When my children were young, and I was commuting for three hours each day, I longed to work from home. I finally got the chance a few years back in a new role, only having to go into the office two or three days a week. I thought, “Well, isn’t this sweet?”
Yet, once I saw colleagues who “show up” to the office every day getting in more face time with the boss, I realized something was amiss. Despite working long hours, doing stellar work and getting positive feedback, my street cred in the office had fallen. Sisters who keep their heads down and get the job done can be easily overlooked.
“Don’t put your head in the sand,” says Laura Morgan Roberts, a professor at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business who specializes in leadership and organizational behavior. “You’ve got to put yourself out there, ask questions and shape the narrative.” The narrative that says I’m valuable: I’m solving a problem, saving money, making money, saving time, scaling up or innovating for competitive advantage.
With COVID-19 making telework the new normal and 42 percent of the U.S. labor force now working from home full time, according to the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, we can’t afford to recede into the digital shadows. We’ve been working at home for months, and many companies have now made this a long-term situation.
It’s the fourth quarter of the year, and you’re working harder than ever. As managers prepare to evaluate your performance, use these action items to stay visible so that you can get the credit — and the raise.
Brag on yourself
As Black women, we have to get comfortable patting ourselves on the back. “Share your accomplishments, accolades and success stories with leadership,” says Marlena Cole, a professional life coach in St. Louis. “Sharing your success with management is as easy as forwarding them an email where someone has congratulated you or acknowledged your work as being critical to the success of a project.”
Build rapport
Telling others about your accomplishments is a way to build rapport and trust. If you’ve taken a company-led course on leadership, ask if you could lead a 15-minute discussion on the topic in the next staff meeting. Or volunteer to host a session or participate as a panelist at the next virtual industry conference, then share any new trends with your team. “You don't have to feel arrogant or worry about what others may think when you share your success,” Cole says. “Being your authentic self is the key to making sure your message lands in the right way.”
Enjoy the view
Turning off your video during a virtual meeting is a no-no. “It makes you look that much more invisible,” says Ella Washington, an organizational psychologist who teaches at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. “The challenge is we know that Black women don’t feel as comfortable sharing our personal lives and connecting socially in work situations.” Pop in the next virtual meeting five minutes early to ask a colleague how a new project is progressing or solicit some advice on resolving a client conflict. “It will make them feel seen and heard and want to spend more time getting to know you,” Cole adds.
Follow these other tips from Cole on ways to elevate your presence in a virtual meeting: