Read time: 2.5 mins
How do you feel about talking about yourself?
Promoting yourself?
Selling yourself?
If any of those feel uncomfortable, or hard, this issue is for you.
Self-advocacy makes a lot of people feel icky – but it doesn’t have to.
And it’s ESSENTIAL to building the career you want.
Let’s get into it:
Advocating for yourself simply means being able to communicate your accomplishments and goals, build relationships, and put yourself forward for new opportunities.
But most of us worry about sounding like we’re full of ourselves, not a team player, or just a bit of a self-centered jerk.
But it doesn’t have to mean any of those things.
You can do it without feeling gross.
Here are 3 insights to help:
3 INSIGHTS TO STOP FEELING GROSS ABOUT ADVOCATING FOR YOURSELF
1. Remember why it’s worth doing
No one is going to create the career you want for you.
First, they don’t know what you want.
And even if they did, what’s the likelihood they’re going to hand it to you on a silver platter?
This is about you taking your career into your own hands, and there’s nothing gross or icky about that.
It’s a necessary act of strength, empowerment, and determination.
And if you’re still not convinced, would you ever tell your best friend or child not to advocate for themselves?
If not, how are you any different?
2. Change your intent
It helps if the intent of your advocacy is to benefit others as well as yourself.
Almost everyone responds better to advocacy when it’s not self-centered.
Example:
When you pitch an idea that benefits you, start by highlighting the benefits to the company or other individuals.
“This issue is becoming a very big thorn for our customers. I’d love to lead a team to solve it, and I think my skills in (x) and (y) would really help get the outcomes we need.”
3. Focus on language and tone
If you keep your words positive, fact-based, and solutions-focused, and use a tone that reflects humility and respect, it not only feels better, it sounds better too.
When you’re advocating for yourself, you don’t need to pretend you’re perfect or that you know it all.
Ask for advice as you offer to take on more responsibility and commit to a learning process.
Example:
“I think I can make an impact in achieving (x) for the business. I would love your advice as I work through it and the roadblocks that I’m sure will come up.”
For the action takers:
- Spend 2 minutes now pinpointing something that you can advocate for yourself for (e.g. new responsibilities, skills development, a raise, promotion, etc.).
- This week, take a punt and give it a go, using any of the techniques above. It really helps to think about and practice the language you want to use beforehand too.
We would love to hear what you’re going to try, and don’t forget to reach out if you get stuck.
Thanks so much for reading!
Speak soon,
Lynne and Steve
TLDR
- No one should be a stronger advocate for you than you.
- Self-advocacy only feels icky if you do it in an icky way: focus on shifting your mindset, then advocate for yourself with the right intent, language, and tone.
