How to Become More Visible at Work

When first entering the workforce, some common advice you’ll hear is, “Work twice as hard as everyone else.” Many of us have been told that to excel in any role, we need to get things done efficiently and put our best foot forward. In most cases, this is true — from the onset of your career, establishing yourself as a productive and dependable person will help you build a strong personal brand and develop trust with your team. But what fewer people will tell you is this: It takes more than hard work to grow in your role and build credibility. The impact of your hard work also needs to be visible to others. Workplace visibility is vital to getting your name mentioned in the room where decisions are made, being included in career-shaping projects, and eventually, landing a promotion. If other people don’t know what you’ve accomplished, you’ll never achieve your full potential for advancement. During your first few years in the business world, figuring out how to make yourself visible can be a big challenge — especially among all the other unknowns you may be navigating. Let’s start by talking about what workplace visibility looks like, the many ways it can help you, and how you can increase it. What does it mean to be visible at work? Workplace visibility means that your work is noticed, acknowledged, and valued. While it’s not a popularity contest, the process of becoming more visible can be compared to many social hierarchies you’ve already experienced. Like attending a party, people who have the privilege of being visible experience three main interactions: the invitation (“Come to the party!”), participation (“Dance with us!”), and validation (“So glad you came – let’s do it again!”). When you have an invitation, you’re looped into important information, and are asked to be a part of projects, lead teams, and take on new roles. Participation means that you have a notable and fundamental contribution to the work. And validation means your work is valued, recognized, approved, and even rewarded with things like securing a promotion, gaining a larger purview, or being given an increased span of control. When you’re the new kid at work (just like in life), it’s not as easy to get invited to the party. That’s why you need to put in an effort from the start. How can visibility help you? There are many benefits to being visible at work. First, visibility will allow you to have more influence, which is a must-have for any aspiring leader. Let’s be clear: You don’t have to be a high-power, high-level leader to build leverage. But your visibility is built upon your ability to shape the feelings, beliefs, and actions of others. Second, workplace visibility can open the door to new opportunities that might otherwise stay closed or even hidden from you. You’ll increase your chances of being included in innovative or high-stakes projects, receive critical information or be promoted if key decision makers know who you are, what you do, and believe your work brings positive impact. Third, with visibility, you can more easily enter conversations that include people new to you. In other words, it’s a great way to expand your network. The same influencers who value your contributions can introduce you to other decision makers in other departments, cross-functional teams, or even to those in their external networks who may prove to be valuable contacts in the future. Finally, and perhaps most important, visibility can shape whether your workplace feels inclusive and engaging to you. Research shows that feeling included at work leads to higher organizational commitment and engagement. You’re more likely to have the influence to set the agenda of your work, including your focus areas, priorities, goals, and perhaps eventually, the larger strategy that defines the work for the entire organization. How do you become visible at work? You can’t be visible through solely your own efforts. To raise your profile, you need an advocate, whether that’s your manager, a mentor or a sponsor — basically, someone to invite you to the theoretical party, or a workplace “influencer.” Through these relationships you can learn the tools you need to make yourself visible (such as speaking up, growing your influence, and networking, especially in a hybrid environment.) Some experts say that no work is inherently visible or not visible, and instead, what people see depends on the context of your work. This means that the value of your work can, and will, change as organizational needs and goals change. To maintain awareness of the context of your work, ask yourself: How is my position and work viewed in the organization? What’s my reputation? Is my work connected to what’s valued, like revenue generation, increased market share, or positive shifts in company culture? Do people think of me and the work that I do when they need help with something important? Do influencers at work acknowledge, praise, and support the projects I lead? What relationships do I have with supervisors, decision-makers, and influencers, and how would I define them? These questions will help you reflect, recognize changes that can impact your visibility, and be aware of how you show up at work. You can also ask your manager or HR team for a 360 review — a valuable (and sometimes humbling) exercise during which feedback on your strengths and weaknesses is collected from your colleagues, ideally giving you actionable information to improve upon. What does becoming visible look like in practice? If you’re not sure what actionable steps you should be taking, start small by trying the strategies outlined below. Make a move. Being a visible employee requires purpose and intention. It takes action. If you’re normally someone who doesn’t talk in meetings, start speaking up or follow-up immediately afterwards with the meeting host. Remember, humility doesn’t equal silence. Share your successes, and if you’re a manager, your team’s successes, too. (If there’s no one around to hear a great idea, is it still a great idea?) Deliver quality work. It may seem obvious, but be visible for the right reasons. Do good work. When people can count on quality work from you, you’ll earn the reputation as a reliable, trustworthy, and valued, needed member of the team — all which leads to more visibility. Know what’s top of mind for key stakeholders. Be able to help and add value to the work of powerful decision-makers in your organization. Usually, these people are your senior colleagues — department head or members of the executive team. When you demonstrate that you have a skillset that can be a valuable resource to them and their work, they’ll be more likely to pay attention to your work. Ultimately, you want them to want you on their team. When you show that you can help them win, they will recruit you and invest in your success. Love to learn. Look for, ask about, and volunteer for learning opportunities that will expand your skills. All the better if those opportunities benefit key stakeholders. Does your company offer cross-departmental job rotations? Does your manager need an extra hand for a time-sensitive project? Can you volunteer to represent your team in cross-functional meetings? Seek learning opportunities that have urgent and promotable tasks. Bonus points if the project has a company-wide reach and will allow you to collaborate with senior employees who have decision-making power. Be kind. People want to collaborate with kind, thoughtful, good people. Be the person that people enjoy being around and having on their team. Experts underscore that being kind can reduce employee burnout, boost self-esteem, trigger positive emotions, and increase overall well-being. See being kind as an opportunity to hone your soft skills, like empathy, compassion, resilience and adaptability — traits that allow others to see you as approachable, collaborative, inclusive and as a valuable employee and emerging leader. Make a connection. Don’t be shy about linking up with other visible superstars at work. Do this not for a selfish intent but instead to connect and build relationships with those you admire with the intention of understanding how they earned their visibility. Work alongside them, with them, or for them. Your contributions will become more visible to them, increasing the potential to earn their sponsorship of you even when you’re not present. Plus, you’ll gain insights into how to pave your own path forward through their journeys. Remember… Visibility will garner more attention for you, which can lead to increased pressure to deliver great results and perform at a higher level. With visibility, there comes responsibility. You can no longer fly under the radar. When you put yourself out there, you transform into a role model for others. Increasing your visibility takes time. Be patient and know that as you demonstrate your expertise and commitment, people will take notice of your work, ask for your participation and input, and ultimately, acknowledge, value, and reward you for your contributions.

How to Become More Visible at Work

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