Getting visibility.
I genuinely think one of the most significant ways to be successful in a job is getting the right visibility. Targeting how to become more visible at work will help accelerate your career success.
The previous company I worked for was focused on using 6Sigma as a tool for quality and continuous improvement. It wasn’t a flavor of the month initiative: it was a tried and true business improvement program getting noticed and driven top-down. There were even requirements for promotions: to get to a certain level within the company, you had to be trained in its 6Sigma methodology. THESE ARE THE TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT DRIVE VISIBILITY!
I am a loyal Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology graduate and love the university! When I started working full time, I got involved in the recruiting team and often visited campus to increase my company’s connectedness to the university. One of the professors at Rose-Hulman had an opportunity to get trained through my company’s 6Sigma program. I worked on the project as a team member getting a great understanding of 6Sigma tools and showcasing my talent to areas outside of my “day job.” DOING EXTRA PROJECT WORK FOR VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS OUTSIDE OF YOUR POSITION DRIVES VISIBILITY!
My work on that 6Sigma project got noticed by the head of Quality for my company, whose son happened to attend Rose-Hulman with me. He recommended me to become a full-time leader in 6Sigma, called a black belt. After interviews and mentor check-ins, I determined it was the right next fit and got the role. One of the projects I led had such great outcomes and use of the 6Sigma tools that it was chosen for and won a Chairman’s award – the highest distinction of a 6Sigma project. I then got to present my work to the Board of Directors. BEING IN THE RIGHT ROLES DOING AMAZING WORK DRIVES VISIBILITY!
Are you aware of the most visible projects or initiatives within your company? Are you aware of how you can get involved in those? Are you killing it in your day job on those critical projects while also working on things outside your direct line management’s jurisdiction? If you answered no to these, what can you do to increase your work visibility?
