Alice Leadership Development Center

Bruce Kasanoff
Opportunity Shaper, helping others turn good ideas into real opportunities.
How to Self-Promote without Being a Jerk
August 28, 2013

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Is it possible to genuinely be interested in the needs of others, and still promote yourself? Absolutely, otherwise all the good people would be starving in the streets. But doing so requires that you skip the sort of "me first", self-centered promotion that many utilize.

Here are some tips for getting the right kind of attention:

Start with the facts. Keep your resume, bio and LinkedIn profile in perfect order. Be factual, clear and complete; If you doubled sales in a year, say so.

Plenty of people do the opposite: they make boastful claims in an article or email, but their profile is lacking the most basic details.

Make it very easy for people to get facts about what you have accomplished. The key word here is "facts." Don't brag, just tell the truth.

Acknowledge others. State your accomplishments in terms of how you have helped others. If you have clients, list the ways they have benefitted from working with you. If you volunteer, be proactive in supporting your favorite non-profits. When your team wins, give credit to the other team members.

Be helpful. The best articles, blog posts, comments and discussion topics serve to help other people. The wrong way to get a new client is to say, "I'm the best, hire me." The right way is to be so helpful that it becomes obvious to others that you are someone who adds value and brings the right attitude to tough challenges.

Beware... people are very good at spotting insincere contributions. Don't simply pretend to help others; actually help them.

Share freely. Few things bother people more than a "teaser" article that forces readers to share their contact information before gaining access to more valuable content. I get the sales and marketing reasons for using such an approach, but a far better strategy is to share freely and make it easy for people to contact you if they value what you have shared.

Be expert. It is much better to be expert than to say you are an expert. If you have worthwhile capabilities, use them. Write a book that imparts genuine insights. Teach others valuable skills. Be calm and focused in stressful situations. Look for actual solutions, instead of simply parroting tired, old phrases. Use your abilities in ways that other people value.

When you don't know the answer, just say so. It is human nature to fall into the trap of thinking you have all the answers. Newsflash: no one has all the answers. If you want to earn credibility, be the first to admit when you are over your head. Even better, send people to other experts who are equipped to answer their current questions; paradoxically, doing so will raise your credibility.

One last caution... don't be full of yourself. Never use these words to describe yourself: thought leader, visionary, insightful, or genius.

And please - if you are over the age of 20, never put your GMAT, LSAT, or SAT scores on your profile. Once you get into a school, it is bad form to tell others how you did it. Listing your board scores is equivalent to saying, "I'm smart, but I lack common sense."

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Bruce Kasanoff ( on Twitter) is author of the free online career guide, Simplify Your Future. Join him at the new LinkedIn group, Helpfull Professionals, where almost 4,000 people have come together to help other people. Click the "follow" button below to see more of Bruce's articles on LinkedIn.

Image credits: All air images by Kris Klop of Clear Sky Photography. Banner by Ollyy/Shutterstock.

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Posted by:Bruce Kasanoff
Bruce Kasanoff
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Katya Andresen
President and COO/Incoming CEO at ePals
4 Ways to Teach Kids About the March on Washington
August 28, 2013

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On the 50 year anniversary today of the historic March on Washington, I wanted to share four ways you can help kids understand the significance of August 28, 1963.

NPR: At 1963 March, A Face In The Crowd Became A Poster Child does what NPR does best: showcases the voice and personal thoughts of a primary source. A photo of Edith Lee-Payne became an iconic image associated with the march. Here, she reflects on that day and how her life has played out since. Children can listen and respond to the short broadcast.
The Zinn Education Project: Claiming and Teaching the 1963 March on Washington is a myth-busting perspective on the march that challenges many of the accounts perpetuated by textbooks and other published materials. Author and labor and racial justice activist Bill Fletcher Jr. provides an informed, “behind the scenes” view.
National Archives: The March on Washington (1963) is a 20-minute, black and white archival (non-narrated) video unique in its depiction of the diversity and calm, low-key tone of the day. In an almost home movie-like view of the event, we see people arriving and mingling, and short takes of podium presenters and singers. Children will come away with a sense of the truly cooperative and non-violent nature of the gathering.
For Teachers: Cobblestone magazine (disclosure: my company owns this publication) has a dedicated March on Washington edition makes the march, its issues, politics and major players, accessible to students in the age 9-14 range. Single articles or full issues are available, and can be used in conjunction with The March on Washington: 50 Years Later, K-12 lesson plans with many layers of videos, photographs, articles and more from the Smithsonian, National Geographic and the ePals Global Community.

Posted by:Katya Andresen
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