How to Track Unseen Work as a Woman Leader

She said yes to every single project. Yet, she was overlooked for the promotion. They said: “She’s irreplaceable.” “We’d be lost without her.” But when it came time to lead the next big thing - She wasn’t even on the list. Over the past decade working in women’s leadership, I’ve seen this story play out far too often. Women staying in roles long past their expiration. Not because they lack clarity - But because they’ve been conditioned to confuse loyalty with worth. Loyalty to a team. To a leader. To a company culture that praises their reliability... But never promotes their vision. So how do you ensure you’re valued - not just used - for all that you bring to the table? Here are 5 practical, research-backed strategies I’ve seen top performers consistently use: ✅ Be Known for Vision, Not Just Execution ↳ “She delivers” is solid. ↳ “She sets the direction” is strategic. ↳ Build a reputation rooted in foresight - not just follow-through. ✅ Document and Distill Your Wins ↳ Don’t wait to be noticed. ↳ Capture and communicate your impact consistently. ↳ Think: outcomes, initiatives, feedback snapshots. ↳ This becomes your proof of value during reviews, promotions, or pivots. ✅ Speak the Language of Business ↳ Translate your work into metrics that matter: revenue, retention, growth, efficiency. ↳ When leaders see your contribution tied to business outcomes, you shift from “nice to have” to “can’t afford to lose.” ✅ Build Cross-Functional Credibility ↳ Influence isn’t built in silos. ↳ Make your value visible across teams. ↳ When multiple departments rely on your insight, you become a strategic connector - not just a contributor. ✅ Create Strategic Allies, Not Just Mentors ↳ Power isn’t just about performance - it’s about proximity to influence. ↳ Nurture relationships with decision-makers, peer champions, and collaborators. Influence grows through meaningful connection. The truth is - being essential isn’t the same as being seen. You can be deeply loyal to others - and still loyal to your own growth. These shifts aren’t just career strategies. They’re acts of self-respect. Because when you decide to lead from alignment, not obligation - You stop waiting to be chosen. And start choosing yourself. 💬 Which of these strategies feels most relevant to where you are right now? I’d love to hear in the comments below. ♻ Repost if you believe it’s time to stop rewarding quiet loyalty - and start recognizing conscious leadership. 🔔 Follow me, Bhavna Toor, for more. 📩 DM me to bring our holistic leadership development programs to your organization - that are a powerful combination of inner-work and real-world strategy.

🛰️ Claudia thought hybrid-working schedules would save her: Two days at home for deep work and the invisible care work, wherever she could breathe. One day on-site to be seen. Although she kept over-delivering. She was seen less and remembered less. The promotions went to people whose jokes landed in hallways, not Slack. Her work traveled by email; their faces traveled by elevator. 🌓 Here’s the trap: working from home is both blessing and curse for women. The blessing is focus and flexibility for the invisible labor we carry. The curse is that we avoid the spotlight. We’d rather deliver quietly and trust merit to carry us, and we get passed over by people who were seen. 🧠 The truth is that people remember who they see, not just what they read. Being in a few key rooms still moves careers, even if it shouldn’t. The 9–6 badge-swipe culture punishes anyone doing school pickups, elder care, or real life. So don’t swing to either extreme, always on-site or always invisible online. Design your visibility like a workflow: pick the two moments each month when decisions get made, show your face there, and cover the rest with tight written receipts and short live updates. 🔧 So, how to design this now: 1. 🎯 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀.    Forecast week and exec reviews.    Walk three specific people who need to know your work before the meeting with a one-minute “here’s the impact, here’s the ask.”     2. 🧾 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝗽𝘁𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹.    For every major deliverable, ship a 6-sentence note: problem → action → business result → risk removed → next bet → what I need from you. CC two people not in the room. If it isn’t written and witnessed, it isn’t yours.     3. 🗓️ 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆.    Publish your office rhythm: “Tuesdays I’m in for decisions; Thursdays I’m in for cross-team syncs; other days async, 2–4pm live window.” Leaders invest in what they can reliably find.     4. 🔁 𝗥𝘂𝗻 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘅𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲.    Pre-brief an in-room ally with your two lines and your ask;    Post-brief them for the echoes.    Rotate proxies so you’re not indebted and return the favor when you’re on-site.     🚀 Today Uma and I are running a 90-minute working session, “𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸.” Last chance to join us live and get the exact scripts, pre-wiring moves, and the one-page receipts template: https://lnkd.in/gte3PVrM 👊 Because remote can do the work, but only designed presence gets you the credit, the mic, and the raise.

You didn’t fall behind. You just became invisible in a room you helped build. That’s not failure. That’s a signal. You don’t need a new job. You need your power back. Top performers don’t leave because they stop feeling motivated. They leave because they stop feeling impactful. I see it all the time. Talented leaders slowly disconnect not because the work changed, but because they became invisible in their own story. 53% of high performers say their work goes unnoticed by decision-makers. That invisibility? It’s not your fault. But it is your cue to lead differently. Here’s how to re-energize your visibility and impact ↳ without switching jobs: 1/ Make One Bold Move ↳ Say no to what doesn’t grow you. ↳ Volunteer for that stretch assignment. ↳ Your value is in your choices. 2/ Start a “Silent Impact portfolio” ↳ Track your behind-the-scenes wins. ↳ Log the fires you put out. ↳ This is your secret influence portfolio. 3/ Gather Impact Intelligence ↳ Ask two trusted peers, “Where do you see my unique value?” ↳ Their answers reveal your blind spots. ↳ Use them to amplify where you shine. 4/ Own Your Leadership Moments ↳ Identify one crisis you quietly navigated. ↳ Name the leadership skill you used. ↳ Visibility isn’t bragging, it’s owning your impact. 5/ Create a Strategy Hour ↳ Block 60 minutes weekly for strategic thinking. ↳ No distractions. No guilt. ↳ Your calendar should reflect your worth. Feeling undervalued isn’t a cue to leave. It’s a call to lead differently. You don’t need a new job to reclaim your power. But you do need to see, and showcase, your own worth. If you’ve ever felt invisible in a room you helped build: This is your signal to rise. Remember: Do the same for someone else. 🔖Tag a leader who elevates others. ➕ Follow Loren Rosario - Maldonado, PCC for career insights without the fluff Source: Workhuman, Human workplace index: the price of invisibility, 2024

A client of mine had an epiphany—one I hear from mid-career working moms all the time... She wasn’t doing one job. She was doing many. ✔ Extra pilot projects ✔ Running the ERG and community programs ✔ Keeping the team WhatsApp alive, building culture behind the scenes The work that made the workplace better, stronger, more human. Yet none of it was counted in her performance review. None of it tied to a promotion. None of it seen as leadership—even though it was leadership. When we sat down to strategize, I asked: “How are you making sure this work is counted?” She hesitated. Like so many women, she assumed leaders knew what she contributed. Here’s the truth: Hard work doesn’t speak for itself. And in this climate, women must recognize and share their value. Here’s how she made it happen: ✔ She documented it. Every ERG meeting, every mentoring session, every initiative. ✔ She quantified it. Hours spent, employees impacted, retention improved. ✔ She tied it to business goals. Aligning it with the company’s own metrics. Then, she did what so many hesitate to do: She self-promoted. Not to brag. Not for attention. For recognition. Sponsorship. A promotion. Because here’s the reality: Companies benefit from this work, but they rarely count it toward career growth. That must change. — Women assume their work is noticed. It’s not. → Leaders won’t recognize work they don’t see. → Partners can’t appreciate labor they don’t know exists. → Children won’t learn to own their wins if they never see you do it. Visibility matters. Start celebrating your work—with your friends, with your family, and in your workplace. Because your impact deserves to be seen. How do you make sure your work gets recognized?

Ever held back from putting something in writing—just to “keep the peace”? One of my clients was facing repeated non-cooperation from other departments. She’d raise it to her VP, but there was no email trail to back her up. Why? Because she didn’t want to “offend” anyone by documenting it. Sound familiar? Here’s what we worked on: ➡️ Align on deliverables and timelines verbally. ➡️ Then follow up with a polite but clear email — “Just capturing our conversation for clarity and tracking.” ➡️ If deadlines are missed, send a gentle reminder. If needed, escalate professionally, not emotionally. 📌 Being kind doesn’t mean staying silent. 📌 Documenting isn’t rude — it’s responsible. Your silence may protect the relationship in the short term… But in the long run, it weakens your credibility and enables dysfunction. Avoiding documentation to preserve harmony often protects poor behavior and erodes trust — yours and the organization’s. #officepolitics #communicationskills #mindsetiseverything #womeninleadership #promotion #leadershipmindset

Since the start of 2025, I’ve talked with multiple executive women who describe themselves the same way: 🧰 “I’m the Swiss Army knife.” 🧯 “They drop me into fires.” 📦 “I keep getting moved laterally to fix broken teams or projects, but I’m never moved up.” Here’s what I want to say to you: Being the person who can fix it all is not the same as being the person who is seen, valued, and rewarded for her expertise. Yes, it shows your capability, adaptability, leadership. But it can also signal (to others) that you’re so useful where you are that no one’s thinking about your growth. If this is you, try this reframe: 🔁 Instead of “I’m good in chaos,” say: 👉 “I’m known for leading through ambiguity and driving transformation during critical inflection points.” 🔁 Instead of “They always move me where I’m needed,” say: 👉 “I’ve built a track record of solving complex problems across departments, now I’m ready to lead from the top.” You’re not “too good where you are to move.” 💪You’re too valuable not to be in the room where strategic decisions are made. And if your current org can’t see that? You may need to start building visibility somewhere else - where you’re viewed as more than the most reliable tool in the drawer. If this post hit a nerve, you’re not alone. And you’re not stuck. You’re just under-recognized, and it’s time to change that. #executivewomen #careergrowth #leadershipbranding #midcareerstrategy #executivevisibility #womeninleadership

Ma'am my manager is steeling credit for my work ? A Client's Story & Action Plan..... A talented female client recently confided in me about a frustrating situation: her manager kept taking credit for her work. This is a scenario many women face, and it can be especially disempowering considering societal norms around female self-promotion. Here's what I advised her (and what YOU can do if you find yourself in a similar situation): 1. Breathe & Assess: Before reacting, take a step back. Is this a one-time incident or a pattern? Recognize your frustration, but channel it into proactive steps. 2. Be Your Own Champion: Document Everything: Don't rely solely on memory. Keep a record of your contributions. Emails with ideas, drafts with timestamps, and project notes are your allies. 3. The Art of the "FYI": Subtly keep higher-ups informed. When sending project updates or successes to your manager, consider copying relevant colleagues or leaders. This creates a paper trail of your involvement. 4. The "Credit Correction" Conversation: If it happens again, address it with your manager privately. Focus on facts ("In the meeting, you mentioned...") and suggest a more accurate portrayal of events. Practice beforehand to feel confident. 5. When All Else Fails, Elevate: If the behaviour persists and these steps don't work, consider talking to HR or a trusted senior leader to discuss your concerns. 👉 Remember: 🎊 Your contributions are valuable! Don't be afraid to advocate for yourself professionally. 🎊Document your achievements and build a network of supporters. Feeling Stuck? If this resonates and you need help navigating the situation, reach out in the comments or DM me. Let's discuss how to get you the recognition you deserve! Follow Sadhanaa Giri ☀ for more #womeninleadership #selfadvocacy #workplaceissues #linkedinlearning #manager #leadershipcoaching #executivecoaching LinkedIn LinkedIn Guide to Creating LinkedIn Social Impact LinkedIn News India

Show me the metric for defusing a walkout. I’ll wait. Ever been in that room when the air shifts and you know if you don’t step in, it’s all about to unravel? You know the moment. The tension in the room could slice bread. One wrong move and you’re dealing with two resignations, a week of whispers, and months of trust lost. But it doesn’t happen. And not by chance. Because you catch it early, names the tension, and quietly take the heat. Most of what keeps teams intact never shows up on a dashboard. 🚫 Don’t expect invisible work to defend itself. 🚫 Don’t let someone else rewrite your value as “just good team vibes.” How do you translate invisible wins into outcomes your business will respect? 1️⃣ Turn avoided crises into real numbers. ↳ Write it out. ↳ No turnover, no missed delivery, no client drama. ↳ That’s three resignations you never had to explain. 2️⃣ Connect safety to performance. ↳ If your team is honest about risk, you catch problems before they cost. ↳ That’s time, trust, and cash saved. ↳ Track it. 3️⃣ Name the hard things you make easy. ↳ Mentoring, mediating, protecting focus. ↳ These aren’t soft skills. ↳ They’re your insurance policy against chaos. 4️⃣ Give your advocates a headline. ↳ Make it simple for your sponsors. ↳ We kept the work on track because we kept the people here. Quick checklist for this week: → What didn’t blow up because you noticed first? → Who’s still engaged because you listened, not managed? → What tension or burnout did you steer off course, quietly? → How will you make this visible to the people who need to see it? Here’s our human-first reality: In the real world, you can’t rely on others to see your invisible labor. The lesson isn’t just hope a boss finally notices. It’s translate and champion your invisible wins, or they stay invisible. ⛔ You’re not just protecting outcomes. ✅ You’re holding the line so your team and your results stay whole. P.S What’s one invisible win you’re claiming this week? 💾 Save for the days your work is hard to see. ♻️ Repost to support your network that real leadership isn’t always on display. ➕ Follow me, Laurie Banfi, for grounded strategies that make human-first leadership impossible to ignore.

Hard truth: Talent gets you in the room. Visibility gets you the promotion. Recently, two conversations drove this point home: 1️⃣ Conversation #1: A VP was venting about a strong team leader who kept getting passed over for promotions. When I asked why, she said: -"He’s a great people leader. But he’s not making himself strategically visible to senior leadership." His work was solid. His team loved him. But the decision-makers weren’t seeing it... and he wasn’t helping them see it. 2️⃣ Conversation #2: I asked a recently retired CEO – a woman with an extraordinary, trailblazing career – what advice she’d give to women wanting to follow in her footsteps. She didn’t hesitate: “Look for the gaps. Serve. Step up with your skills, ideas, and energy.” “Make connections everywhere – not just to network for yourself, but to bridge opportunities for others.” Both conversations revealed the same deeper truth: → Visibility isn’t about bragging. → Visibility is leadership. → Visibility is service. You are in charge of your promotion. Not your manager. Not HR. Not your mentor. You. If you want to grow your impact, here are 10 ways to start owning your visibility: ✔️ Speak up in meetings, even if your heart pounds. ✔️ Offer ideas and volunteer to lead small (& large) initiatives. ✔️ Regularly update key leaders on your progress and wins. ✔️ Build genuine relationships across departments. ✔️ Share credit generously and position your team’s wins. ✔️ Seek mentorship and peer sponsorships. ✔️ Connect your work to broader company goals – make it obvious how you add value. ✔️ Ask thoughtful questions that show strategic thinking. ✔️ Say yes to stretch assignments that scare you a little. ✔️ Advocate for others and build a reputation as a connector. You don’t have to be the loudest. You just have to be visible – to the right people, in the right ways, for the right reasons. And if you don't have a strategic visibility plan, let's talk. Your leadership deserves to be seen. Your next level depends on it. And yes, you’re ready. #LeadershipDevelopment #WomenInLeadership #CareerGrowth #VisibilityMatters #TheBoldLifeDesign #AuthenticLeadership #PromotionStrategy #LeadershipJourney

𝗜𝗳 𝗜 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵, 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗜’𝗹𝗹 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱. Nope. That’s a trap. Companies don’t create great products and just wait for customers to notice. They market them—strategically, consistently, and with pride. So why do we think our achievements will speak for themselves? Especially for women, this belief is quietly damaging. We work hard, stay humble, and wait… and when recognition doesn’t come, we feel unseen and demotivated. Here’s what I’ve heard—and said: “It wasn’t a big deal.” “I don’t want to sound pompous.” “It was a team effort—I can’t take the credit.” “If I promote myself, I’ll come off as too ambitious.” As someone who has navigated the complexities of being a female leader—I’ll say this clearly: 👉 Do not outsource your growth to the whims or personalities of others. Take accountability for your visibility. Own your voice. Advocate for your progress. And when appreciation comes from others? Count it as a bonus, not the plan. Taking the reins is the most powerful thing you can do. And yes—you can do it with grace, not arrogance. #WomenInLeadership #CareerGrowth #VisibilityMatters #ExecutivePresence #LeadershipDevelopment #OwnYourSuccess #AuthenticLeadership