How to self promote without making it about you

Self-promotion isn’t about ego. It’s a kind of management.

It took me too long realize that self-promotion isn’t selfish. Staying heads-down just makes me easier to underestimate and overlook.

If I didn’t tell people about my skills, they wouldn’t know when to bring me in so I could have the most impact. Or when to just get out of my way and let the magic happen.

👆I didn't notice the extra arm holding the trophy in this image until after I'd posted it. Because elevating your accomplishments feels as unnatural as having a third arm. See what I did there? Almost like I did it on purpose. 

Talking about your wins is hard. It feels like bragging. Especially when other people think your work is confusing or boring. That’s why they hired me to do it, after all.

Having a job that's invisible when it’s done well makes it even harder to elevate the catastrophes that DIDN’T happen because of you.

“See how Jimmy showed up to work today? I did that.”

But the more self-directed your role, the more people need narrative, not updates.

The other day, I joined a TroopHR talk on self-advocacy at work, led by Kelly Roehm. Kelly gave me a lot to think about, but these three takeaways made me stop and write them down:

🤩 Make a highlight reel. 

If your work shows up in saved projects or rescued teammates, capture it. When someone thanks you for saving the day, keep the receipts. In aggregate, they paint a picture that’s just as clear as data tracked on a spreadsheet.

😶 Autonomy doesn’t mean silence.

Even if you don’t need permission or support, your peers still need to know what you’re doing. Not for credit, but for coordination. When they understand the goal and how you’re tackling it, they can clear the path, not crowd it. And when it works, they can marvel at your brilliance.

 🧱 Explain what it took.

If you’re asking for something, include what work you’ve already done to get this far. Why won’t simpler solutions work? Why is it important that someone else spend time on it? What’s the impact you’re defending? That turns your ask into a shared mission, and turns your manager into a sponsor instead of a gatekeeper.

Self-promotion isn’t a personality trait. It’s how people learn how to work with you.

How about you? How do you get visibility without feeling gross?