While Donald Trump might know the art of the deal, he’s still got a ways to go in the art of the brag. And unless you have a billion in the bank, think twice about following The Donald’s approach to self-promotion in your workplace. While I can applaud Trump for pulling off the self-promotion coup of the year, the truth is that if most of us followed his penchant for ‘truthful hyperbole’ in promoting ourselves at work, we’d have clients and co-workers running for the door. However, The Apprentice show has been a great case study in the good, the bad and the ugly of self-promotion. Here are my six tips that will show you how to brag gracefully while avoiding the bad and the ugly:

1. Get Over The Self-Promotion Myths That Hold You Back
   For most people, self-promotion is about as comfortable as having a root canal. But the truth is: if you don’t self-promote you won’t get promoted. To embrace self-promotion you need to dispel some common myths, including "A job well-done speaks for itself," “Good girls don’t brag,” “Humility gets you noticed,” “I don’t have to brag; others will do it for me,” and “Bragging is just for performance reviews.”
   
   
2. Learn The Art of The BRAG
   Most people think they have two choices when it comes to self-promotion: remaining obscure or sounding obnoxious. But there is actually an artful middle ground: a way of turning the spotlight on yourself without looking and feeling like a walking billboard. The secret to artful bragging is to describe yourself or your accomplishments with an interesting anecdote. Telling a short story—what I call a “bragologue”—is far more compelling than rattling off your accomplishments in laundry-list fashion. To figure out what makes you unique and memorable check out the “Take-12” self-evaluation questionnaire at www.bragbetter.com
   
   
3. Back Up Style With Substance
   We’ve all heard the expression “Dress for success” or “Dress the part.” That’s fine, but make sure you back up style with substance. Style without substance often feels like a charade (and most people can spot imposters within minutes). On the other hand, substance without style will put an insomniac to sleep. You need to seek a balance.
   
   
4. Focus On You
   It doesn’t always have to be we, we, we all the time. Acknowledge the importance of teamwork, then move on to say what you learned and achieved from a group project. To trick yourself out of feeling self-conscious, pretend you’re talking about a good friend instead of yourself.
   
   
5. Be Enthusiastic
   When you’ve got good news to share, let it show in your voice. If you don’t sound excited about your achievements, how can you expect others to be?
   
   
6. Accept The Praise
   Many people, especially women, have the tendency to deflect compliments that come their way. Instead, smile, look the person in the eye and say, “Thanks. Coming from you that really means a lot.” You’ll be taking the person’s compliment graciously while flattering him or her at the same time.