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HR can help to level the playing field between quiet achievers who are easily overlooked, and over-confident leaders who are prone to exaggeration, a culture and leadership specialist says.

And because both research and her own experience shows women are generally more reluctant than men to promote themselves, this will also help boost gender balance across leadership, Dr Mel Milton-Smith says.

Milton-Smith, an executive coach with a PhD in communications and cultural studies, says this self-advocacy reluctance is often a learned behaviour, based on leaders' upbringing and social and cultural norms.

It's important for some leaders to understand that sharing relevant achievements isn't showing off, provided they're using clear evidence to support their achievements – namely, "qualitative and quantitative data", she says...