Humblebrag
How much bragging is okay? Asking for a friend....
I am so honored to be recognized....
I am so humbled by the award I was given....
It is with great humility that I share that I was promoted to....
We are all familiar with the humblebrag and perhaps we engage in this practice ourselves from time to time. But how much is okay and when is it in poor taste?
I suppose a key question is 'Are self announcements ever appropriate?' How do we share our achievements with our colleagues without it being perceived as a brag-fest...or should we even be sharing them on social media? How do we announce our awards or recognition in good taste without it just being an act of self-promotion...or, again, should we?
Consider these thoughts:
What is the goal of your announcement? What do you hope to achieve by sharing this on social media? Are you just after the applause and nod of approval of your peers or is there a different strategic reason for sharing your news? Be clear about the WHY before you share. If this is just an ego boost consider refraining from the post on professional platforms.
2. How does this announcement move you toward a career or personal goal? If announcing your credentialing or academic achievement opens new career doors that you want opened, great. If it validates your expertise so clients feel more confident in your ability to serve, great. Be clear about the impact of this 'news' on your professional journey.
3. Avoid the feigned modesty, i.e., humblebrag. "I'm excited to share..." or "I finally achieved my goal to...." may be better sentence starters than leaning into statements like "I am humbled to..." Or "With great humility I share..."
As with everything on social media, be clear about your purpose and your strategy. Not all news has to be shared publicly on professional platforms like LinkedIn, but if you want to share, do so with intention and care.
-Mindy Muller, CFRE, President/CEO of CDP
