10 Ways To Toot Your Own Horn At Work

10 Ways To Toot Your Own Horn At Work A vice president recently told me that when he acknowledges his employees’ accomplishments, many of them belittle their success with such comments as “Oh, that was no big deal” or “What a fluke.”Many business professionals negate compliments, often because they don’t want to be perceived as braggarts or as suffering from too big an ego.Bragging is obnoxious boasting, and is usually done by people who want to let you know how great they think they are. This includes the technique known as “humblebrag” â€" its practitioners still brag, but try to disguise it as being humble or mildly self-deprecating. This is usually achieved by admitting to a minor flaw while really drawing attention to the big-brag item. Bragging of any kind is not the way to impress colleagues, or bosses. However, I do believe that tactful and appropriate self-promotion is a business skill. Learning when and how to speak well of yourself is a key to getting and staying ahead.Listed below are 10 ways to toot your own horn, including accepting compliments, without being insufferable:1. Accept compliments.evalWhen I complimented a vice president on his handwriting, he responded, “Oh, that’s my pen!” When you negate a compliment evalSimply describe what you did, such as, “Using the new numbers from our field offices, I was able to cut our costs by a quarter.”6. Use comparisons.I once coached a manager on how to use her experience preparing for the Boston Marathon as a way to answer questions about how she would prepare for a company’s market expansion. The comparisons were legitimate and helpful to her audience â€" and, of course, the higher-ups were quite impressed by the fact that she ran a marathon.7. Enter competition and apply for awards.Winning awards is a way for people who know you, but especially those who don’t know you, to find out about your talents. It builds your credibility.8. Weave your accomplishments into conversation, when appropriate.I sometimes us e my experiences to illustrate key teaching points in my classes, and by doing so I highlight my accomplishments. For example, when discussing how important it is to prepare for an overseas assignment, I will mention how I prepared for my trip before I spoke at a ground-breaking women’s seminar in Kuwait.9. Post your accomplishments on your social media sites.evalHowever, be careful not to mention the same accomplishment over and over. You can overdo it, and this will make you sound like a braggart. Remember, there is a balance: You also must speak of other things, not just about what you do well.10. Speak well of others, too.This is a gracious thing to do, and is usually appreciated by the other people involved. Plus, when you praise others’ achievements, your comments about yourself won’t seem out of place. (But don’t praise someone if it isn’t warranted. Others will know, and you will appear phony.)Additional information on building your career can be found in my new bo ok, The Essentials of Business Etiquette: How to Greet, Eat, and Tweet Your Way to Success (McGraw-Hill).