S3 EP004: Study Case – What REALLY Is Self Promotion? Corporate Visibility Through Networking

The Leadership Nest Podcast | S3 EP#004 – Study Case: What REALLY Is Self Promotion? Corporate Visibility Through Networking

[00:00:00] Introduction

Taty Fittipaldi: In this episode, we’ll learn about the importance of visibility and building meaningful connections, a critical skill for career growth and leadership success. I’ll share a study case about Philip, a talented professional who believed his good work would speak for itself. He focused solely on delivering results and building skills, but overlooked the human connection aspect of leadership. When he found himself repeatedly passed over for promotions, he realized something needed to change.

We will explore the skills Philip developed to showcase his value, the lessons he learned about networking and self-promotion, and the incredible results he achieved by putting himself out there. Hopefully you can leverage his experiences and insights to help you achieve your own career and leadership goals.

Hello and [00:01:00] welcome to the Leadership Nest Podcast, the podcast that nests stories, knowledge, and science to soar the leadership in you. This program is brought to you by Coaching Expatriates, and I am your host, Taty Fittipaldi. In this season, we are taking an exciting turn. Season three will focus on study cases, real life stories, and progress of global leaders as they hone a key leadership skill.

Each episode will highlight the challenges, breakthroughs, and lessons that shaped their leadership journey, giving you practical insights to elevate your own path. Whether you were a seasoned executive, a first time manager, or an aspiring global leader, these stories will inspire, inform, and guide you to achieve greater impact in your role.

[00:01:52] Today’s Story

Today’s Story: Today’s [00:02:00] story.

Taty Fittipaldi: Let’s talk about Philip, a talented professional who learned a vital leadership lesson the hard way. Good work alone doesn’t speak for itself.

Philip is incredibly skilled and dedicated. He poured himself into his work, believing that his results would naturally lead to recognition and career growth. Networking? Building visibility? Those were things he thought didn’t matter. His focus was on getting the job done and honing his expertise. But over time, Philip started noticing a pattern: promotion after promotion passed him by. Colleagues with less impressive results were moving ahead, and he was left wondering why.

It was a frustrating and confusing experience. Philip couldn’t understand what he was doing wrong when, in his mind, [00:03:00] he was doing everything right. That’s when he reached out to me for coaching.

Realizing the real problem.

When Philip came to me, he was ready to tackle the issue, but he wasn’t exactly sure what the issue was. His initial complaint was simple. I’m doing great work, but no one seems to recognize it.

After some reflection and digging into his situation, we identified a critical gap. While Philip was focused on delivering excellent results, he was missing out on opportunities to showcase his value. He wasn’t networking, engaging with key stakeholders, or making his achievement visible to decision makers.

In short, he believed that his work alone was enough to speak for itself. But in today’s workplace, that’s rarely true. To grow as a leader and advance a career, people need to [00:04:00] see your contributions and understand the value you bring.

Why Philip chose to work with me.

Philip and I had worked together in the past when he was building financial skills and improving team efficiency in a different role.

He appreciated my structured, action oriented coaching approach. So when he realized he needed help again, he reached out. This time, Philip was ready to step outside his comfort zone and try something new. He knew the process would be challenging, but he was committed to making a change.

reframing the fear of self-promotion.

One of Philip’s biggest concerns was that self-promotion felt too much like bragging. The idea of actually showcasing his achievements made him uncomfortable and he worried about coming across as [00:05:00] insincere or self-centered.

Hmm.

To help him reframe his mindset, I explained that self-promotion isn’t about bragging, it’s about providing value. It’s about reminding people of the benefits they’re already receiving from you, from from your contributions.

Instead of seeing it as marketing himself, Philip began to see it as creating visibility for his work and how he impacted the company.

Our approach.

The reason why an image speaks louder than a thousand words is because it shows the viewer something instead of telling it. So, I needed to show the problem, not tell it to him. We started by clarifying the root problem, the idea that good work would naturally lead to recognition.

Once Philip understood why that belief was holding him back, we focused on actionable steps [00:06:00] to change the narrative.

Number one, reframing mindset. First, we worked on shifting his perspective around self-promotion. We turned it into an opportunity to highlight the value he brought to others, not just a way to talk about himself.

Number two, mapping stakeholders. Next, we created a map of key stakeholders. These were people whose opinions mattered in shaping Philip’s career: leaders in his vertical, decision makers in lateral teams, and other influencers across the organization.

Number three, strategic visibility. We went stakeholder by stakeholder, brainstorming ways for Philip to showcase his contributions in meaningful ways. Whether it was sharing updates in meetings with accomplishments, highlighting successes in one-on-one conversations or offering solutions to [00:07:00] cross-functional teams, philip learned how to put his value front and center.

The results.

The results were incredible. Philip’s reputation and visibility skyrocketed not just within his vertical, where he earned the respect of leaders all the way up to the CFO, but also across lateral teams in commercial and supply chain. Before long, Philip became a go-to person. Someone people sought out for advice and guidance. Promotions came naturally after that, but the real transformation was in Philip’s confidence. He realized that he had so much to offer and that belief showed in how he carried himself. During our coaching time, Philip received five external job offers. Offers he had the luxury of turning down, because his trajectory within his current company was so strong.

[00:08:00] Philip’s message to leaders.

Philip shared something that really stuck with me. He said, I didn’t realize how much I was holding myself back until I learned how to gain visibility and build a network. Self-promotion isn’t about bragging. It’s about connecting your value to the people who need it most. He also emphasized how much he appreciated the structured, step-by-step methodology we used to tackle the issue. By breaking it down into manageable pieces, he felt equipped to make the change without feeling overwhelmed. For Philip this wasn’t just about landing a promotion, it was about understanding the human connection aspect of leadership and how it fuels career growth.

Philip’s story is a reminder to all of us: doing great work is essential, but it’s not the whole picture.

If people [00:09:00] don’t know what you’re contributing, they can’t recognize your value. Building visibility, creating networks, and showcasing your impact are just as important as the work itself. If you’ve ever felt like your contributions were being overlooked, take a page from Philip’s journey.

Start showing up, speaking up, and connecting with the people who can help you grow.

You are listening to the Leadership Nest Podcast, the podcast that nests stories, knowledge, and science to soar the leadership in you, with your host, Taty Fittipaldi. If you are ready to take your leadership storytelling to the next level, check out my book, Mastering Business Storytelling, How Global Executives Can Craft and Tell Impactful Stories that Inspire, Influence, and Drive Success in Business. It’s packed with practical insights to help you make a lasting [00:10:00] impact. Available now. Grab your copy today.

[00:10:03] Today’s Lesson

Today’s Lesson: Today’s lesson.

Taty Fittipaldi: Philip’s story highlights a lesson that many leaders overlook. Doing great work isn’t enough. If people don’t see your value, they can’t recognize or reward it. Let’s break down the key takeaways from his journey and what we can all learn from it.

Key takeaways.

Philip’s biggest realization was that work doesn’t always speak for itself. Visibility is just as important. He learned that self-promotion isn’t about bragging. It’s about connecting your contributions to the people who benefit from them. He also discovered the power of networking by identifying key stakeholders and building [00:11:00] relationships.

Philip extended his reach and influence, making sure the right people were aware of his work and the value he brought to the organization. And finally he realized that his career success was within his control. By reframing his mindset around visibility and taking deliberate actions to showcase his contributions, he created opportunities for growth that weren’t happening before.

Leadership learnings.

For global leaders, Philip’s journey reinforces an important point. Visibility isn’t optional. It’s a skill. You need to build it intentionally, just like any other leadership capability.

The second lesson is about the human connection aspect of leadership. It’s not enough to do the work. You need to build trust and relationships with the people who influence decisions. [00:12:00] Networking isn’t just about knowing people. It’s about creating meaningful connections, that position you as a resource and as a leader.

Finally, Philip’s story reminds us that confidence grows when we step outside our comfort zones. Trying new approaches, like showcasing your work more openly may feel uncomfortable at first, but it’s essential for leadership growth.

So how does this apply to your leadership journey? Start by asking yourself, are you actually and intentionally showcasing your value? Or are you hoping someone else will notice?

If you’re waiting for recognition to come naturally, it might be time to rethink your approach. Take a page from Philip’s playbook. Identify the key people in your organization who should know about your contributions. [00:13:00] Find meaningful ways to connect with them and make your work visible. Remember, leadership isn’t just about getting your job done. It’s about inspiring confidence and building influence. Phillips’s story shows that when you embrace visibility and connection, you can take control of your career and create the opportunities you deserve.

Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Coaching Expatriates, a leading global executive development company that helps leaders around the world create happier and more profitable workplaces, using the four success pillars in global leadership, an innovative leadership learning methodology. Visit their website at www.coachingexpatriates.com.

[00:13:49] Today’s Tips To Apply What You Learned

Today’s Application: Today’s tips to apply what you learned.

Taty Fittipaldi: Let’s break down a [00:14:00] few practical tips from Philip’s story that you can use in your leadership journey. Philip’s experience taught us that good work alone isn’t enough. You need visibility and strong relationships to grow as a leader. He also showed us that self-promotion isn’t about bragging. It’s about connecting your contributions to the value they bring to others.

Actionable tips.

Number one, map your stakeholders. Take a moment to identify the key people in your organization who influence decisions or shape perceptions. This could be leaders in your vertical, cross-functional peers, or even external partners. Building relationships with them ensures your work is seen and appreciated by the right audience.

Number two, showcase your value. Don’t wait for others to notice your contributions. Find opportunities to [00:15:00] share your success in meetings, one-on-one conversations, or team updates. Frame your achievements around how they benefit your organization to keep the focus on the value, not just the personal success.

There are hidden opportunities everywhere. For example, if an HR called you to speak at an onboarding event with new employees, you might have seen it as a silly uneventful task at first, but you can reframe it to showcase your leadership. For instance, you could casually say in a meeting, I’m so glad I took the time to participate in shaping the future and performance of our new employees in the onboarding session yesterday. Showcasing value doesn’t have to be epic. It could be as simple as a comment like this.

Number three, reframe self-promotion. If self-promotion feels uncomfortable, shift your mindset. Think of it as sharing [00:16:00] useful insights or reminding people of the impact your work has. It’s not about boasting, it’s about ensuring your contributions are recognized. For example, for years I was the lead trainer on finance for non-finance people in an old job. But because this was a side leadership initiative, outside my vertical, nobody there knew about it. Until I finally told them. After that, all leaders in my vertical, when introducing me to other people, they would say, this is Taty, our CFO, and the leader who is leading an initiative to raise financial acumen in our entire organization.

People can’t reverberate something good about you if you first don’t let them know about it. Think about that. Okay. These tips aren’t just about career advancement. They are about building trust, influence, and stronger [00:17:00] connections as a leader. Start small And watch how intentional visibility can transform your leadership journey.

[00:17:08] Highlights

Highlights: If you have any questions you’d like us to answer in the future episode of the show, just go to speakpipe.com/TatyFittipaldi or click the link in the show notes below to leave us a brief audio message. Make sure to visit us on our website, www.leadershipnest.com, where you can subscribe to our show anywhere podcasts are streamed so you never miss a show. While there, if you find value in our show, you can also subscribe to our Global Leadership Weekly newsletter from Coaching Expatriates, where we deliver bite-sized lessons on global leadership, decision-making, and cultural competence to help you learn how to think, relate, and [00:18:00] strategize in a whole different way as a global leader. If you like the show, you might want to check our online global executive leadership program, a nine week leadership development and learning system that will help you lead internationally, while making financially conscious and impactful decisions. Taty Fittipaldi is also available for private coaching.

See the website for more details at www. Coaching expatriates.com/executive-coaching. Thanks for joining us this week on the Leadership Nest Podcast. Be sure to tune in next week for next episode. Until the next time, keep nesting. Wherever you are in the globe, this is Taty Fittipaldi wishing you a beautiful day.