Peggy Klaus by Brag!: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It Page B

Brothers suits. My hunch was right: The same skills actors use to make their performances dynamic are exactly what business people need in their communication. My friends were happy. Their bosses were happy. And I was happy because I really liked it, was good at it, and I could actually make money doing it. (What a concept!) I began getting calls from their friends and colleagues who had seen the improvements in them. And when a dear friend of my husband’s was starting a management-consulting firm, I was asked to train her consultants in stand-up skills and marketing. I did a great job, so they referred me to their big corporate clients. I was hired to coach executives who had the Gerald Ford syndrome: They couldn’t walk and talk at the same time. At the beginning this was a natural fit because of my background, but it has eventually evolved from just helping professionals give presentations to also working with them on interpersonal communication skills in areas like conflict management and leadership development. I train groups as large as several hundred to just a few people, and often one on one. I also have special programs in women and leadership, and recently have been invited to academia to torture those poor souls at Wharton and UC Berkeley’s Haas MBA programs.>
    As you have read through my week of bragologues and brag bites, I’m sure you noticed that many key pieces in my brag bag were recycled. The situations dictated which colors and flavors I pulled out of the bag and also determined how long I took to weave “The Peggy Klaus Story.” The more options you have in your brag bag, the easier it is to talk about yourself wherever you go and to make a lasting impression on whoever you encounter.
    So Who Do You Want to Impress?
    At a bragging workshop a woman raised her hand and said, “I’ve only been on the job six months, so there is no one that I really need to brag to other than my boss.” I asked, “But aren’t there some other people you would like to impress?” She was silent. “Look at it this way,” I said. “Think about your career goals for the next six months, the next year, and the next three years.” She responded that her goals included a promotion in the next nine months and eventually running the division. “So whose radar do you need to be on to ensure success?” I asked. She suddenly rattled off ten names of people within the firm and outside the firm, everyone from the CEO to professionals she had met in trade groups.
    Great self-promoters are prepared to brag with anyone, anywhere, anytime. But it’s also important to focus on a few key contacts, people who can make a difference in your career, and then make it a point to get in front of them. Ask yourself: Who can help me meet my goals? Of course, if you’re working, you will naturally include your boss. But go beyond just him or her. Is there a colleague who has contacts? Is there an association with key members who might be important to your future? Is there a prospective customer who could become a real feather in your cap? Is there someone in your neighborhood who is highly influential in your field and worth getting to know better? Is there someone in human resources or a head-hunter who could be helpful?
    Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many people at once. Choose five to begin with and make it your business to get to know them. First learn everything you can about their backgrounds—maybe a speech they made, where they live, whether they have kids, causes, or hobbies they are particularly passionate about. Details like these will provide a greater number of entry points for approaching them, striking up a conversation, and building a personal relationship. Approach this project with the attitude of making new friends, recognizing that the results will build over time. Remember the saying “It’s not what you know, but who you know” … and with bragging, it’s who knows you!

CHAPTER 3
    The Business of