Update Your Colleagues’ Perception of You

If you’re a long-term employee, it’s not only frustrating when your colleagues have an outdated perception of you—it can stymie your professional growth. How can you align your reputation with your self-perception? ?

Start by identifying the discrepancy between how you see yourself and how others see you. Feedback from trusted colleagues or your manager can help you recognize the gap. ?

Next, revise your responsibilities. If you continue to spend time on lower-level, lower-value work, you may get stuck in old impressions. Revamp your workload to signal your development to your team. ?

Finally, be direct with your colleagues. You might approach your boss, peers, or direct reports to have a conversation about what you’re doing to grow. Once they're aware of these efforts, they'll be more likely to recognize them in action.

This tip is adapted from “When Your Colleagues Have an Outdated Perception of You,” by Darcy Eikenberg and Sarah Mann