What is it that I want to convey? And that's why so often we don't speak about our successes because we're not talking to the right audience or we think that our audience doesn't want to know. And in my research I also found that there's. If you don't tell people who want to know about your successes, they'll get upset.

Jen Kelly:

Let's say you're working in an organization and been part of a team and maybe that team you know their work isn't always visible or seen team and maybe that team you know their work isn't always visible or seen. What are some ways in your book that you know people can showcase their own individual contributions? But offset that with other dynamic too, so that people might feel more comfortable talking about their contribution and not defer to the team dynamic.

Lisa Bragg:

Yeah, we so often just give it away. We do, and there's. You know, like Tom will have been the project hero last time, but Tom goes on paternity leave and so we're doing all the work, but who comes back with donuts at the very last minute to join that meeting? Tom. So who gets all the success and the kudos? Tom, because credit goes where credit knows, and so that's where we have to leave the trail that we are involved in things all the way along. Otherwise credit will just go to Tom again.

Lisa Bragg:

So we need to start sending out signals that we are involved in projects, and so letting your leader know that you're participating, following up with a meeting after the meeting and saying you know, thank you, and here's what I'm up to letting people know more frequently what you're up to is really important. Understand your leader's agenda, like what does she really want, and then finding those ways that you can reinforce it. But it's really hard with credit, because we also don't want to be a team of saying that's my credit, that's my credit, that's me, it's how do I help you shine and how do I also shine along the way. And so I often teach you know leaders how to make sure that their team is saying you know what, here's my success, but here's what Jen did, so making sure as a leader, you say, hey, lisa, what did you do? And I did this, so, and then who would you give credit to? Ah, and then you often see them pause. Your team will pause, because then they'll be like, oh my goodness, I have to actually think about someone else.

Lisa Bragg:

And then when they say, hey, jen did all these things, then you also realize who is really doing all the work behind the scenes instead of that one person, because it's so easy to assume credit when something's polished and ready to go. But when you ask those questions, so who would you give credit to for all this work? You know, besides yourself, who else. And that then leads to so much more information. I had people in the research report that they had. People essentially take the research, take the information out of their desk, put their name on it and hand it in, like that still happens today. And so asking some good questions as a leader will help really unveil who's doing what behind the scenes. But as an individual contributor, you want to make sure that you're following up and letting your team know what you're participating in, how you're doing with it and making sure that you're giving credit to other people, because when we shine a spotlight on others, it comes back to us.

Jen Kelly:

I've also seen people do this very well under back to the context is you know very well under back to the context is you know, piping up in a meeting with what you're working on, but then also showcasing the context of the insight, what I've learned, what the customers are saying, like drawing value to the whole group based on what you're working on too, is another way to kind of thread that needle.

Lisa Bragg:

And that's a great point, because that's where we need to be collecting those testimonials and listening when our clients say something. When that customer says something, are you capturing that in some way? Oh, they think that's good and of course, we're always looking to what do we need to improve. But when someone gives you a compliment, when you're finishing something and you're hearing those good words, make sure you're grabbing them. Start a brag book where you're collecting all these great ideas from your clients or from other contributors, like what else are people saying?

Jen Kelly:

Yeah, where do people fall down? As it relates to this particular topic, though, what are pitfalls to avoid, I would say, as it relates to sharing your wins, Well, we get into self-deprecation mode.

Lisa Bragg:

We'll say somebody will give us a compliment or we'll say a success, but then right away it will be all the things that went wrong behind the scenes. So self-deprecation very few people can actually execute self-deprecation well, and so for many leaders they should avoid it. We think we're being humble by it and being funny, but actually we're modeling something that's not healthy for our team and it's not good for us. So many of us we're already in a position where we are humble and we have way too much humility, and so we go into self-deprecation mode. And so we'll say a win, and you know, or we'll thank somebody for an award or whatever it is that we have.

Lisa Bragg:

And then we we'll say but here's all the problems that went along with it. My hair wasn't good, you know, I need to lose 10 pounds, or or. But this, this part, I didn't do this one part quite well, you know. And then so it's like but nobody, nobody was gonna bring that up. But we want to serve that up so that we're less than and I challenge you on that because we think that we're more likable. But meanwhile often it just leads us to being hidden gems that other people can use our work and get ahead further, farther, faster, on our work.

Jen Kelly:

So what have you seen? Work well in organizations that leaders can put in place with their teams to really help people feel comfortable with self-promotion.

Lisa Bragg:

Well, doing an exercise, that's. It sounds pretty easy but actually it's. It's a tough one. But helping your team realize how they're remarkable, like what makes them remarkable, and beyond the, you know I'm a good parent, um, kind of thinking, a good dog parent, whatever it is. But beyond that, that goes into who you are, especially in your career, like what is it about you that makes you remarkable? Because it's hard to compete now on who's the best, things, like that, but it's, it's what makes you remarkable, what makes you distinct.

Lisa Bragg:

And so asking your employees, but taking time to allow them to talk about their successes, what wins do you have? We're so quick to talk about failures. Right now, failure has been one of those great big things that always keeps getting in. Business periodicals Talk about failure, but we don't have enough talk about success. And because so many of us are afraid to talk about success, it makes it hard because then we're afraid through and through. Failure is hard, success is hard, and a lot of people actually find it easier to talk about their failures than talk about your successes. We have more people that we would tell our failures to than tell our successes to. So that's challenging.

Lisa Bragg:

So, as a leader, well, get the book. Chapter 13 is all for you on how you help your teams to talk about their successes. But do a brag session where you have everyone say here's something I want you to know about my successes, and allow people to riff off of that and talk about it and then have the team say, yes, that's true, and more. And then go around again and so each person tells something that they feel is a success story. So things like that. That might be a bit of a leap, but allowing a culture of people talking about credit, taking credit, giving credit, is critical for a healthy organization, but it starts with you demonstrating and making sure that you're watching for credit. It's hard because I always worry about putting more work on leaders at this point in time where they have so many more things, but you will have a much healthier climate in your culture if you start helping recognize your employees more and more.

Jen Kelly:

As you see the world changing, you know the landscape of the business world is changing.

Lisa Bragg:

Where is this really benefiting people in their careers, in this moment in time, all of a sudden, something happens in your career where you want to make a massive pivot, but you haven't left anything along the way. Not breadcrumbs, because that's something that goes away, but what markers are you leaving, markers of success, so that people can say, oh okay, she does deserve this. And I always tell people to market to where you want to go. Again, we worry so much about our reputation where we were, but where do you want to go? And we need to start today signaling those things. Instead of worrying about the past, signal to the future what you want to do, and so that's what I would say is looking where do I want to do, where do I want to go, and start moving towards that, making sure that, if you are on social media, that you're finding the people who are doing what you want to do, or who would be the clients of what you want to do, and starting to figure out who they are, where they play and get in their sun more. So that would be something I'd start to say right now. But right now, with this landscape, there's so many things I think.

Lisa Bragg:

Being a human, we're humans. Helping humans is critical as technology becomes more and more infused in our lives. Who thought it could be more? But that's where so many people are making content that is just AI driven. I challenge you to make sure, even if you are using technology to assist you and to get going on it faster to make sure that you have that human, helping, human lens on everything that you do and not just letting AI write it for you, because I think there's going to be a sniff test People can tell the words of it. So making sure that it's your own, but bring your humanness to everything that you do. I think we're also moving beyond just everything in the head. You know much more to heart and to your gut, your soul, your intuition, whatever you want to call it. But that vibe, your vibration, all those things come into play more and more. So now people can feel you, they can sense you. I think we want to be in, be more with humans to as we get more into technology.

Jen Kelly:

Well for everyone. I suggest picking up bragging rights. It's a reflection of the times and we are ready to go to new heights as a culture. We will link all of your details in the show notes so that people can find you and connect with you. So congratulations on all of your fantastic success.

Lisa Bragg:

Thank you, I'll be cheering you on, appreciate it thank you for joining us.

Jen Kelly:

Don't forget to follow us on instagram and linkedin, where we transform the wisdom from our podcast into practical tips, tools and takeaways for your leadership journey. Find us at gritgracepodcast. See you next week.