By: Jessica Gendron
This isn’t clickbait. In my interactions with professionals at various career stages, I’ve come to understand a common workplace dilemma: There are those who strive for visibility and those who prefer to remain unnoticed. If you’re part of the former group, working hard to gain recognition, climb the career ladder, and grow, you’ve likely experienced the frustration of feeling like your efforts go unnoticed. This article is for you.
I often have conversations with frustrated professionals who can’t seem to get their boss to recognize the work that they are doing and get the raise, promotion, or responsibility they desire. As individuals, we know how hard we are (or are not) working, we know what we’ve accomplished (for the most part), and we understand how our work has contributed to the success of the organization; what we don’t understand is why no one else has bothered to notice and bestow upon us the reward we so rightly deserve.
Herein lies the problem. We’re focused entirely on ourselves! It’s easy to forget that while supervision is integral to any leader or manager’s role, many other responsibilities compete for attention. Suppose you are a high performer who consistently delivers. In that case, it is reasonable to assume that your manager or boss is paying less attention to you than some of your lower-performing peers or their other priorities. While we could debate the merits of a strategy like this, it would be futile. We don’t have control over our manager’s behavior.
However, we can learn to ensure that our managers are knowledgeable and informed about our work, what we are achieving, and how we are contributing to the overall success of the business or team. That’s why you need a Success Journal. It’s a tool that puts the power back in your hands, allowing you to take control of your own recognition.
What’s a Success Journal? It’s a journal where you log your successes, of course! Okay, that might oversimplify it, but that’s the basic sentiment behind it. A Success Journal is a commitment you make to yourself, a commitment to take time out of your daily or weekly routine to thoughtfully reflect on what you accomplished, what it demonstrates you have the potential to do in the future, and how the successes have contributed to the overall team success or business outcomes. It’s a reminder of your potential for even greater achievements.
Here’s how you do it:
1. Buy a journal. Yes, we recommend you hand-write your successes!
2. Schedule time on your calendar. Take 5-10 minutes daily or 20-30 minutes weekly, but schedule the blocked time to recur for the following year.
3. Reflect on what you accomplished. Try to be as specific as possible. Break down the successes to describe the steps necessary to achieve the bigger goal. For example, don’t just write, “successfully launched new company program.” Launching that program took lots of work! Break it down to include all the pieces it took to make that program cross the finish line.
4. Identify transferable skills and potential. What skills does this success demonstrate you possess? What responsibilities does it prove you have the potential to take on? Spell it out plainly for yourself.
5. Determine how it contributed to the team’s success or business outcomes. What benefit did that success bring to the company? Was it a new product or service line? A new client? Is it cost-saving efficiency? Equate that success to a business goal or outcome. This demonstrates the value of that success, but also your ability to see the bigger picture for the business.
Now, your efforts to get a raise, promotion, or more responsibility will include data that demonstrates why you deserve it and what you can do for the business. You also won’t have to scramble each time you have a performance appraisal to remember what you achieved in between. You’ve been tracking it all along! This data also becomes valuable when updating your resume, applying for new positions or jobs, and advocating for yourself outside of your routine appraisals.
Now, you might be thinking, “Wow. What a great idea! I’ll start in the new year.”
In response, I’d ask, “Why not start now?”
Jessica Gendron is a leadership expert and culture strategist. Serving as the President and CEO of The Center for Leadership Excellence, she designs powerful leadership courses, delivers impactful training, and inspires leaders as a keynote speaker. Contact Jessica today to discuss how she might help current and emerging leaders in your organization succeed.
To read more about self-advocacy, check out Jessica’s book: What It Takes To Shatter Glass: Embrace Your Power and Create the Future You Want in Your Career, Life and Relationships