Can you help me? Where’s the line between confident and cringey? Between self-promotion and egotistical self-expression?
The answer is likely different for everyone. Cringey to some might be confidence to others.
When I scroll my social media feed, it’s a big highlight reel of humblebrags and personal PR campaigns.
Over my career, I’ve experienced my share of shameless self-promoters. Those whose personal PR machine is always on. Personally, I’ve never felt comfortable being ‘that’ person. Not judging. Just reporting.
Unless I’m in a performance review or a job interview, talking about my accomplishments feels… awkward. Is this you too?
In The Art of Self-Promotion, executive coach Debby Stone flips the script—showing us (especially introverts) how to share our professional value gracefully with confidence and authenticity, not arrogance.
🎯 What’s the Book About?
155 pages. 🙄 Seriously, it’s a guide for professionals who want to speak up for themselves, build their reputations, and take charge of the trajectory of their careers—without pretending to be someone they’re not.
📘 In a hurry or want a recap? Each chapter ends with an at-a-glance summary that includes:
🔹 TO KNOW – the main takeaway
🔹 TO EXPLORE – thought-provoking questions to dig deeper
My Top 3️⃣ Takeaways
- Self-promotion isn’t selfish and doesn’t have to feel icky. It’s strategic. You need to tell your story with consistency and in compelling ways—because no one else will do it as well as you can.
- Authenticity wins. You don’t need to inflate your value—just express it clearly and with confidence.
- Self-promotion is a skill that takes time to develop. First, get crisp about your strengths and your value. Then, learn to reframe how you share your value. Focus on your contributions and their impact, not just what you did. It’s about impact, not activity.
💡 Wish I’d Thought of This Earlier
Stone suggests reframing your performance review—not just to reflect; it’s also to look forward.
Use the conversation as a launchpad to shape the story you want others to hear about your goals and growth.
🚀 What You Can Do Now
✔️ WRITE your “headline”—a 1-2 sentence summary of what you bring to the table.
✔️ REFLECT: What’s your “To Know” from today? What’s one thing “To Explore?”
✔️ SHARE a recent win in a way that highlights impact, not ego.
The Art of Self-Promotion, Tell Your Story. Transform Your Career is a good read for anyone who’s done great work quietly in the background. It’s time to step forward—and articulate your story with grace, confidence and purpose.
🤔 Curious about Al’s Ripple Effect at Cox?
The photo above… in the one hand, I hold The Art of Self Promotion, which is the subject of this article, and in the other Al’s Ripple Effect at Cox, which will be the subject of a future article.
In the meantime, Al’s Ripple Effect was a precious gift given to me by dear colleagues and friends just before leaving Cox Enterprises.
What’s the connect to self-promotion? Well, that book contains things said to and about me by many of the people I worked alongside over the past decade. The content is extraordinary and humbling at the same time. And the fact that people made the time to contribute to and create the publication speaks volumes more than anything I could do on my own.
While Al’s Ripple Effect at Cox isn’t available anywhere books are sold, it’s affirming to gain some insights into the impact I’ve had in the world and a testament to the power of relationships.
If you’d like to experience the ripple effect for yourself, consider connecting with me on LinkedIn.
Inspire on!
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