But at some point, I started noticing a pattern. The people who were getting tapped for bigger opportunities weren’t always the best performers. They weren’t necessarily smarter or more capable. They were just… more visible. And not because they were louder or because they were bragging, but they were somehow just easier to understand. And that’s when it hit me. My work wasn’t silent. But it was definitely whispering.
Why “Let Your Work Speak” Isn’t the Whole Truth
“Let your work speak for itself” is advice many of us grew up with, especially if you were raised like me to value humility, hard work, and told repeatedly not to draw attention to yourself. And that advice does build strong work ethic. First and Second-gen immigrants are arguably the hardest workers out there, but in modern workplaces, this slogan misses one crucial thing: Work doesn’t speak for itself. You need to give it context.
People don’t automatically see what problem you were solving, what decision you influenced, what risk you reduced or what changed because of your effort. Without context, even great work blends into the background, and background work rarely gets promoted.
The Whisper Effect
Here’s what whispering looks like in real life:
You finish a project and move straight on to the next one
You assume your manager “knows what you’re working on”
You share updates, but only the task, not the impact
You wait until performance reviews to recap everything at once
Nothing is wrong with any of this. It’s just… quiet. And quiet work is easy to overlook, not because it lacks value, but because it lacks visibility.
What the Most Trusted Leaders Do Differently
The leaders I’ve studied and coached don’t shout about their work. They translate it. They do three subtle things consistently: They connect their work to outcomes; they narrate progress as it happens; and they make it easy for others to see how their work fits into the bigger picture. Not with long, boring explanations or super polished presentations but in small, steady moments constantly and consistently.
So how does one do this? Great question! This doesn’t require a personality change or self-promotion that feels fake. For anyone who knows me, you know that I hate fake. It just requires a shift in how you talk about your work.
Instead of, “I finished the report.” Try, “I finished the report, and it clarified where we’re losing momentum.”
Instead of, “I supported the project.” Try, “I stepped in to support the project so the team could hit the deadline.”
Instead of, “Everything’s going well.” Try, “Things are on track and here’s what’s made the biggest difference.”
Same work, more understanding of the bigger picture.
Why This Matters at the End of the Year
As the year wraps up, many people start reflecting quietly: Did I do enough? Why didn’t I get noticed more? Why does it feel like I worked so hard but still stayed in the same place? Often, it’s not about working harder, it’s just about making your work easier to see. It’s about being more clear because your work deserves to be understood, not just finished.
A Gentle End-of-Year Practice
Before the year fully closes, try this once:
Write down:
One project you’re proud of
One problem you solved
One decision you influenced
One outcome that changed because of you
Then ask yourself: Did the right people know this happened?If not, that’s not a failure. It’s just information. Use it to shape how you show up next year.
Looking Ahead
Next year doesn’t require you to work harder - by any means. It requires you to be a little clearer, to stop assuming your impact is obvious and to stop whispering what deserves to be heard. Because your work can speak for itself, but only if you give it a voice.
So tell me, what are you going to try this week? And what outcome are you hoping for? I love hearing from you.
👋🏽 Hi! I’m Minal - a Career Success & Leadership Coach for 1st & 2nd gen professionals (the first in your family to build a career here or the child of immigrants balancing two cultures). I help you move past outdated work advice, communicate with confidence and clarity, and show up as a strong, credible leader so that you can earn promotions (and raises) faster without burning out, shrinking yourself, or pretending to be someone you’re not. If that sounds interesting to you, reply to this email to see how we can work together.
🔥 If this resonated with you, share it with someone who does incredible work but still struggles to talk about it. And if you haven’t subscribed yet, join Unmuted here 👇🏽 to get next week’s issue. You don't want to miss it!
See you next week,
Minal
