As the department manager, you should be the number one advocate for your group. It’s your responsibility to make sure that your department gets:

  • The resources it needs to properly function
  • The appropriate respect from other parts of the company
  • Recognition for deserving people in your department for a job well done

Regarding promoting yourself, if your team is perceived as efficient, organized, important to the company, as the department manager, it will benefit you personally.

Now the cheerleader part. One way the company will know your department is doing well is by you telling them. I don’t mean being obnoxious about it, just say it in small, appropriate doses. For example, when asked casual questions by senior company leaders, such as “How is it going?” don’t say “Great, how about you?”  Instead, say “Things are going really well, for the fifth month in a row my department is 20% above our quota”.  Have four or five of these informational nuggets at the ready.  These quick informational exchanges can give your department a big boost at unexpected times. For example, the senior executive you spoke with in the last example, may need a regional manager in another part of the organization. Alternatively, at the next corporate meeting, this senior executive may use your department as a success story, bring praise and visibility to you and those within your department.

You should also be the chief cheerleader for the individuals working for you. This builds loyalty within your team toward you, and gives your team members the recognition they deserve. For example, when your boss asks “How is it going?” you can say “Great, in fact Joe just negotiated a great service agreement with one of our vendors.” This type of answer to your boss, or other executive, tells them three things:

  • First, and the most obvious, is that Joe is doing a great job
  • Second, is that you are the kind of manager that is willing to give credit to the individual members of your team
  • Third, good things are happening within your department and you are smart enough to recognize it

As chief cheerleader, you should also be showing interest, excitement and enthusiasm in your department’s role within the company, the work your group is doing and how your group is performing. This enthusiasm will raise the energy level of the people around you, including your team, your peers, and, to a certain extent, your boss.

There is one last place that you should be chief cheerleader, that’s for yourself.  It is good to be selfless and pass credit on to your group members; it is also very advantageous to be your own chief cheerleader in a humble kind of way.  You don’t want to say how great you are. Instead, learn to talk about your successes and accomplishments in a factual and matter of fact way. You can get your point across without appearing to be boasting.