It is important to recognize that visibility and value are deeply symbiotic in your organization and industry. You already know that professional risks exist for busy business professionals who are invisible or undervalued in their organization. You do not want to be visible without providing value, and it is hard to demonstrate the value that you provide if you are invisible.
- Low Value + Low Visibility. You are at a high risk level when a headcount reduction or departmental realignment occurs. The only reason you might survive is that no one knows what you do or where to find you!
- Low Value + High Visibility. You are at a very high risk level, as you are providing little value and everyone knows it. How have you survived this far?
- High Value + Low Visibility. You are at a moderate risk level, as the value you are providing exists – decision makers just don’t know who you are.
- High Value + High Visibility. You are at a low risk level, as you are providing value to, and are visible in, your organization and industry. While no one can guarantee you employment or a promotion, you are reducing the likelihood of unexpectedly losing your job or missing a promotion.
Your journey to raising your visibility and value will differ from your colleagues. You may feel that you are very visible in your organization, yet your value is unclear. Or, you and your organization may know the value that you provide the organization, yet not a lot of decision makers know who you are.
Stop and consider where you need to focus the majority of your energy in order to create strategies that will impact your career most effectively. Perhaps you need to focus on visibility. Perhaps you need to focus on value. If you are like the majority of employed business professionals who are striving to survive their fast-paced and fast-changing organizations, you will need to focus on both.
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You can find Ed’s book, Raise Your Visibility & Value: Uncover the Lost Art of Connecting on the Job
on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.