How to Gain Recognition for Your Contributions

Before becoming an Executive, I was an INVISIBLE contributor for the first 10 years of my career. (you probably are too) I was: Dreaming of recognition but → keeping my head down and hoping someone would notice Dreaming of promotions but → waiting for my turn instead of advocating for myself Dreaming of leadership roles but → staying quiet in meetings to avoid rocking the boat Dreaming of making an impact but → underselling my achievements to appear humble Turning point? I got snubbed for promotions not once, not twice but THREE times. Staying quiet was getting me a first-class seat at my DESK. After the third snub, I realized: I can't stay quiet and expect someone to notice me. I will always care more about my career than anyone else. I can't expect someone to articulate our value for me. I worked on: Actively sharing my accomplishments: "Our team's productivity increased 30% last quarter due to the new process I implemented." Clearly communicating my career goals: "I expressed my interest in leading the upcoming project to my manager, highlighting my relevant skills." Volunteering for high-visibility projects: "I took charge of presenting our department's quarterly results to the executive team." Quantifying and presenting my contributions: "I created a dashboard showing how my initiatives saved the company $500K annually." I eventually became an executive once I put these into practice. You don't need to change jobs every time you hit a roadblock. Or throw money at the problem with another degree or certificate. Learning to articulate your value can make all the difference. To master value articulation: Keep a detailed record of your achievements Align your work with company objectives and highlight this connection Practice describing your impact in concise, compelling ways Seek opportunities to present your work to leadership Regularly update your manager on your progress and aspirations Remember: "Your work speaks for itself, but only if you give it a voice." #aLITTLEadvice

High performance doesn’t always lead to recognition. And I’ve seen too many brilliant engineers pay the price for staying quiet. Here’s why high performers often get overlooked and what to do about it: The problem isn’t your output. It’s that no one’s connecting the dots between what you’re doing and what the business cares about. Want to get promoted? Stop assuming good work will speak for itself. Here’s what actually works: 1. Practice visible impact. Every 1–2 weeks, share a short summary of what you’ve contributed, outcomes, not just tasks. If leadership can’t name your wins, it’s not on them. 2. Build a stakeholder map. Who influences your next promotion? Are you building relationships with them, or just hoping your manager will do the work for you? 3. Track influence, not just delivery. Did your input shift a roadmap? Unblock another team? Help make a decision? These are leadership signals, write them down, talk about them. 4. Align with what matters upstream. Start tying your work to team OKRs, business goals, and cross-functional needs. This is what shows you’re operating at the next level. The truth? Promotion isn't just about how much you contribute. It’s about how clearly others understand your contribution and your potential. And if you’re not shaping that story, someone else is.

Most high-achievers think hard work will boost their career. Deliver the numbers. Stay late. Be the one people can always depend on. And yes, hard work creates competence. But competence alone doesn’t fast track careers. The biggest stalls happen because your story isn’t being seen in the right places, at the right time. That’s the Visibility Gap. And nothing is more frustrating than doing everything right, but still feeling invisible in the moments that matter most. I’ve seen countless executives hit the ceiling because no one in the rooms that mattered knew how to talk about their impact. Strategic visibility is the bridge. It goes beyond being seen, into being seen in the right rooms, by the right people, for the right reasons. Here’s how to close your own gap starting today: 1️⃣ Reframe from tasks to outcomes. → “I led the project” vs. “I reduced churn by 3% and freed budget for Product X leading to $1M in revenue.” 2️⃣ Shape the narrative before the meeting. The story that lands first often becomes the story that sticks. 3️⃣ Ask questions that elevate, not just execute. → “What’s our timeline?” keeps you tactical. → “What’s the trade-off if we choose this path?” positions you as strategic. 4️⃣ Let others echo your story. Make it easy for advocates: give them a clear, quotable line about your contribution. 5️⃣ Pick your rooms wisely. Not every meeting is worth your airtime. Show up where decisions about direction, dollars, or talent are being made. Because at the end of the day, Hard work builds competence. Strategic visibility builds careers. 💭 Are you being seen for the work you do, or for the impact you create? ➕ Follow Loren Rosario - Maldonado, PCC Rosario-Maldonado, PCC for human-first leadership shifts. ♻️ Share this if you know someone whose skills are ready, but their story isn’t being seen.