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Published by Rachelle Disbennett-Lee
Thursday, May 23, 2002
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Go Ahead - Brag!

When I was growing up, I can remember being told not to "Toot my own horn" meaning "Don't brag." It was considered bad manners to let others know that I did something great. The problem with that is I grew up thinking that others would discover the wonderful things I did without me telling them and they would toot my horn for me. It never happened.

I can remember working very hard feeling confident that my boss knew how much I was contributing. I was shocked and disappointed when someone else got the promotion I thought would be mine. When I asked my boss about it, he told me that the person who was promoted had done much to contribute to the organization. He advised that if I wanted a promotion I would have to earn it. What I realized was my boss had no clue what I was contributing because I had not let him know. The person who was promoted was regularly letting the boss know what was being accomplished and how much they were doing. I thought this person was just a bragger and that I did not need to do this because the boss would be able to see for himself what I was doing. Wrong. The boss was busy managing everything that was happening in the organization. He was expecting and needing me to let him know what I was doing.

Not bragging about what we are doing is simply a way to diminish ourselves. Bragging is not a bad thing. It is simply a way to let others know what we are accomplishing. When we have an accomplishment, we have earned bragging rights. Bragging is part of the celebration of achieving.

Coaching

Go ahead and brag. Let others know what you are accomplishing. Celebrate your wins. Don't diminish yourself and don't wait for others to discover what you have done and brag for you. Bragging is part of owning your wins and stepping into your spotlight. When you have done something you are proud of, brag about it. Let the world know about your accomplishment and toot your own horn.

Daily Success Formula

Bragging = Celebrating your wins

Quotes

"It ain't bragging if you really done it." Dizzy Dean