Become visible not medicore

There is cr*p loads of advice on the internet about creating visibility. It focusses on you doing more, taking on more & volunteering for more making it a perfect recipe for becoming mediocre.

Let's bust 3 such peices of advice with alternatives for you to apply that do NOT involve more work.

1. Show Initiative

Conventional advice says: 'Go that extra mile'. 'Do something beyond your regular responsibilities'.

Just thinking about would make me wan to quit my job. When I was working my corporate job, I never left work at a decent time. Where would I find the energy to do more.

Instead do this: MILK every opportunity you do get!

- After a meeting, do you walk out feeling elated that what you said was heard & taken on board?

- Do your 1-to-1s go as you expected or do you walk away with a curve ball thrown your way? You havent done this yet… or Oh by the way that [thing you submitted] was not excellent.

If the regular things at work, that you are directly responsible for don't happen to your satisfaction, then taking on more will further dilute the quality of your experience.

Taking on more than you already have on your plate is a perfect recipe for becoming mediocre.

Not 'Do More' but MILK every opportunity you get!

Do this by asking yourself, "What do I need to make my meetings & 1to1s go my way? How can I milk, maximize & master these interactions. "

2. Support your senior leaders by offering help

HELP is a double edged sword.

Help is most valued when it is asked for. If you offer help without being asked, you convey a few subtle messages.

First, you convey, "I have the bandwidth to support you" or "I can easily de-prioritise my plans to accommodate yours".

Second, you are setting an expectation for next time. I see this happen so often that after help is offered, the next time you don't get to say "I can help you out here". You are expected to take more on.

Thirdly, it shifts the balance so slightly & subtly from being seen as 'valuable' to being taken for granted.

By all means lead in peer groups, be seen doing things that make you inspirational - but do them because they add new dimensions to your experience.

But offering help to create visibility is a loaded strategy & often not progressive.

Instead do this: Come across as organised, in control & on top of your game. That will make you stand out in a chaotic corporate world way more than offering help & playing personal assistant.

3. Participate in internal communication

I can’t say this enough that we are hired to do our jobs FIRST. And to do them well.

Not just well but SO well that it makes decision makers think, “what an asset”, everytime they look at you.

This means you need ALL the time you have for strategising, executing & setting aside some thinking time for the difficult stuff on your plate.

So basically... you need every minute of your time to exceed your success levels at work. And for this reason alone, don’t go bananas engaging, interacting & posting oh so frequently on company's internal comms channel.

That is NOT your KPI. It may tickle you, make you feel engaged & get others curious about who you are (if they don't know you) but that is not a metric that will give you the right kind of Visibility or take your career forward.

Instead do this: Set a frequency for participating, posting & engaging that does not interfere with your core to-do's of the day.

Because not only will that set you up for success for the next day but also make your spirit dance at the sight of a 'to-do' list becoming an 'all done' list.

I wish you all the best because you deserve every bit it. Get smart & strategic about your growth. It feels easy:)

Magic Lies Within provides career growth coaching to new & established Corporate Professionals.

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