February 26, 2020
The price of a successful career tends to be hard work, but considering ways to raise your profile internally can give you that extra boost you crave
Everyone has worked alongside someone who is, to put it simply, Sh*t Hot. They take impossible tasks in their stride, whilst being highly regarded and well-liked by both their peers and leadership. If you’re up against them when it comes to a promotion, well, you may as well forget it! They have great hair, their Friday outfit is always on point…the list goes on. They have it all, right?
We’ve all been there – after a long, hard day at work, on the train ride or car journey home, we’ve sat there slightly bemused and somewhat deflated, trying to figure it out…how do they do it? You torture yourself – ‘I work hard, I’m ambitious, I care… so why do they seem to be excelling, whilst I’m being left behind?’
Occasionally, these individuals are impressive freaks of nature, born into this world with more charm, talent and intellect than you can shake a stick at. More often than not though, they are perfectly normal human beings who are just working really bloody hard, have extreme amounts of focus, and are excelling in one particular area that many seem to struggle with; they are masters at managing and raising their ‘internal profiles’.
I’m not talking about being a pro at internal politics – be mindful that playing that tedious game will only get even the most masterful so far. Instead, in knowing how to raise their professional profile, they’ve managed to successfully manage their workload, whilst also self-promoting and positioning themselves in such a way that elevates themselves amongst their colleagues. This results in them being ahead of the game when it comes to internal promotions and securing those exciting projects.
Becoming a master of your own destiny won’t happen overnight but there are small, conscious changes you can make to raise your profile over time which, in turn, should unlock opportunities and open doors that seem dead bolted shut at present.
Top Tips on How to Raise Your Profile Internally
1. Ask for Feedback and Guidance from Your Peers and Manager
This might seem a crazy thing to do if you’re trying to prove you’re capable of operating at a higher level, right? WRONG! Recognising your development areas shows self-awareness and ambition to improve; both attributes of a great leader and team player! These conversations also act as a touchpoint between you and your colleagues, offering further opportunities to build on communication, honesty and trust. After raising your profile as someone receptive to feedback and communication, maybe they’ll come to you next time they are seeking support or advice?
2. Suggest Ideas and Be Inquisitive
It’s easy to shy away from voicing your ideas, especially in fear of being shot down in a room full of big personalities. But then again, who remembers the person in the corner not offering any insight? If sharing your ideas fills you with apprehension, or you struggle to innovate on the spot, take a quiet 10 to consider what you might say before a meeting or workshop – this will help you to deliver your ideas with confidence. This way you’ll be developing your professional profile as someone who contributes to business initiatives. As Earl Nightingale once said “Everything begins with an idea”!
3. ‘Act As’
If you’re working towards a promotion and step up in responsibility, you don’t need to wait until you’ve secured the position before acting like you’re in role. Granted, if there is already someone in post, don’t step on their toes and prematurely attempt to take over their responsibilities. Instead, observe their approach, consider their leadership qualities and evaluate their influencing skills. What do they do well? Why are they successful? What do you believe they are able to do more effectively than you? The answers to these questions should highlight the gap in experience between you now and the level you need to be operating at to succeed further. Identify and successfully work on these development areas now and your peers, as well as management, will develop elevated perceptions of you.
There you have it – a few easy tips to help accelerate your road to success! If you’d like further support and insight around how best to raise your profile at work please feel free to contact a member of the Mackenzie Jones team!