Effective Self Advocacy at Work

I wanted to share a small but powerful tip that can really help when it comes to advocating for yourself or communicating your accomplishments to your manager. It’s all about adding two little words: “so that.”

Here’s how it works: instead of just saying, "I created a new pivot table on this spreadsheet," you could say, "I created a new pivot table on this spreadsheet so that it saves our team at least 30 minutes on every report we do."

Those two words – "so that" – allow you to clearly explain why what you did is important and how it adds value to the team or the project.

Also, inserting "so that" makes sharing your contributions feel less like you're just talking about yourself and more like you’re showing the direct impact of your work. It shifts the focus to the results and benefits rather than just the action itself, which can help ease any discomfort you might feel about self-advocacy, yet still highlight your contribution.

And remember: it's not bragging if it's true! Your manager wants to hear about the great work you're doing. They appreciate hearing about how the team contributes, and they’re always looking for reasons to celebrate your wins and hard work. Your contributions also help them achieve their goals, so they have every reason to cheer you on.

Next time you share something you’ve done, try the "so that" approach. You might find it not only helps you feel more confident but also helps your manager see the direct value you’re bringing to the table.

Give this a try and let me know how it goes!