From Invisible to Invaluable: How Monique Accelerated Her Career and You Can, Too!

Many talented individuals feel overlooked and undervalued despite their hard work and dedication. Monique’s journey is a powerful testament to the challenges many leaders face, particularly women and introverts who often struggle to assert themselves in the workplace.

After six years as a program assistant, Monique felt trapped in her role, her ambitions unnoticed by those around her. However, her story doesn’t end there. With the proper guidance and a willingness to embrace change, Monique accelerated her career trajectory, ultimately landing a promotion and becoming an award-winning leader.?

Men and Woman Struggle

While there has been movement, data supports the notion that women are less likely to assert themselves. From developing and coaching men and women worldwide in mid-to-executive-level roles, I know that either can face these challenges. It’s based on the individual, culture, and life experiences.?

What’s at the core of your inability to advance in your career? I’ve discovered that it is not knowing what and how to communicate your value. When you peel back the layers, each person has reasons why they struggle to see and share how they help businesses solve their problems.?

Monique, an introvert, needed help clearly understanding what she had to offer and what problem she solved and communicating it so that others could appreciate it. But that’s not everyone’s growth area. Here’s my list.

Seven Common Areas That Hinder Career Advancement

Beliefs

• Everyone has a mental model that determines their behaviors.
• Your beliefs are at the root of your behaviors, which shape how others perceive you.
• Example: One leader overcame being raised in a low-income family and teased.

Brand

• Many people work hard but don’t think strategically about elevating their visibility.
• Managing your message is critical for success.
• Example: A successful leader was criticized for staying too close to her team and not expanding her knowledge to other stakeholders.

Communication

• Less is more; finding the right balance is critical.
• Effective communication requires self and situational awareness.
• Example: A leader who struggled with self-doubt learned to shift her focus from what made her feel inadequate to what made her a respectable leader, leading to increased recognition from leadership.

Network

• Identify who knows, likes, and trusts you.
• Stay in touch and reach out when you need help.
• Example: In a previous post, I shared how leveraging your network can turn “no” into “yes.” Networking Secrets: How to Turn “No” Into “Yes”

Presence

• Your presence communicates an invisible message without words.
• You can shift your presence by changing your attitude and self-perception.
• To learn more, watch Cultivating Executive Presence: The Inner Journey to Effective Leadership to learn more.

Vision

• Reflect on the impact of your work on the business and your audience.
• Can you clearly articulate the problem you are solving?

Clarity

• Distinguish between what you want to do and what you truly desire.
• Example: The question “What do you want to do?” helps you understand your impact on others and your purpose, while “What do you want?” focuses on your personal desires and the outcomes you seek from your actions.?

How Success Happened for Monique?

By addressing these areas, Monique transformed her life and accelerated her career opportunities. In four months, she landed two interviews and two offers. She left her program assistant role for an assistant director position, and within 15 months, she was the executive director. She continues to leverage what she learned in her latest supervisor’s role at Fort Knox. In this video, What Every Introvert Needs to Know to Succeed, she explains her experience and how she learned to package, position, and promote herself.

What steps would you like to take to advance your career? Leave your comments below. To learn more about the process Monique experienced, visit UnBottle Your Genie: Design Your Brand Action Plan.?

Copyright ? 2024 All rights reserved. S. Renee Smith is a bestselling author and Founder of Leaders Career Accelerator, an online (and onsite development hub).

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