GET READY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: STRATEGIZING TO CREATE VISIBILITY AND CLAIM VALUE

You can make a differencefor other people, for your organizationbut it is up to you to make your value visible.

In creating value in a new role it is easy to focus on what you know best and ignore the bigger challenges. In the pressing demands of any new position, it is also tempting to think only about what you have not yet accomplished or to assume that your achievements will be obvious to others without any prompting.

Who in the organization needs to know about the results you and your group have produced? Have you made any efforts to bring those contributions to their notice? Or have you taken it for granted that the results will command attention simply on their own merits?
What in your mind would be a great outcome? Are those results a stretch, but still within reach? Or have you set the bar so high that you sometimes think you are not accomplishing much of anything?

Engage Strategic Needs

Effective leaders keep the current business humming while simultaneously planning ahead anticipating the turns in the roadway.

How clear are you regarding the organization's strategy and the part your unit plays in furthering strategic objectives? How clear are others? What steps can you take to dispel any confusion that may exist?
As you identify existing problems, do you find points where current strategic approaches come up short? Are there ways that you can help others reframe how they define those problems? Where would your input be most useful in reshaping perceptions of the organization's strategic needs?
What existing management practices or other performance drivers may impede or stall progress? What changes can you suggest? To whom? When and how?

Fill Unmet Needs

It is hard to solve a problem that you do not realize you have. It is also hard to solve common problems when people are siloed in independent groups.

From your vantage point, what unmet needs can you see? How might you address them?
Which of your projects have potential relevance for other groups? How can you facilitate the sharing of information?
What changes can you anticipate that will affect other people? How can you help them to maximize positive change? Minimize negative change?

Make Your Value Visible

The value you create will remain invisible if you do not claim it. But you have to find ways to make your value visible that suit you yet are attuned to the organization's culture. Otherwise the message won't get across.

How easily and how often can you measure your results? How can you describe what you have done in language that has resonance ?
How does your contribution fit with what your organization values? How can you close any gaps between your contribution and what is valued? If necessary, how can you change minds about the results that are valued?
What is your reputation as a leader? Do people want to work with you? Do people with whom you work tell others about how great it is to be on your team? Or do you have trouble attracting people to work with you? If so, why? What can you do to change those perceptions?
Have you created a personal plan to make your value visible? Here are some steps to take:

Make a list of people in the organization who should know about what you have accomplished.

Outline points that should be emphasized .

Think about how to translate those contributions into a currency your audience will recognize and honor .

Consider how you will be most comfortable in communicating your accomplishments, the accomplishments of your group. Talk to trusted colleagues about what methods work for them.

Seed your visibility efforts by starting with your own networks within the organization.

Take timing into account. When is the moment right for each phase in your visibility campaign?

Develop measures to assess how well your visibility plan is working.