What to do if you feel ignored by your boss? In today’s fast-paced work environment, feeling overlooked or ignored is common.
With many of us now working remotely or in large teams, you may be wondering how to show your value when your boss isn’t looking in person. This article offers practical strategies to help you get noticed.
How to shine when you’re not in the spotlight
Understanding the dynamics of visibility at work
Your visibility in the workplace depends on how impactful your contributions are. Your goal is to ensure that your efforts are aligned with the company’s goals and that the value and results you deliver are noticed, valued, and remembered.
Strategies to demonstrate your value and increase visibility in the workplace
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Record your success
Start by logging your accomplishments. This log should include day-to-day tasks, special projects, and instances when you went above and beyond expectations. The goal is to have a clear record of your contributions that you can present during performance reviews or casual check-ins.
We can see much more by adopting the following four categories of contributions:
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Leverage technology
Use project management tools and email effectively. Update progress on a shared platform and communicate successes through concise, data-driven updates. This helps create a digital footprint of your contributions.
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Join the “Water Cooler” conversation
In your single-minded focus on getting things done, you may miss opportunities for digital or in-person chats that help shape your organization’s culture. These chats can be a way to increase awareness and relevance. Commit to paying attention to what’s going on and engaging regularly.
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Actively think of solutions
Be the person who can not only identify a problem but also propose a well-thought-out solution – this shows initiative and leadership, and is a quality that will not go unnoticed.
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Expand your influence and get noticed by your boss’ boss
Engage with other teams and offer to help when you can. Being seen as a team player by your peers will often translate into positive recognition and feedback for your manager, especially if that feedback comes from a peer or superior to your manager.
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Ask for feedback
Actively ask for feedback from your manager and colleagues – this will show your commitment to improvement and keep you on your manager’s radar.
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Mentor
Share your knowledge and experience with new or less experienced team members. Mentoring will help you build a reputation as a valuable resource within the company.
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Leading a meeting
If the opportunity arises, offer to lead a meeting or present on a topic, which will give you a platform to showcase your communication skills and expertise.
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Work according to company goals
Make sure your work contributes to the company’s strategic goals. This alignment inherently increases the value of your contributions.
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Internal network
Build relationships at different levels and within departments. The broader your network, the more advocates you’ll have for your work.
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Update your manager regularly
Instead of bombarding your manager with constant messages, send regular updates on your progress and accomplishments.
The art of self-promotion
Self-promotion doesn’t have to mean boasting – let your work speak for itself, and when that’s not possible, capture it yourself and effectively articulate its impact. Using storytelling to connect your accomplishments to broader business goals will resonate with executives.
Conclusion
Managing your visibility effectively and ensuring your contributions contribute to the company’s success provides three benefits:
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Increased confidence in one’s own worth
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This will increase your visibility within the company and may lead to new opportunities.
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And you also need the data and skills to sell yourself outside your organization if you decide that’s the next step.
