Brag Better

April 6, 2020
Fineman, CEO of a leadership development and career counseling company, debuts with this approachable guide for women on how to self-promote strategically. The author addresses common reasons women don’t speak up for themselves, such as gender expectations that “minimize successes,” and advocates for those she terms the “qualified quiet” (reserved but overperforming workers) to brag louder. Fineman relates helpful tips—promoting one’s own projects to the outside world, promoting oneself in the workplace, vying for speaking engagements and television appearances—alongside her own anecdotes and some embarrassing mistakes she’s made. How to construct “brags,” like keeping statements simple and phrasing accomplishments as facts, as well as when to deploy them is also addressed. Advice includes crafting brags in a language that is natural to the bragger, citing evidence to build a case, and developing an area of expertise. The author’s plan extends to include “shine theory” which emphasizes propping up other people as part of a holistic approach to self-promotion. Readers will find scripts and tactics to aid their confidence, such as consistently promoting oneself online. Though the focus is on self-promotion, Fineman’s upbeat ideas have crossover potential for finding confidence in other aspects of life. Women entrepreneurs will love these shrewd promotion strategies.