9 Essential Secrets to Elevate Your Visibility as a Product Leader

In a competitive workplace, standing out as a product leader requires more than just hard work. It also involves being smart about how you make yourself visible. Many product managers feel undervalued or overlooked despite their hard work. Here are nine secrets to help you, as a product leader, enhance your visibility and impact at work.

Change Your Mindset

The first step is a mindset shift. Recognize that sharing your achievements is beneficial for your entire organization. You need to show more than just your own achievements. You also need to show what your team is doing and how it helps the company. This visibility benefits the company by allowing stakeholders to make better decisions.

Include Your Team

When you talk about your achievements, always include your team. This approach doesn't diminish your role. Instead, it highlights your leadership and your team's collective effort. It shows that you're a team player and a leader who acknowledges the contributions of others.

Tie With The Broader Context

Connect your achievements with the broader goals of the company. Instead of stating what you did, explain how it aligns with the company’s objectives. This connection demonstrates your strategic thinking and understanding of the company’s vision.

Use Others To Get Your Visibility

Build relationships with influencers and decision-makers within your organization. When others talk about what you have done, especially when you are not there, it makes more people notice and trust you. And you don't have to ask them; if it's worth mentioning them and it benefits them, they will speak about your achievements.

Have An Opinion on Other Workstreams

Don’t confine yourself to your direct responsibilities. Offer insights and contributions to other projects and initiatives. This collaboration helps people see you more. It shows how you can contribute beyond your assigned tasks.

Join Thought Leadership Initiatives

Engage in high-level projects and initiatives beyond your immediate product area. This involvement positions you as a strategic thinker and a potential leader for larger scopes.

There are several ways to join them but some of them are

• Volunteer for the work that people leading these initiatives consider grunt work and don't want to do
• Publish your point of view on these initiatives

Share What Works

Share your team's successes, especially in terms of processes and innovations. When your team overcomes challenges or improves efficiency, it increases your visibility and establishes you as a thought leader.

One of the best "hacks" to use here is to share your learnings, especially your customer learnings. People always want to know that and you can share that as an achievement without appearing braggadocious.

Clarify Your Personal Brand

Be clear about how you want to be perceived in your professional life. Being clear will help you know what to do and how to talk, so that people see you in a way that matches the personal brand you want to create.

Persistence

Lastly, be persistent. Building visibility is a gradual process. Stay consistent in your efforts, and over time, your desired brand and reputation will solidify.

Conclusion:

Elevating your visibility as a product leader is crucial for career growth and recognition. By implementing these nine secrets, you can step out of the shadows and showcase your value and leadership effectively. Remember, it's not just about the work you do, but also about how you position and communicate it.

For a more in-depth understanding of these secrets and how to apply them, watch my full video.