Don’t restrict your career growth to your boss or even the company you work for. If you do, you are limiting your career and future to their limitations, not yours.
I was speaking with an ex-colleague this week who told me that his boss had moved to a different role and even though he felt like he was his boss’s number two, he didn’t get the top job.
Why Not?
He wasn’t sure how the selection process worked, but some feedback he got was that he lacked visibility.
We talked a little about it, but I then had to jump onto a video call with a client.
I was going to follow up with him directly, but I thought I could also help others by writing an article. So here it is.
No Cringy Self-Promotion Needed
I believe that the key to building visibility is to help others be successful.
You will be viewed as doing the right thing for others and the organisation. And a majority of those you help will start to talk about you and promote the impact you are having.
How to Increase Your Visibility
Below are some proven ideas that will increase your visibility across the organisation while demonstrating next level leadership behaviour and delivering impact beyond your role.
Your Boss
Your boss is overloaded with department-wide objectives that are above and beyond his/her day job. Why not offer to pick one or more of these up as a stretch task. These could lead to you presenting status or outcomes at the top table.
Can you offer to attend or run some meetings on your boss’s behalf?
What can you pick up when your boss is away on holiday?
What else?
Your Peers
How can you help your peers succeed in their objectives?
- Overcome a complex challenge.
- Resourcing.
- Use your network to breakdown some barriers.
- What else?
Leverage Your Local Impact
What have you done or led in your area that’s had a positive impact on the department?
How can you help other departments realise the same impact?
Your Team’s Expertise
Can you leverage your team’s expertise to make the life easier for a department you are dependent upon or who rely on you?
Volunteering
Can you volunteer to help out with?
- Community events.
- Regional initiatives.
- Graduate recruitment.
- Other events.
These are run or attended by senior leaders which gives you an excellent opportunity to meet them and build a relationship in a less formal environment.
From experience, it makes you feel great to give back and will increase the network of people whom you can help and who can help you.
Here’s an idea, could you organise your own around a cause you are passionate about? Check out the UN Global Goals for some inspiration.
Knowledge Sharing
What expertise do you have that would help others succeed in their roles?
- Can you start a knowledge-sharing group?
- Can you give a talk?
- Can blog about it on the intranet or another electronic medium you have at work?
- Can you represent your company at an external event?
At Home
Remember always to continue to increase your visibility at home because success at work is only achievable if you have success at home.
Remember to check out my popular mini eBook on work-life balance mistakes along with strategies to overcome them.
Your coach
Nick