Do others in your company or department really know what you do? Do they have any idea of the contributions you make to your organization?

I have worked with many individuals who do fantastic work, but their contributions may go unnoticed because they fail to promote themselves. Even as leaders, they are more likely to encourage recognition for the work of others on their team and forget to advocate for the work they have done personally. These individuals may even be overlooked for promotions because their capabilities are not well known to those making the decisions. While they may assume that the great work they are doing will get noticed, this is simply just not always the case.

In many cases, these are the people who get things done and are the go-to people in their organization, and they do it without self-promotion. They are “quietly competent.” They may also be considered introverts — more comfortable with their heads down or making a contribution without drawing out a lot of attention.

In the world of matrix reporting, global teams and virtual workplaces, it is harder to have your work recognized without a little self-promotion. Your leader may not be in the same building, city or even country as you are. How are you promoting the work you are doing or the ideas you are generating?

I am certainly not advocating becoming someone who is constantly bragging to others about all of the great things they are doing and patting themselves on the back every day. I am suggesting, however, that there are ways to shine a spotlight on your ideas and accomplishments and that demonstrating the value you add is important. In order to get noticed and recognized for your work, you need to engage in some promotion of your contributions and skills.

If this is resonating with you, below are some ideas to consider to promote your work. Even as a leader of a team, those around you need to know what and how you have contributed.

Utilize meetings with your boss.