The 10% Rule: Why Hard Work Alone Won't Get You Promoted in Leadership - 039

In this solo episode of Launch It Leaders, host Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya⁠ challenges the deeply ingrained belief that talking about your work is arrogant or boastful. She explains that relying solely on hard work and hoping it speaks for itself is a flawed strategy, as actual productivity only accounts for about 10% of career success. Adaeze encourages women in STEM to reframe "self-promotion" as "positioning"—a necessary leadership skill that ensures decision-makers have the accurate information they need to advocate for your advancement. She provides actionable advice on how to track recent accomplishments, use empowering language (e.g., "I led" instead of "I managed"), and leverage AI tools to articulate value effectively.Who is this for?Women in STEM, corporate professionals, and emerging leaders who struggle with self-promotion. It's highly valuable for anyone who feels their hard work is going unnoticed, wants to overcome the fear of bragging, and is ready to strategically position themselves for career advancement and high-visibility projects.Key Moments & Timestamps00:05 — Intro: Why being invisible is not a virtue and how leaders position themselves for success.01:45 — The problem with deflecting praise and giving "five-word answers" about your work.03:37 — Unlearning the myth: Where did we learn that talking about ourselves is wrong?05:23 — The cost of staying quiet: Why decision-makers can't advocate for you if they don't know what you do.07:05 — Mindset shift: Replace the word "self-promotion" with "positioning."08:46 — The 10% Rule: Why your actual work and productivity only contribute to 10% of your career success.10:35 — Weekly Assignment: Write down three things you've delivered in the last 30-90 days.11:29 — Language matters: Shift from passive words ("I supported") to active leadership words ("I led," "I designed").11:54 — Resource highlight: Take the free 5-minute Leadership Edge Diagnostic.16:00 — Invitation: Book a complimentary Authority Shift strategy call with Adaeze.FAQsQ: Isn't talking about my work just bragging?A: No. Talking about your work is not bragging or arrogance; it is positioning. It is a leadership responsibility to ensure that the people making decisions about your career have an accurate picture of the value and impact you bring to the organization.Q: Will my hard work eventually speak for itself?A: Relying on your work to speak for itself is a risky strategy. Research shows that actual productivity and task completion only account for about 10% of your overall career success. Visibility and positioning make up the rest.Action StepsTrack Your Wins: Write down three significant things you have delivered or accomplished in the last 30 to 90 days.Upgrade Your Vocabulary: Review your list and replace passive words (e.g., "managed," "supported") with strong leadership verbs (e.g., "led," "designed").Leverage AI: Use tools like Gemini, ChatGPT, or Claude to help you refine how you talk about your accomplishments.Take the Diagnostic: Complete the free 5-minute Leadership Edge Diagnostic at link.africanwomeninstem.com/leadership to assess your visibility.Book a Strategy Call: If you're ready to stop being the best-kept secret, book a complimentary Authority Shift strategy call with Adaeze (link in show notes).Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leadership Edge Diagnostic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book a Strategy Call with Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya⁠⁠Follow Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow African Women in STEM on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow African Women in STEM on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the African Women in STEM Membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit the African Women in STEM Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TEDX Talk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠