VISIBILITY EATS DILIGENCE FOR LUNCH
Have you ever worked with an executive who had no substance?
Who didn’t know the business?
Or didn’t know how to get work done?
Visible and successful, without the expertise gained through diligence?
Earlier this week a friend told me:
“I feel like I should be so much further in my career by now. I see other colleagues getting promoted and feel like I’m falling behind…. You said on LinkedIn that ‘visibility eats diligence for lunch.’ Is that really true?
I know too many diligent, hard-working, well deserving individuals who aren’t proactive about being visible.
I used to think the same thing:
“My work will speak for itself.”
“They’ll notice me soon.”
“I’ll just keep working hard.”
It’s not enough.
You can have visibility + vacuity.
You can have visibility + diligence.
But you can’t have just plain old diligence if you want to move up or gain clients.
You can’t put “Open to Work” on your LinkedIn profile and leave it at that.
Not if you’re going to get where you want to go.
So how do you become more visible in a corporate environment?
1. Ask for skip level meetings — ask to meet with your manager’s manager once a month or once a quarter. Many companies do this as a regular practice.
2. Get a mentor — find a senior person who holds power in the organization and ask if they would be willing to mentor you. In the worst case they say no, but now they know who you are and that you are leaning in. Do this at any level. Even CEOs have coaches.
3. Ask to present — this one can be painful for those of us who are introverts, but it’s important. Ask to present at quarterly meetings, development webinars, working groups — any group meetings where your content might be relevant.
How do you become more visible as a consultant or solpreneur?
Advertise your services.
Or post on social media.
Or both.
I do all of these things.
You have to market yourself.
Always.
No matter the role.
Even when it’s uncomfortable.
You can lead quietly.
But you can’t lead invisibly.
ps — Remember to COMMUNICATE WITH POWER, especially when working remotely.
When you’re ready, there are two ways I can help:
1) I highly recommend the same 2-hour course ($150) I used to get started posting on LinkedIn (affiliate link): THE LINKEDIN OPERATING SYSTEM
2) I can manage your social presence for you, or we can work together to help you create a content system, tell your stories and amplify your brand: GHEIM@GRAYSONHAYDEN.COM
