How to Identify Your Team or Organization’s Purpose
7 Ways to ReWire Your Brain and Become a Better Leader

Guest post by Joel Garfinkle

Why would you want to increase your visibility at work?

Why not just let your work speak for yourself?

You can’t expect to get ahead if people don’t notice you.  

…and it’s never safe to assume that decision-makers are aware of your accomplishments.

Increasing your visibility doesn’t require constant bragging and acting like you’re “self-promoting.”

Here are six tips to make yourself more visible without being overbearing.

    1. Share your accomplishments through writing. With the ubiquity of email, it’s easy to write a message updating your team members on a project, including how your work is affecting its progress. Be sure to copy a supervisor on the message. Also, thank people in writing by explaining how their work or suggestions have helped you do your job better. It makes them feel good about their work and reflects well on you.

 

    1.  Write out notes of what you want to say before meetings. If you know that you’ll be speaking at a meeting or event, take the time to write out what you want to say beforehand. When you have something prepared, it makes it more likely that you will speak, and that you say what you mean.

 

    1.  Think before you speak. When you can’t prepare remarks ahead of time, always give yourself time to think before you speak at meetings. People listen to and respect others who can clearly articulate their ideas. If you don’t want to miss an opportunity to say something, ask a question first and then think through your statement while listening to the response.

 

    1.  Master the art of small talk. Some people shy away from small talk, but it’s the glue that binds an office together. Chatting with others gives you the opportunity to build stronger relationships and discuss what you’ve been doing. If small talk is difficult, prepare a number of open-ended, work-related questions that you can use to start conversations.

 

    1.  Schedule one-on-one meetings. Especially if you have a difficult time being yourself in group meetings, ask colleagues and supervisors if you can schedule private meetings with them. One-on-ones are a great opportunity to talk about your work and how it affects the company.

 

  1.  Volunteer for committees and events. Many professionals are rightfully concerned about being productive, but committees and events have their place. Participating in a committee or helping to host a conference or charity event translates to an abundance of networking opportunities. Committees and events give you the opportunity to meet new people, talk about your work, and put your name and face in front of people who wouldn’t normally notice you.


About Joel Garfinkle

Joel Garfinkle is recognized as one of the top 50 leadership coaches in the U.S. As an executive coach he has worked with many of the world’s leading companies, including Google, Amazon,  Deloitte, Oracle and Ritz-Carlton. He is the author of seven books, including Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level. Learn more about his books, executive coaching services and over 300 FREE articles at www.GarfinkleExecutiveCoaching.com. You can also subscribe to his Fulfillment@Work newsletter and receive the FREE e-book, 41 Proven Strategies to Get Promoted Now!”

A personal note from Jesse: I really enjoyed Joel’s excellent new book, Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level. It’s an easy read, packed with helpful advice. I am delighted to host his guest post, one example of the kind of clear, practical advice he offers.

How to Identify Your Team or Organization’s Purpose
7 Ways to ReWire Your Brain and Become a Better Leader

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