Don’t fade into the cubicle (A.K.A. Woodwork)

Do you work your tail off, but nobody notices?

Do you have more and more assignments thrown your way and it seems as if nobody knows how much you already have on your plate?

Do you feel unrecognized for your contributions and accomplishments?

Perhaps you have faded into your office cubicle?  Perhaps you have become the wallflower who is present when you stop to look at it, but never consciously noticed.

Many of my clients start working with me because they have been overlooked for a promotion, they received a poor performance review,  or they are afraid that their job will be eliminated.  They add value to their companies, however they fear that the decision makers have no idea how much they contribute on a daily basis.  The sad thing is that they are usually correct in their suspicions.

It is your responsibility to strategically position yourself to get noticed.  You must make sure that your decision makers are aware of your contributions, the projects you are currently working on completing and how you fit in the organization.  It is up to you to toot your horn.

There are a many ways to let the “important” people know the value that you add to your organization. 

 1.    Become as indispensable as possible.  Voluntarily spearhead projects and responsibilities that are critical to the company.

2.    Offer to work on high visibility projects, especially if they will enable you to work with a wide variety of people from a number of different departments.

3.    Volunteer to make presentations or help prepare presentations, especially when you know that when the decision makers will be present. 

4.    Go out of your way to make your boss look good.  

5.    Attend meetings, conferences, lunches with a sense of purpose.  Go out of your way to connect with people who will be able to help you move up within your company or retain your job if your company is downsizing

6.    Always over deliver!  Simply doing your job as described in your job description will not help you stand out and get noticed.

In your quest to become extraordinary you need to move out of the mindset of going with the flow.  You need to find opportunities to leverage your strengths so that you can outshine others who have similar responsibilities.

Please let me know what you did this week to set yourself apart.  It may take some creativity and careful planning on your part, but it is critical to your success and climb up the professional ladder of success.