Page 117 - Roy W. Rice - CEO Material How to Be a Leader in Any Organization-McGraw-Hill (2009)

98 • CEO Material: How to Be a Leader in Any Organization

It’s very easy to become invisible. When that happens, headhunters
don’t call, bosses don’t promote, and mentors don’t respond.

Get noticed early in your career and preferably by the top people;
that’s how you get anointed.
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Getting noticed does not mean unbuttoning the top two buttons on
your blouse before you stand up to give your presentation. It will
evoke a smile, but it won’t get respect.

Being visible can be as simple as this story told to me by a client:
“I remember joining this several-billion-dollar company years ago right
out of college, and I happened to see the CEO unexpectedly walk by my
cubicle one day. I stood up, went out to him, and introduced myself. He
asked, ‘Do you know who I am?’ I said, ‘Yes,’ and explained that I had just
joined the company, and he said, ‘Well, keep up the good work.’ And then
he made a point to stop at my cubicle months later when he happened
by again.”
You can run with the pack and just go along, or you can leap out
ahead. It’s up to you.
Being visible does not mean that you embellish your work, are pre-
tentious, show off, seek the limelight, have a popularity contest, or over
self-promote.

Unless you fight against it, in business you can become like a rock
in the river, tossed, turned, and ending up pretty much like every
other one.

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Being visible is not going to everyone at Starbucks and introducing
yourself.

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It’s not who you know, but who knows about you.