Visibility is comprised of “presence” which is the tangible ways that individuals connect with you. Here are a few ways to make sure it’s as easy as possible for people to find you:
- Ensure your colleagues know where your office or workstation is located. Some corporate offices are labyrinths and finding your office may not be as easy as it sounds. Concurrently, some corporate offices have “cubicle farms” – dozens and dozens of similarly looking workstations that abut one another. Your colleagues could go insane trying to find your location.
- Ensure your colleagues know the hours that you work. In today’s busy and fast-paced organizations, you may have nonstandard schedules, either to fit the needs of the business or to respond to personal needs. You may work Tuesday through Saturday, or work a half-day on Wednesdays, or take Fridays off. Regardless of your schedule, make sure that your colleagues know your days and hours of work.
- Ensure your colleagues know your contact information. Sometimes your colleagues are unable to access you because they simply do not have your email address, office phone number extension, or cell phone number. Many corporate switchboards are now automated and if your colleagues do not know your extension number or how to spell your name in the “dial-by-name” directory, finding you can become frustrating. Make sure that your colleagues have your contact information for easy access to you. One easy way is to include your office and cell phone numbers in your email signature.
- Ensure your colleagues know when you are not accessible. As important as it is to create access, it is equally important to ensure that your colleagues know when you are not accessible. You may be out of the office at a meeting, traveling, ill, or, on a rare occasion, enjoying a personal day. Make sure that your colleagues know when you are not available, whom they can contact during your absence, and when you will return to your office.
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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.
