Build Influence by Bragging Better & More Strategically with Meredith FINEMAN, author “Brag Better” (Episode 163)

THIS WEEK’S TOPIC:   Self-promotion! Many of us were raised to put our head down, work hard, and grind it out without much thought to how we might articulate and share what we were doing, and why doing so would actually add value to the organization or project. We might assume others will notice our work. Sometimes that happens, but more often than not, others are far less focused on and understand less about your work when you don’t take some responsibility for managing your own personal PR. Frankly, it’s about understanding that some degree of self-promotion and articulating your value and accomplishments is part of your job!  Doing this well is more art than science, but there are some important tactics — including some easy things that you might be leaving on the table — that help you tell your story more effectively and that enable you to build greater INFLUENCE in the process.    THIS WEEK’S GUEST:  Meredith FINEMAN is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and public relations expert who trains individuals to brag better to achieve positive career change. Her recent book “Brag Better: Master the Art of Fearless Self-Promotion,” helps those she defines as “The Qualified Quiet ™” sharpen their vocabulary, their pitch and ultimately, their influence to get more (and often bigger) opportunities. Meredith is also the founder of FinePoint, a professional development company with a focus on visibility. She has trained at universities including Stanford, and corporates including Intel and Levi Strauss.    KEY TOPICS:  YOUR WORK WILL NOT SPEAK FOR ITSELF: Why not articulating your contribution could prevent you from bringing even more value to the organization or project.  LEVERAGE “LOW-HANGING FRUIT”: So many folks leave opportunities to articulate their value and their work on the table. Meredith shares some suggestions for easy things we often overlook.  BIOS: We talk about why they matter, how you can make them more powerful, and just how many do you need? The answer to that last question is MO