Six strategies to become more visible to your higher-ups

Executive overview

Many professionals understand the value of visibility but resist self-promotion. The six strategies below let you build presence with decision-makers without feeling like you're bragging.

Visibility matters because executives control projects, budgets, and strategy — and they can only advocate for people they notice. Each strategy is framed around the letters A–F.

The core insight: visibility is built through consistent, outward-facing leadership behaviours, not self-promotion.

Acknowledge others' contributions (A)

• Recognise teammates and peers specifically — name what they did and why it mattered
• Vague praise ("they were awesome") is not enough; name the exact contribution to the mission
• Acknowledging others signals leadership security and positions you as a team builder, not a self-promoter
• Leaders who elevate their teams are seen as leaders; their team's success reflects on them

Build connections with visible people (B)

• Visible people are executives and senior managers with decision-making authority
• Most people feel nervous or intimidated around them — overcoming that anxiety is the work
• Proximity matters: you learn by observing, and sponsors can only advocate for people they know
• Goal is equitable relationships — not just familiarity, but mutual value

Conduct yourself at the highest level of value (C)

• The highest-value skill at any level is communication — it matters more than technical expertise
• Executives spend most of their time communicating, not executing technical work
• As you move up, technical skills become less differentiating; the ability to articulate value becomes the differentiator
• Confident, diplomatic communication is the threshold requirement for leadership roles

Demonstrate commitment to learning (D)

• This is not about certifications or technical courses — it is about developing soft skills
• Target: communication, diplomacy, leadership, relationship-building
• Request access to coaching or professional development programmes; many companies have budgets for this
• Once you develop these skills in a coaching context, practise them visibly in the workplace

Express your progress regularly (E)

• Consistently reporting progress is a key leadership behaviour
• If it feels too frequent, it is probably still not frequent enough
• Progress updates keep your team and managers aligned on where things stand and where support is needed
• Failing to report progress makes you invisible — and eventually becomes a liability

Forge your expertise (F)

• Develop an unborrowed genius: an authentic, proprietary approach to how you achieve results
• Even if you are confident in your knowledge, others cannot see it unless you articulate it
• Communicate your methodology, principles, and results with clarity and certainty
• Your ability to express what you know is as important as knowing it