Gaby
The authors of this office life hack are researchers from Vanderbilt University, George Mason University, and the University of Pennsylvania. They believe that we should celebrate our colleagues’ successes as vividly and convincingly as we do our own. This career advancement strategy has been dubbed “double promotion” or “double advertising” by the team.
The Essence of “Double Promotion”
Humility can lead to obscurity: in recent years, this formula has been embraced by millions working in teams. In the complex world of workplace relationships, everyone occasionally engages in self-promotion.
However, psychologists argue that there’s a fine line to walk when it comes to self-praise; otherwise, you risk being seen as overly boastful or even comically arrogant.
To avoid coming off as a braggart, it’s essential to promote not only your own achievements but also those of your colleagues. Researchers assert that by employing the “double promotion” tactic, we are perceived not only as competent but also as warm and approachable.
The goal of “double promotion” isn’t merely to improve your relationship with the person you’re praising; it’s about demonstrating to a third party that you care about that individual. At the same time, you showcase your own warmth and competence, noted Dr. Eric VanEpps, one of the study’s authors.
When someone speaks positively not just about themselves but also about someone else, it leaves a touching impression—especially when that other person isn’t present. For instance, this tactic can be effectively used during a job interview where no colleagues are around, as reported by the Daily Mail.
What the Research Revealed
However, as Dr. Eric VanEpps pointed out, most people fail to utilize “double promotion” at moments in their lives when it could benefit them.
The team conducted a large-scale study involving 1,488 hiring managers who shared their extensive interview experiences. According to them, the majority of job seekers they surveyed (69.1 percent) engaged solely in self-promotion, while only 12.6 percent resorted to “double promotion.”
“It seems that people either don’t think to speak positively about others or are concerned that they will appear worse in comparison to their colleagues,” Dr. VanEpps suggested.
Previous research by the team uncovered various behavioral tactics that individuals use for self-promotion. While these tactics may create a favorable impression in one aspect, they can be detrimental in another. Thus, the researchers coined the term “self-promotion dilemma.”
Now, scientists have identified the “double promotion” tactic as a new approach to resolving the “self-promotion dilemma.”
