Visibility is a strength

We were cutting it close. Last year, during a family holiday, traffic had us racing against the clock to the airport. We made it to the check-in line, breathless, only for panic to set in: I realised I didn't know the combination codes for any of our suitcases.

A frantic search through notes and WhatsApp messages yielded nothing. I was contemplating the risks of travelling without locked bags when it came to me. My eldest son, I remembered, loved playing with the locks. It was his favourite game to lock and unlock the suitcases.

I asked him if he knew the codes for all the bags. Without hesitation, he rattled off the combinations. My biggest problem at that moment was solved by my son's unexpected capability. The relief was immense.

It was a profound reminder: success often hinges on knowing the strengths of those around you and deploying them at the right time.

This story highlights a crucial dynamic in the workplace: the importance of visibility. Many people see visibility as "blowing one's own trumpet", but that is a misconception. True visibility is about proactively sharing your capabilities and passions with leadership.

It's not about self-promotion. It's about enabling leaders to understand the full range of their team's talents, so those talents can be deployed strategically.

Visibility benefits the entire organisation

When leaders know who has which skills, they can assign the right person to the right challenge, improving outcomes and efficiency. Visibility removes ambiguity and allows for the strategic deployment of human capital.

How to increase your visibility effectively

• Share your process and impact. Don't just report completion; explain how you solved a problem and the value it created.
• Volunteer for cross-functional projects. This broadens your network and exposes you to leaders outside your immediate team.
• Offer solutions, not just observations. Frame your insights as actionable strategies that solve organisational problems.
• Connect your work to the big picture. Regularly articulate how your contributions align with the company's strategic goals.

Creating visibility is not about seeking attention; it's about giving leadership the information they need to succeed as a collective. When you share your capabilities, you're not just helping your career. You're strengthening the organisation.