Being good at your job is one thing. Being recognized as a leader is another. Whether you’re stepping into your first leadership role or you’ve been leading teams for years, people need to see you as someone who takes ownership and thinks beyond the task in front of you. Visibility isn’t about bragging. It’s about making sure your leadership is seen.

Joel Garfinkle, one of the nation’s top 50 coaches, says some people prefer to stay humble. They may say things like “I don’t want to toot my own horn” or “I don’t want to overstep.” But rather than avoiding arrogance, he says these people often end up erasing visibility. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share his actionable ways to stop playing small and make yourself seen.

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  1. Take credit for your contributions. The first step, he says, is to stop deflecting compliments and minimizing your role. When someone acknowledges your work, don’t say, “Oh, it was a team effort.” Instead, say “thank you” and own it. You could say, “Thank you. I led the strategy, and the team executed beautifully.” You can acknowledge others without erasing yourself, he says.

  2. Speak up in the first 10 minutes. Garfinkle recommends speaking up early in meetings with senior leaders or cross-functional groups. Don’t wait until you have the “perfect” thing to say. According to Garfinkle, the first 10 minutes set the tone for who’s engaged and who’s observing from the sidelines. When you speak early, you establish yourself as confident, engaged and ready to contribute. If you stay silent for too long, others unconsciously assume you have nothing to add, making it all the more important to increase your visibility in meetings.

  3. Make your work visible to the right people. Your immediate manager may know what you’re doing, but does their boss? Do peers in other departments? Do executives two levels up? Garfinkle suggests finding natural ways to share your work more broadly. For instance, you could volunteer to share project updates with leadership or contribute to company-wide communications or newsletters.

  4. Position yourself strategically. Garfinkle says you shouldn’t wait to be invited into important conversations. Create reasons for senior leaders to engage with you. When you’re in the room with them, ask about their priorities and challenges. Another idea, he says, is to offer insights rather than updates. In other words, don’t just report what you’re doing but share what you’re seeing.

  5. Raise your hand for stretch opportunities. When high-visibility projects, task forces or leadership opportunities come up, volunteer. Don’t wait until you feel 100% ready. Garfinkle says you’ll never feel fully prepared for roles or projects that are genuinely stretching you. That discomfort is the point. Leaders who expand their presence are willing to be uncomfortable in the service of their growth. Swap “Am I ready?” with “Can I figure this out?” If the answer is yes, he advises raising your hand.

You don’t have to become a master of self-promotion to build your leadership presence. Speak up when you have something valuable to add and let people know what you’re accomplishing. Those small moves can change how others see you and, eventually, what they trust you to lead.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Joel Garfinkle is recognized as one of the nation’s top 50 coaches. He’s the author of more than 11 books and offers more than 200 actionable video clips on his YouTube channel.