This past December, I went to one of my favorite events of the year, the CSP conference. CSP stands for Certified Speaking Professional, it is a credential that takes 10 years and multiple hurdles to earn. CSP’s represent the top 3% of speakers in the world.
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That’s me earning mine back in 2018. It is amazing to be in a room of peers, connect with them, learn from them. And that is exactly what I did, once again. Actually, I did more than learn, I got schooled.
Another attendee was walking around with a printed paper with a QR code asking everyone to vote for her for the Global Guru category she was nominated in. Huh, I thought to myself, I was nominated in the communications category. Maybe I should be doing that.
Yup, I heard it too, I said “should”. In the moment, I thought, this feels a little sketchy and it made me uncomfortable. It took me a moment, but I realized it wasn’t what she was doing that didn’t sit right, it was how she was doing it. Like a bulldozer!
At the same time, I admired her initiative. But her way isn’t my way. So, I took her lead and tweaked it. After all, you know I believe you don’t get what you don’t ask for. I also believe you have to ask in a way that is authentic to you and doesn’t put a relationship at risk.
So that is exactly what I did. I created my own QR code to make it easy and then, one person at a time, I asked if they would be open to voting for me. Connecting in each conversation and taking the time to explain what it was for.
I felt good about it and the proof is in. For the third year in a row, I made the Global Gurus Top 30 Top Communications professional in the World! Thanks to this approach and the incredible support from my peers, I climbed to the 15th spot on the list, right behind the amazing Dorie Clark.
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This experience taught me that sometimes, we need to ask for what we want and share our successes. Authentic self-promotion can go a long way in helping us achieve our goals.
So, what’s the takeaway? It’s simple, never hesitate to share what you’re doing, what you are excited about, what you are proud of. People won’t know unless you tell them.
Whether you’re aiming for a promotion, launching a new project, or simply wanting to be recognized, a little self-promotion and asking for what you want, will go a long way in helping you achieve your goals.
So, what are you proud of?
Keep connecting,