Why Are People Uncomfortable With Self-promotion?

I absolutely love this piece that I was able to contribute to on the power of self-promotion. If you are an entrepreneur, particularly a woman entrepreneur and more specifically a Black woman in business self-promotion can be a difficult area to manoeuvre. People too often confuse self-promotion with narcissism (which is an extreme definition) or arrogance and whilst the lines can be blurred there is a way to publicise your achievements without becoming a narcissist. Sometimes you have to be your own biggest cheerleader, even if it feels uncomfortable because if wait for the validation of others you won't move forward. I work with my clients on their personal brand positioning and how they can harness the power of the individual personal brands to achieve their PR goals and overall business objectives.

I often find that those who avoid self-promotion often use the rationale of being shy to justify their inertia. But I don’t buy that. I think that they’re afraid to shine. We need more role models who can inspire the world, help other women to come out of their shell and start to uplift themselves and encourage each other to stand out.What’s the difference between being pushy and being self-confident? It comes down to self-awareness. If you’re pushy and generally obnoxious it will show in how you interact with people. Do you ask people how they are? Actually listen to their response and wait to hear what they have to say? Or are you just waiting for an opportunity to start talking about yourself?Being self-confident allows you to have valuable, powerful interactions with people. Self-confidence is also about acknowledging another person’s right to shine. When someone else is shining, it gives us the light and motivation to shine brightly too.

Click here to read this great piece and share your thoughts!