Effective self-promotion has been identified as a key success factor for entrepreneurs as well as those climbing the corporate ladder, both men and women. But for women, self-promotion is a more complex issue, and there is more to consider than the exhortation to “just do it.” Women cannot self-promote in the same unselfconscious way that many men seem to be able to. Not only do women naturally resist, finding it very difficult to do, there is also more risk for them in self-promotion because of cultural norms and very legitimate concerns about potential backlash. In fact, women do experience social and economic penalties for exhibiting “gender incongruent” behaviors like self-promotion, even though it is known to be necessary for professional success. This is a classic double-bind situation for self-promotion in the professional setting; women are very likely to be damned if they do and doomed if they don’t.

Please join us on October 18th to more thoroughly discuss and understand the issues around self-promotion, share your insights, and to identify methods and strategies for minimizing the risks and reaping the benefits of effective self-promotion for women.