http://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2013/10/14/6-ways-to-immediately-get-noticed-at-work-without-self-promotion/
6 Ways To Immediately Get Noticed At Work Without Self-Promotion
As
the government shutdown enters another week, our political leaders are
getting noticed for all the wrong reasons. They are taking stands that
seem more about self-promotion and their own political careers, instead
of doing what it takes for the betterment of a healthier whole – the
nation and the American people.
If you managed your career this way, you wouldn’t get far either.
Advancing your career in today’s new workplace means embracing an
approach that is less about you and more about others. This may seem
too idealistic at a time when
most people are operating in survival mode
and doing just the opposite – thinking less about others and more
about themselves. Employees want to get noticed and take control of
their careers. In a workplace that requires you to do much more with
fewer resources, employees are having trouble earning the respect they
seek and deserve. They are growing tired of corporate lip service and
want their supervisors to start recognizing the merit of their work and
overall contributions.
Getting noticed at work has been a topic that has been debated for
years. Many believe that self-promotion gives you a leg-up while
others are convinced that getting discovered is a more organic process.
Self-promotion may allow you to get a seat at the table faster, but
the odds of sustainable career advancement are much lower today than in
the past. Why? People that have to sell themselves too aggressively
are often times unprepared when the opportunity presents itself. They
are impatient and seek to cut corners. They lack the real confidence
it requires to consistently be significant; therefore they spend too
much time putting on a facade. Besides, it’s difficult to trust the
intentions of those employees that are focused more on themselves than
others. This is one of many reasons why so many senior executives
find it difficult to sponsor employees.
Getting noticed requires leadership with wide-angle vision to
connect the dots
and create maximum workplace impact. It requires teamwork in the new
workplace that unites, empowers and inspires others for the betterment
of a healthier whole. It’s about having each other’s backs and
everyone’s best interests at heart.
Employees need to have better balance between the head and the
heart. It’s not just about your ability to be a potent pioneer and/or
disruptor to get noticed. You must be more mindful of how to use these
unique qualities to lift and lead those around you so they can better
themselves and find
ways to enable their full potential. Stop trying to be the only star of the show and show others how they too can be the main attraction.
The great difference between the recognized man and the respected man
is the difference of the head and heart. The recognized man appeals to
the head where things are easily forgotten. The respected man captivates
the heart. And the heart does not forget.
Collaborative leadership is in demand. You can never be successful
alone. Someone else or a group of people had to support you and help
enable the opportunities you were trying to create.
Success comes most to those who are surrounded by people who want their success to continue.
As you reflect upon your career goals and how to be a more effective
leader, here are six ways to immediately get noticed at work without
self-promotion
.
1. Be a Silent Influencer
The workplace is divided into two primary groups: the loud
disorganized/disenfranchised and the silent influencers. Notice how
the silent influencers are the ones that people are most curious
about. They are the ones that are invited to be a part of the most
important projects and rarely participate in group activities where the
loud disorganized people are involved.
The silent influencer has nothing in common with
the recognition addict.
They are the ones that possess quiet confidence yet speak up often
enough to make their voices heard and have tremendous impact while doing
it. The silent influencer has the executive presence that most
employees long for. They are quick to see and seize opportunity, yet
don’t flaunt their success as they move onto the next one.
Being a silent influencer is a great way to get noticed. You keep
people wondering what you’re up to and curious about getting into your
circle. When you are a silent influencer, you don’t allow the noise to
disrupt your momentum.
2. Do More Than Your Job Description
Always look around, beyond and beneath the opportunities that you
seek. Those that get noticed at work are those who approach each day
with wide-angle vision. They see through a lens that extends well
beyond their job description. Employees that know how to get noticed
quickly have mastered the ability to maximize
the value of their workplace dot and are continuously looking for ways to expand their sphere of influence throughout the organization.
The most effective way to expand your sphere of influence is by
becoming proficient at helping others do their job. This will require
you to know their job description and core responsibilities.
Continued from page 1
Expanding your influence is about not only doing your job, but helping everyone else do theirs.
3. Help Your Colleagues Succeed
One of the most powerful and rarely discussed success factors to
employ in your career is the ability to share the momentum that you are
building with others. Helping your colleagues succeed is a sign of
self-confidence, self-trust, teamwork and collaborative leadership.
My career success has been a direct result of helping others become
successful. I’ve learned throughout my career that the more
opportunities you create for others, the more the door will open for
you. This is why networking and knowing how to align yourself with the
right people is so critically important throughout your career.
When the organization you serve witnesses your genuine desire to help
your colleagues succeed, you will immediately get noticed. I am not
referring to only mentoring someone – but having a strong working
relationship with colleagues where you are constantly guiding them and
providing them the hands-on wisdom to help them see their successes all
the way through to the end. You can further accelerate your ability to
get noticed when the person or people you are helping are not within
your department and/or functional area.
It’s also important to note that while your intentions to help others
succeed is genuine and true – equally be passionate about learning from
those whom you are helping. People want to know that your intentions
are to build mutually rewarding relationships where everyone wins.
4. Don’t Get Caught Up In the Political
Being in the know is more about staying focused on your ability to
generate results while creating impact and influence in your work –
rather than getting caught-up in the political weeds at work. Stay
away from the politics and keep yourself and your colleagues focused on
growth, innovation and opportunity. Too many employees that want to
get noticed believe that getting involved in corporate politics will
give them a leg-up. It doesn’t hurt to be aware of the political
weeds and those who seem to be the ones that are harvesting trouble – so
that you don’t get trapped in the weeds or by the people watering them.
Stay far away from the underground conversations because you never
know when you may get associated with the negative dynamics (even if you
are not involved). If you don’t, you run the risk of creating a
negative image for yourself that may steer you away from the influencers
and thus you will find your career in a continuous holding pattern.
5. Constructive Conflict
Playing it too safe at work will make it more difficult to get
noticed. If you are looking to advance in your career and develop as a
leader, it is imperative that you continuously test your ideas and
ideals. You need to know how your talents best fit within the
organization. It’s healthy to challenge the old ways of doing things –
with the intention of making things better, creating new ways of
generating results and improving everyone’s performance.
Constructive conflict is being mindful enough to challenge the status
quo respectfully and to do it in a manner that assures your colleagues
and the organization
don’t grow complacent. Many times a
workplace culture
becomes too self-satisfied – especially when the company is making
money. Regardless of the environment, constructive conflict allows you
to get noticed because you are being courageous enough to “shake things
up” and test new ways of helping the organization grow and compete.
6. Be Yourself
This is the most important way to get noticed immediately – yet the
one that most people still haven’t quite figured out. When you can be
your most authentic self, you are able to deliver your full potential at
work each and every day. It allows you to do steps 1-5 seamlessly and
have fun at work again.
When you are having fun, you give permission for others to have fun
too. Your energy becomes contagious; your leadership and work ethic
become valued and respected.
You don’t need to self-promote to get noticed. It’s unnecessary to
accelerate the advancement of your career. The trick is to know how you
best fit within the organization and to trust yourself enough to go for
it! You don’t need to be perfect – you just need to be really good
consistently. Once you have figured out how to navigate the changing
terrain, you will be on your way. Pace yourself, observe, learn,
deliver results and make sure that the organization keeps winning.
You will rise and get noticed immediately.