How to Take Initiative to Gain Visibility

Most people in tech believe career growth is all about getting better at your craft. And don’t get me wrong- skills do matter. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: It’s not just about how good you are. It’s about who knows how good you are. Some of the most talented engineers I’ve worked with stayed stuck in the same role for years, not because they weren’t skilled, but because no one outside their immediate circle knew the impact they were making. Meanwhile, others who actively shared their work, spoke at events, collaborated publicly, or mentored others; they became the names that came up in rooms they weren’t even in yet. That’s what visibility does. For me, building visibility has looked like: 🤝 Sharing what I’m learning- not just what I already know. Posting takeaways from AI research papers, experiments with new tools, and real-world lessons from building systems. 📱Posting behind-the-scenes of projects, including the messy drafts. Sharing wins is easy. Sharing your process builds trust. 🎤 Speaking at meetups, podcasts, and panels Every small talk leads to bigger rooms. It’s all about building reps, and getting more people hear your thoughts. 📚Turning complex technical ideas into simple frameworks. Think: diagrams, cheat sheets, carousels. If people can learn from you easily, they’ll remember you. 🌎 Collaborating publicly and giving credit. Tag teammates, mention mentors, share lessons learned together. Visibility is not a solo game. 👩🏫 Mentoring early-career professionals. Teaching makes your knowledge visible, and it pays forward the support you once needed. 📝 Documenting your journey authentically. Not just “look at this big launch,” but “here’s what I learned this week,” or “here’s where I’m stuck and what I’m trying next.” 👥 Being active in the community- both online and offline. Whether it’s commenting on posts, joining Slack groups, or attending AI meetups, showing up consistently makes a difference. It’s not about becoming a “thought leader.” It’s about becoming someone people remember when opportunities come up. Because at the end of the day: Skill × Visibility = Career Growth If you’re already learning, building, and solving problems, start showing it ❤️ That’s how you grow beyond your current role.

6 words of the best advice if you've been passed over for promotion: Don’t hope for visibility. Create it. A few years ago, I noticed a frustrating pattern: The people getting promoted weren’t always the best performers. They were just the most seen. “I’ve been heads down. My work should speak for itself.” That was my mantra. Until I watched peers leapfrog me. People I outperformed. It happened again. And again. Every time I heard: “We’ve decided to go with someone who’s been showing more strategic leadership.” Even though I was already doing the work. If you’ve ever had that sinking feeling... You know what I mean. When someone else gets tapped. And your calendar is still full of stretch work with no upward movement. So here’s the truth I learned the hard way: You don’t get promoted for what you do. You get promoted for what they see you doing. If you’re quietly waiting for your value to be recognized—bad sign. You will lose whenever this is the dynamic: “We’ll circle back when leadership reopens promotion discussions.” Sound familiar? Now you might be thinking: “Damn… this is me. I’ve been in the running three times. Still overlooked.” So what do you do instead? Follow this rule: Don’t hope for visibility. Create it. When I work with clients gunning for Director and VP roles, this is the shift we make: We stop asking: “Why didn’t they pick me?” And we start asking: “How do I position myself as the obvious choice?” Two examples: Example 1 You hear: “We’re not opening new leadership roles right now.” Instead of waiting until maybe next quarter, try: “Totally understand. In the meantime, would it be helpful if I took on a short-term lead for X project? I’d love to show how I handle cross-functional strategy while staying aligned with the team.” Now you're not waiting. You're demonstrating. Example 2 You hear: “We’re exploring a few internal candidates.” Instead of going quiet, say: “I know this is competitive, and I want to be direct—I’ve been driving results at this level, and I’d love the chance to share how I’d scale that as a formal leader.” Too bold? Maybe. But now you're not invisible. You're in the conversation. See the shift? If you’re waiting, you’re behind the scenes. If you’re positioning, you're already on stage. Big difference. Bottom line: You’ll get passed over 8 out of 10 times if you’re relying on work alone. If that hit a nerve... DM or comment 'VP'. I'll show you how to shift your strategy from being the best-kept secret to the obvious next leader.

Many people feel like their work is not noticed and ask how to get proper visibility. Here is my short, blunt answer to this and the playbook to address it: 1) You must believe that your work deserves to be seen. Believe enough to be willing to act. If you do not, then you have a confidence and self-image problem more than a visibility problem. 2) You must accept that it may not be noticed without effort. This is the hardest part. Many people believe deeply that "my work should speak for itself." Waiting around for what "should" happen might be noble in your mind but I can tell you it is ineffective... because people are busy and they can overlook your work without any ill intentions. They are focused on their own problems, not on you. What you take as them neglecting you is in fact them being focused on other things. 3) Thus, you must highlight your own work. Two ways to do that: a) Send a status report out broadly. No one can argue with sharing your status. But that brings your work in front of people week after week, and cannot help but make an impression. b) Praise others - your peers, your team - frequently. Again, no one is going to tell you not to say "I worked with Sally this week and she did a great job getting us to goal XYZ." But if you praise Sally one week, Ethan the next week, and Raj the week after that... the common element is YOU. Second, you are the one in people's inbox. There are probably lots of other ways to highlight your own work without directly pointing to yourself an your work. Readers - share your methods for appropriately highlighting your contribution without bragging?

One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned in my career is this: No one will advocate for you the way you can advocate for yourself. When I first entered the professional world, I thought my work would speak for itself. I believed that if I put my head down, worked hard, and delivered great results, recognition and opportunities would naturally follow. But here’s what I discovered: While hard work is essential, visibility is just as important. It took observing how others approached their careers to realize this: The people who often get ahead aren’t just hardworking — they’re intentional about making their contributions known. They speak up in meetings, share their goals openly, and make sure their achievements don’t go unnoticed. That realization changed the way I approached my career. I began to see the importance of not just doing the work, but owning my voice and advocating for myself. Here’s what I’ve learned along the way about self-advocacy: 1. Track your accomplishments. I started keeping a journal where I noted key projects, results, and positive feedback. When performance reviews came around, I didn’t have to scramble to prove my value. I had it documented. 2. Ask for what you need. Whether it’s a promotion, mentorship, resources, or even a clearer direction, I learned to be upfront about my goals. 3. Speak up. This was the hardest for me. I used to hold back, worried my ideas weren’t “good enough.” But I realized that staying silent wasn’t helping anyone, not me, not my team, and not the organization. Advocating for yourself isn’t about arrogance or entitlement, it’s about honoring your value. It’s about recognizing that your hard work, skills, and ideas are worth being seen, heard, and rewarded. If I could go back and tell my younger self one thing, it would be this: Don’t wait for someone else to notice your potential. Take the first step. Speak up. Celebrate your wins. Ask for what you need. Your career is yours to build, and no one else will fight for it as fiercely as you can. #StephSynergy