A few months ago, I sat across from a client - we’ll call her Lillian - who had just been passed over for a promotion again. She was frustrated, tired, and honestly a little heartbroken. She looked at me and said, “Minal, I don’t understand. I work hard. I get things done. People like me. Why isn’t it enough?”
And I told her the thing that most high-performing professionals don’t want to hear: Hard work is respected. But visibility is remembered.
Lillian was operating from a blueprint many of us inherited: Put your head down, do a great job, and eventually someone will notice. But here’s the uncomfortable truth - silence doesn’t get you promoted. It may have in the past, but it certainly doesn't anymore. And it's not because your work isn’t good or because you aren’t qualified. It's because no one can reward work they don’t see.
And for 1st & 2nd gen professionals (the first in your family to build a career here, or the child of immigrants balancing two cultures), invisibility can feel like safety - like humility, like respect, like “the right thing to do.” But in the workplace silence gets mistaken for satisfaction, being invisible gets mistaken for not being prepared, and quiet competence gets mistaken for lack of leadership skills.
So today, we’re shifting that. Let’s talk about how to advocate for yourself without performing, pretending, or turning into someone corporate TikTok would make fun of.
1. You Don’t Need to Brag — You Need to Inform
Self-advocacy isn’t self-promotion, it’s information sharing. Instead of hoping someone sees your impact, make it easy for them to see it.
A simple script: “Quick update - here’s what I led, the outcome we achieved, and the impact it’s having.”
It's not flashy or showy. It's actually just factual - because people can’t value work they don’t know about.
2. Stop Waiting for Permission — Create Your Own Visibility
Too many people wait to be invited to the table. Leaders don’t wait, they actively participate.
You can increase visibility by:
•Asking to present your work instead of handing it off
•Volunteering to lead one agenda item in the next meeting
•Raising your hand for stretch projects instead of hoping to be picked
Not because you’re pushy but because you’re present and you're more than capable.
3. Document Your Wins Like Receipts
If you only remember what you did, you will forget what you delivered.
Create a running list of:
•Problems you solved
•Decisions you influenced
•Metrics you moved
•Compliments and feedback receipts
Then turn them into short monthly summaries like, “Here are three things I drove this month and the impact they had.” Small updates can and do equate to huge shifts over time. Future you is going to want those receipts.
4. Speak One Level Louder Than Your Default
I've said it before and I'll say it again: You don’t need to become the loudest voice in the room - one just need to be one level louder than silence.
Try:
•Asking one more question
•Sharing one idea you would’ve held (and then wished you shared)
•Adding one insight instead of nodding along
Leadership presence is built in small incremental steps, not leaps.
5. Visibility Without Burnout: Pace Yourself
Being seen doesn’t mean saying yes to everything. Visibility isn't volume, it’s strategy.
Choose visibility moments with intention:
💡 Present your work instead of letting someone else speak for it
💡 Share progress updates proactively
💡 Take credit with clarity and grace: “I led this part of the project, and here’s what it unlocked.”
A small spotlight consistently is what builds momentum.
This Week’s Action
Pick one visibility move to implement:
•Present instead of pass
•Send a monthly win summary
•Share impact, not effort
•Ask for the opportunity instead of waiting for it
Then notice: How did the room respond? How did you feel? What changed - even a little? Because being undervalued isn’t a reflection of your worth,
it’s often a reflection of your volume. And silence, as comforting as it is, has never been a promotion strategy.
Try it out and let me know how it goes. I love hearing from you.
