Work hard, and success is sure to follow; great performance is everything when it comes to getting ahead, right? Not quite, says renowned leadership expert and Empowering Yourself author Harvey J Coleman, whose research has led to the theory that only 10% of your career success can be attributed to your output.
Three times more important is the image you foster through implementation of your personal brand. But the biggest chunk (60%) of the success recipe is comprised of exposure – how visible you are within your organisations and networks, how much access you have to key decision makers, and how in touch you are with organisational shifts.
The extent to which you’ve tapped into this mind-set may well depend on your gender. Research by McKinsey has shown that men spend an average one to two hours every working day managing their exposure levels – strategising and implementing activities to get them noticed by the right people in the right places at the right times. Women, on the other hand, devote that same number of hours on just a monthly basis – instead channelling a disproportionate amount of energy into their performance.
This finding is replicated across the everywomanNetwork, whose global members are aware of their own visibility issues. Nearly a quarter (23%) identify themselves as neither ‘influential’ nor ‘visible’. And while nearly half (45%) describe themselves as ‘visible’, their exposure isn’t translating into influence. A more confident 23% cite themselves as both ‘influential’ and ‘visible’. So what are these women doing differently? In our webinar Managing your visibility and influence within your organisation, associate trainer Des Christofi shares her practical strategies for elevating your exposure across your network.
1. Think strategically when presenting
Whether you’re delivering a formal slideshow at a departmental, or just speaking up during a brainstorm or team get-together, spend time beforehand thinking about the key decision makers in your audience and how you can deliver extra value for them. Will they benefit from hearing a surprising statistic about how your team works? Might they gain confidence or interest in your work if they hear you deliver your update with energy, passion and enthusiasm?
Think tactically too about the minor adjustments you can make to ensure those aspects land with impact. Research shows that where you physically position yourself can make a big difference to your chances of success. Sit to the right of a decision maker and you’re more likely to grow in influence as you appeal to the right ‘creative’ side of their thinking; sit to the left and you’ll be associated with the parts of their minds that are already made up, and are therefore less likely to hold sway. Positioning yourself next to the boss is also likely to impact on the other participants – you’ll be sending a clear message that you’re associated with seniority and power.
What you say when you’re positioned to the right of the boss is obviously of paramount importance; but when you say it matters too. In her much discussed book Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg advocates for contributing as early as possible, particularly when in larger groups. Concentration spans are short meaning you’re less memorable if you throw in your ideas late. That’s not the same as contributing frequently – quality beats quantity; but make sure you put in your contribution before someone else does.
2. Right people, right place, right time
A PR company seeking publicity for its client knows that targeting the right audience is key to success. When you’re thinking about raising your workplace visibility, consider who you really want to reach. If you simply need to get your name out there, look at the opportunities afforded by mass distribution channels like your organisational intranet or internal newsletters. If you need to be more targeted, identify the ways in which specific individuals are most likely to hear about you and your achievements – departmental meetings or in 1-2-1s with particular champions and advocates? Find ways to ensure vital information about your work and achievements is drip fed through. This might mean finding sponsors within your organisation who are willing to champion your cause and act as ambassadors for your career progression.
Don’t make the mistake though of only reaching out to others when you need a helping hand. Develop ways to ensure others know you’re willing to do the same for them. Consider the ambitions of your key stakeholders and how you can participate in bringing them to fruition, perhaps making connections for them with individuals in your own network, or sharing your own expertise to enable a broadening of theirs.
Don’t forget too that informal relationships may also open doors. Conversations with people across the organisation – the person next to you in the canteen queue, by the printer or the coffee machine – can also lead to surprising opportunities.
3. Represent upwards
When your line manager is on leave or embroiled in a big project, chances are there are regular duties he or she would love to be able to hand over to a trusted right hand woman. Put your hand up to represent the boss every chance you get – running meetings, sending out updates or compiling a report. It’ll show that you’ve a much wider understanding of what’s going on and will get your face known by a broader network.
4. Share your expertise
Conferences are a great vehicle for enabling access to many people, but you don’t necessarily have to wait for that annual industry event to roll around to get your name out there. Use social media group-building platforms like LinkedIn or Facebook, or intranet groups and internal email lists to share knowledge with special interest circles – facilitating such a group sends a clear message that you’re serious about your topic and positions you as the go-to person in your field.
5. Have clarity and conviction
You’ve worked hard to position yourself as an expert and foster a network of individuals and sponsors who are clear on your strengths and abilities. But all that can be undone if you dilute your communication with weak messages lacking in assertion (using words and phrases like ‘Just’, ‘Maybe’ and ‘If it’s ok’) and without mindfulness of the bigger picture. Deliver your points of view succinctly and with passion, but be prepared to hold your ground while having them challenged. The best practice for this is to dare to challenge your own beliefs.
6. Get uncomfortable
Some of the above points may have already challenged you to step way outside your comfort zone – representing your boss in meetings might have required a big dose of courage, or maybe the simple act of networking outside your inner circle was a big leap for you. Either way, dig as deep as possible and push yourself even further. Look for projects, events and opportunities which will throw a spotlight on your performance and from which you can grow both internally as you develop confidence and resilience, and externally in terms of your exposure.
7. Ask and it shall be given
If you’ve meticulously followed steps one through six you will already be reaping the benefits of increased exposure and well on your way to influencer status. But there’s one final tip which, for all its simplicity, is often forgotten: asking for help. If you’ve received excellent feedback for an amazing piece of work, ask the other party to write you a project-specific referral on LinkedIn. If you want your work or personal brand to impact on a particular individual, seek out those in his or her inner circle and ask for an introduction. If you’re looking to broaden your skills in a new direction, look for experts in that field and ask for advice or the opportunity to shadow them. Individuals are often flattered to be asked and will be more than happy to help.
