Why Your Hard Work Isn’t Getting Noticed (and What to Do About It)
If you’ve ever delivered stellar results only to watch someone else take the spotlight—or worse, seen your contributions go unnoticed altogether—you’re not alone. For many women leaders, visibility and recognition remain elusive, no matter how much they achieve.
The problem isn’t the quality of your work—it’s how you’re positioning yourself. Visibility isn’t about doing more; it’s about being strategic in how you show up.
The Problem with Staying Invisible
Many women leaders default to the old plan of letting their work “speak for itself.” The reality? It often doesn’t. Research shows that under-communicating achievements leads to being overlooked, even when delivering impactful results (Harvard Business Review, 2020). Additionally, biases against self-promotion can make advocating for oneself feel like an uphill battle (Brescoll, 2016).
The Solution: The Three Power Plays of Perception Management
Visibility and recognition require more than just hard work—they require intentional action. The Three Power Plays of Perception Management are designed to help you strategically manage how you’re perceived, ensuring your contributions are seen, valued, and remembered. These three power plays—Position, Push, and Pause—equip you to navigate your professional environment with confidence and purpose.
1. Position Yourself for Recognition
The first power play is all about positioning—making your unique value and contributions impossible to ignore. Instead of assuming others will notice your hard work, take the lead in communicating your strengths and results. Positioning isn’t about bragging; it’s about clarity and alignment.
How to Position Yourself:
Craft Your Brag Statement: Develop a concise, powerful statement that communicates what you do, the impact you’ve made, and why it matters.
Example: “As a marketing strategist, I led a campaign that increased revenue by 25%, helping the company surpass its annual goals two months early.”Map Your Value: Tie your work to larger organizational goals to show how your contributions make an impact.
Showcase Expertise Strategically: Volunteer for high-visibility projects or take the lead in presenting team outcomes.
Why It Works: Positioning ensures your efforts are aligned with what matters most, giving others a clear, compelling reason to recognize your leadership.
2. Push Your Message Consistently
The second power play focuses on pushing your message with consistency. Visibility isn’t a one-time action—it’s a habit. To build perception as a confident and capable leader, you must consistently advocate for your contributions and ideas in a way that feels natural and authentic.
How to Push Your Message:
Speak with Authority: Use confident language in meetings—replace “I think” with “I recommend” to convey credibility.
Leverage Everyday Wins: Find small moments to highlight your contributions, such as sending a quick follow-up email after a successful project.
Use Nonverbal Communication: Project confidence with strong posture, steady eye contact, and a clear tone of voice (Cuddy et al., 2018).
Why It Works: Regular, intentional self-advocacy creates a cumulative effect, reinforcing your leadership presence over time. It ensures your contributions stay visible and top of mind for colleagues and decision-makers.
3. Pause to Reflect and Reassess
The third power play emphasizes the importance of pausing—not as inaction, but as a strategic step to evaluate what’s working and refine your approach. Pausing allows you to adapt, learn, and ensure that your visibility efforts align with your evolving goals and environment.
How to Pause Effectively:
Evaluate Your Impact: After advocating for yourself, reflect on the response. Did your message land? Did it create the intended perception?
Seek Feedback: Ask trusted peers or mentors for input on how you’re showing up and where you can improve.
Celebrate Your Wins: Acknowledge and internalize your successes, no matter how small, to build confidence for future visibility efforts.
Why It Works: Reflection transforms visibility efforts from reactive to proactive, helping you refine your strategies for lasting impact. By pausing, you gain clarity and reinforce the confidence to take your next bold step.
Why This Works
By combining the three power plays of Position, Push, and Pause, you build visibility in a way that feels authentic and sustainable. These steps allow you to showcase your value without feeling like you’re boasting. Instead, you’re advocating for yourself with clarity, confidence, and consistency.
The science backs this up: projecting confidence, even when you don’t feel it, positively impacts both how others perceive you and how you perceive yourself (Bandura, 1997; Goman, 2020).
Take Your Next Step
Being seen and recognized for your contributions isn’t about changing who you are; it’s about owning your value and showing up with intention.
Start today by crafting your brag statement. Practice it. Use it. Watch how it changes the way others see you—and how you see yourself.
Ready to take this further? Book a free intro call with me, and let’s talk about how to make visibility your next power move.
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References:
Anderson, C., et al. (2012). The impact of confidence on perceived competence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control.
Beck, A. T., et al. (2021). Cognitive reframing and its impact on decision-making. Cognitive Behavioral Research Journal.
Brescoll, V. L. (2016). Leading despite bias: How gender impacts self-promotion. Journal of Organizational Behavior.
Cuddy, A., et al. (2018). Power posing and confidence: A closer look. Harvard Business Review.
Harvard Business Review (2020). Why women leaders struggle with self-promotion. HBR.org.
Woolley, K., & Fishbach, A. (2019). Why we underestimate our influence on others. Psychological Science.