The Secret Power of Bragging

You honor the accomplishments of others while neglecting, even hiding your own.

Great leaders are great at honoring others. Honor multiplies success and motivates individuals. You’re constantly scouting-out behaviors, attitudes, and accomplishments to spotlight. Honor is one of your most powerful leadership tools.


We’d all respond positively when encouraged to get out there and honor others. Honoring our own success, however, feels foreign, awkward, even wrong.


If honor encourages others why wouldn’t it encourage you? Who celebrates your success with you?

Bragging Buddy:

Jon Acuff

Connect with someone and brag to each other. Don’t compete with each other, celebrate each other’s success. Jon Acuff calls it the “bragging table.” Jon gets together with a friend to enjoy bragging sessions.

Poo Poo:

Some may think a bragging buddy dangerously promotes arrogance. Acuff suggests a private “bragging table” is safe middle ground between arrogance and feeling ashamed of personal desires to share our accomplishments.

Public honor:

  1. Never publicly brag; it’s unattractive, arrogant, and off putting.
  2. Let others publicly honor you. Gracefully receive and appreciate any honor others extend to you.
  3. Honor everyone who contributes to your success.

Private honor:

Tell a bragging buddy the things you’ve done; the things you’re proud of. Wouldn’t it be great to have someone in your life that celebrates your success with you?

What if:

What if you found a bragging buddy? What if you called and asked each other:

  1. What did you accomplish this week?
  2. What opportunities came your way?
  3. What did you do that makes you proud to be you?

What are the pros and cons of having a bragging buddy? Is this something you would consider?


During my conversation with national bestselling author of “Quitters,” Jon Acuff, he told me he regularly enjoys breakfast with a friend. They call it the “bragging table.” They honor their opportunities and successes. This post was inspired by our chat.