Make them take notice

By MARK STORY

Are you dragging your bottom lip around the office floor because you've been overlooked for promotion yet again? Feeling alone while you wait for recognition? There are proven ways to get people to take note. But be careful - going about it the wrong way or at the wrong time can backfire.

It's probably not a great idea to draw extra attention to yourself if you're under-performing on the job. According to career consultant Lee Brodie, one of the best ways to raise your profile at work is to let your actions be your best advocate.

"The best way to raise your profile within the organisation is to be positive, easy to get along with and over-exceed on expectations," says Brodie, director with Career Dynamic.

But if your strong performance is still going unnoticed and unrewarded you have a problem. It's good to be modest but you can't hide your talents under a bush and expect people ferret them out.

So here are 10 ways to ensure your boss and co-workers start recognising your talents.

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Improve your competence

Your reputation at work will be sullied by incompetence and limited interpersonal skills. So if you've been a non-performer, you're going to have to create a new profile by raising your overall game to above excellence.

But be discrete and subtle, you don't want to draw attention to yourself until your performance is sufficiently raised. Remember corporations don't like a "smarty pants", so if you declare an intention to raise your game you'd better deliver. Ensure whatever you do to improve your competence is done with integrity.

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Repackage yourself

Take a good look at how you present and position yourself within the organisation. Start to look and behave like someone who's already performing at the next level.

Remember how you dress, answer the phone, and the state of your office or desk - plus your general demeanour on the job - to send signals that you're committed to the next step. Establish a reputation for hard work, honesty and being a team player.

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Become an effective communicator

If you're in an environment where there are lots of meetings then you really need to understand the language of business and speak up.

Research suggests people who can speak for more than a minute in the first five minutes of a meeting are likely to influence the outcome of that meeting. That's because the early content of any meeting typically fashions the whole agenda. People who can speak cogently and understand the issues gain respect.

Find a personal coach who can help you, or gain practical experience in public speaking. It's important to work on what it is you want to say and how you want to say it.

Don't be afraid to ask your boss what else you can do to raise your standing within the organisation. Regular reviews present an ideal opportunity.

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Volunteer for new responsibilities

Enhance your employability by putting your hand up for any opportunities that let you show your latent leadership qualities. This could be as simple as helping to organise the next social event or running an in-house project.

If you don't have these skills seek out the most relevant project management or leadership training available that's available.

Identify new opportunities that will add to your CV. By working on jobs that have a tangible outcome - such as installing a new system or leading a group - you'll begin to make your work more visible to the organisation.

Remember, opportunities to participate in annual awards (or similar events) provide good opportunity for self-promotion.

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Be a good organisational citizen

Those who go beyond expectations typically stand out, simply because most people don't.

Volunteer for extra projects, especially the work that, while neither absolutely required nor covered by rewards, contributes to organisational effectiveness.

That could mean helping with the induction of new staff or helping someone who's returned to heavy deadlines after being off sick for a week.

Alternatively, it could mean reading all the staff-related emails on what's going on internally and understanding OSH guidelines.

Those who help others at work are always regarded favourably. But be consistent, playing this part two months before the Christmas bonus could look insincere.

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Get balanced

Put your career progression within the context of overall work-life balance. People with fulfilling lives outside work are more likely to be happy on the job - and happy workers are more likely to succeed.

Do things outside work that provide so much satisfaction that it can't help but spill over into your workplace. Do something that you absolutely love in your spare time, whether it's singing in a choir, gardening or triathlons.

People with well-balanced lives are more likely to get promoted because they're more likely to place the right values on issues and have a fresh perspective.

Ensure you're mentally, physically and spiritually fit.

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Conduct a self-audit

Embark on a voyage of self-discovery. Be ruthless and honest about how much you enjoy your role, your employer and why you want to be promoted.

Remember, if work for you is something to be endured, then a promotion won't make you any happier or more fulfilled.

Ask your boss or go back to the last performance review to find out where your weaknesses lie. Honestly assess whether you're just coasting and if your role is stretching your capabilities.

Ask the boss and peers where they see your strengths and try and segue those strengths into new channels. Build your self-awareness by identifying where you really want your career to head, if you don't know you'll never get there.

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Build networks around you

Identify more experienced peer coaches both within and outside your organisation who you can turn to for advice and a fresh perspective.

Don't cut yourself out of social networks entirely. Being a social butterfly can help but if people know you only socially, it won't help you in the job promotion stakes.

Develop as many networks and relationships as you can to further your career development.

Include within your network of contacts one or more mentors higher up the organisational ladder who can drop your name into the right conversations and help to advance your career prospects in other ways.

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Self-manage your career

Take responsibility for your own career development. Have a clear understanding of what both informal training and formal qualifications will do to your job prospects.

Having an opportunistic approach to career development means identifying all the opportunities you can.

Don't expect a promotion immediately after you've completed formal learning. Ask your boss what you can expect once the learning is done.

Build your Emotional Quotient (EQ) Limited soft skills are more likely to derail any career built on technical ability. What enabled you to be successful in your 20s won't work in your 40s when you're leading others.

Ask yourself how well your leadership skills are serving you now Sharpen up your listening skills and take the time to self-reflect.

If you need help making behavioural changes consider hiring an executive coach, observe how other leaders do it and take note of how others around respond to the changes you make.

* Mark Story spoke with Marie Wilson, associate professor of Management, University of Auckland Business School; Lee Brodie careers consultant, Career Dynamics; and Polly Parker, senior lecturer, University of Auckland Business School.