Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Visibility in the Workplace

Working hard and providing value should keep your career from stagnating, right? Unfortunately, sometimes it’s just not enough.

Recognition for good work starts with visibility. So, what can you do to make sure your hard work is seen by others?

Inform your manager about major milestones and accomplishments.

Your manager can provide opportunities for broader visibility and recognition – but for that, they need to be aware of the projects you own and are participating in. When you reach major milestones for projects where you have made a significant contribution, let your manager know. When you are part of a team, share the overall team accomplishment and highlight your personal contribution.

Use internal/external social media.

If your organization has an internal communications platform, use it to share your accomplishments. Shout out your thanks to others for their contributions – it will encourage people to do the same for you. Participate in external communities in your job domain or industry. Share learnings with a blog in internal and external communities – not only what went well, but things that went wrong, and how to avoid them.

[Related: Communicating With Impact: Ten Elements of Effective Messaging]

Share best practices.

Most organizations have somewhere to share best practices. When you finish a successful project, consider writing up a best practice. Volunteer to represent the team to present a best practice on an open call. Use external communities to do the same, being careful to modify content if needed to protect confidential information.

Share kudos with your manager.

When someone thanks you and gives you kudos for work well done, be sure to pass it on to your manager. If they give you verbal recognition, ask if they would mind putting it in writing. Most people are happy to send a note directly to a manager to inform them of work well done by their employee, but don’t necessarily think to do so without prompting.

Establish a relationship with your second line manager.

Your manager can be a great resource to create visibility for your successes. But sometimes, managers are more interested in taking credit themselves. Regardless, it’s good to get to know your manager’s manager. Often, second line managers will hold roundtables and town halls to get to know their extended team. Be an active participant – take advantage of Q&A to ask questions. Follow your second line manager in internal and external communications and comment on blogs.

[Related: Six Key Steps to Research Company Culture]

Ask to participate in a cross-departmental task force.

Large organizations love to launch task forces to resolve sticky questions. When change is in the air, talk to your manager about how you can participate to influence decisions. Representing your department in a task force can give you opportunities to meet new people and share your expertise outside your immediate hierarchy.

Offer to do cross-departmental training.

Are you an expert in something others could benefit from understanding better? Offer to do cross-departmental training to share your expertise. You could teach others how to read KPIs for your department, or how to work effectively with your team. Sharing your knowledge freely, formally, and informally not only demonstrates your expertise, but your goodwill.

Offer to sit in for your manager in their absence.

Who sits in for your manager when they are away? Volunteering to sit in for your manager can be a big responsibility, but it can also be a direct way to have contact with your second line manager and other managers in your organization. An alternative can be representing your boss in a regular meeting that presents a conflict for them.

Don’t be the invisible (wo)man at work. Share your accomplishments and your expertise and keep your career moving.

[Related: Want to Succeed in Your Career? Don't Just Put Your Head Down and Work Harder]

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Angela Fresne is a career and life coach. She is dedicated to helping people find more satisfaction in their lives.