Managers, experts, comment accroître votre visibilité ?

Individual results from many 360° feedback assessments reveal significant perception gaps across different observer categories. For example, peers and direct reports are generally less critical than direct managers (n+1, n+2). These gaps can, of course, reflect unmet expectations or high levels of demand relative to actual contributions. However, they most often reflect a lack of visibility and "marketing" by recipients of their achievements to their hierarchy and stakeholders in general.

This lack of visibility can harm one's image and—in the longer term—career progression. So how do you work on your personal visibility when often neither our upbringing nor our culture encourages it: "value is judged by results," "it's normal to do good work," "I don't feel the need to promote myself personally"...

Making Your Achievements Known

How can we showcase what we accomplish (publications, project progress, sales, signed contracts, various services...) beyond our immediate professional circle and under time constraints? How can we increase our visibility with stakeholders who can exert significant influence on our activity or trajectory?

First, to increase your visibility, you can build a very simple personal communication plan structured around these 4 questions: on whose "radar screen" do I need to be more present? (the "who"), what should I show them more of? (the "what"), in what form: face-to-face, enhanced speaking in strategic meetings, emails, reporting... (the "how"), on what occasions (the "when"), at what frequency?

The question of frequency should not be neglected as it allows you to anticipate opportunities to strengthen your visibility and ensure your target is reached. Then record these deadlines in your calendar to be sure to meet them.

Leveraging Your Network

Some targets may be difficult to reach due to their position in the hierarchy, their availability, their distance... Rely on your contacts within your organization and identify people who can facilitate access to these targets. First and foremost, your manager, if they assume their role as coach in relation to your professional development. How can they expose you more to certain key people? How can your network facilitate an appointment or put you in direct contact? How can you get your connections to talk about you or promote your achievements more widely?

Choosing Your Moment and Subject

Interventions that strengthen your visibility require preparation, especially if you don't feel comfortable speaking in public. Depending on the meeting format, you can choose to intervene spontaneously or have a topic added to the agenda. If you know the topics in advance, choose to speak on at least two subjects with a relevant remark or question. You can prepare them calmly in advance and "test" them beforehand with your ecosystem (peers, colleagues, coaches...). This will allow you to validate their relevance and impact.

This approach has a triple advantage: you prepare yourself, you choose your subject, your field of intervention, your terrain, you strengthen your visibility. A question demonstrates your interest. Sharing an experience or suggestion makes you interesting, invites exchange.

Making Yourself Interesting or Better Yet, Indispensable

During an assignment for a major Anglo-Saxon consulting firm, I had the opportunity to work with sales representatives responsible for developing key accounts. They all confided that their ultimate goal is to be solicited or considered a reference point by their clients, to be assured of being the first person they will contact in case of need. To achieve this, the difference is not established on technical skills (commercial strategy, knowledge of product or service offerings...). It relies primarily on the ability to make oneself indispensable, to remain present in the minds of highly solicited contacts whose schedules overflow.

To do this, they spend a significant portion of their time identifying topics that concern their clients and feeding them with relevant thoughts and ideas (articles, links to online articles...).

You can apply these methods to strengthen your impact and visibility, whether it's disseminating study results, market data, personal reflections related to their issues. By developing your curiosity and maintaining awareness of trends and innovations, you will strengthen your impact and intensify your influence.

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