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Are you heads down, cranking out work, staying late, and hitting deadlines? Have you consistently brought major projects in under budget, but no one seems to notice? Are you devoted to your employer, yet aren\u2019t being promoted, and worse, your male peers are?<\/p>\n
You\u2019re experiencing the classic visibility problem. And you\u2019re not alone. Despite women earning the majority of college degrees, they receive fewer promotions than men do at every level<\/em>. And the problem begins with the first step on the so-called ladder to becoming a manager. According to M<\/a>cKinsey and LeanIn.Org\u2019s Women in the Workplace 2025 report,<\/a> for every 100 men who are promoted to manager, only 93 women are, and just 74 women of color. And the numbers get even worse for women further up the ladder, making it harder to rise when men hold significantly more management positions.<\/p>\n 1) Your manager is too busy to know what you\u2019re contributing<\/strong>. They are in meetings all day and can barely keep their head above water. They may have too many direct reports as organizations flatten, and feel behind on their own deliverables, so they haven\u2019t made time to focus on you. They trust you\u2019re doing a good job and that you will continue to do so. They don\u2019t realize you are quietly fuming about being underappreciated and underpromoted.<\/p>\n 2) You don\u2019t have sponsors.<\/strong> You might have strong relationships with your manager and your peers. You may even have an inspiring mentor who offers advice. Good for you! But that\u2019s not enough to get promoted\u2013you need sponsors. Sponsors are senior leaders within the organization who create opportunities for you and advocate for you behind closed doors. And that\u2019s where most decisions are made for high-profile assignments, raises, and promotions. Further, McKinsey\u2019s research<\/a> finds for every new sponsor you have, your chance of being promoted increases by 10%.<\/p>\n 3) You’re worried that self-advocacy is seen as bragging. <\/strong>Yes, you know you\u2019re doing a good job but don\u2019t want to toot your own horn. It can feel awkward or frustrating to have to articulate your contributions, especially when it\u2019s management’s job to pay attention.<\/p>\n If one or more of these signs apply to you, don\u2019t despair. In fact, the good news is that you can take control to increase your visibility and accelerate your path to promotion.<\/p>\n 1<\/strong>) Make your aspirations known.<\/strong> Tell your manager where you want to grow, what role you\u2019re working toward, or what plum assignment you want. Don\u2019t assume they know or can read your mind. You don\u2019t need to bring it up every week; integrate career development conversations into your standing 1:1 meetings each month or quarter, as well as your annual performance review. You could say, \u201cI want to work towards a promotion to X role over the next year. Let\u2019s discuss the steps and requirements,\u201d or \u201cI want to grow X skills so I can take on Y projects to increase my visibility with senior management.\u201d And don\u2019t assume they\u2019re aligned. Ask them! \u201cDo I have your support?\u201d<\/p>\n 2) Build relationships with 2-3 potential sponsors.<\/strong> Understand that sponsors put their reputation on the line, so they want to back people who deliver excellent work and have the ambition to rise within the organization. Identify influential leaders who are known for championing women and high-potential talent. Volunteer for high-profile projects so they can see you in action. Attend their town hall meetings, comment on their blogs, and find ways to add value to their work. Don\u2019t cold-ask for sponsorship; instead, reach out with a brief email to request a conversation to learn about their career path and build the relationship. Follow up with actions you\u2019ve taken from any guidance they\u2019ve given you. Sponsorship is typically earned, not given.<\/p>\n 3) Connect your work to business impact. <\/strong>Understand how your priorities align with the organization\u2019s strategic objectives. And if you\u2019re unsure, discuss it with your manager. Then, use a simple spreadsheet to document your wins weekly, including specific business outcomes and accolades from teammates. This allows you to provide detailed, relevant updates to your manager and sponsors throughout the year. It also makes it easy for them to see how your work impacts the organization\u2019s success. The bottom line? Yes, women are being left behind in the promotion pipeline, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. Women have more power and influence than they realize when they stop waiting for things to happen and start making them happen. When women declare what they want, impact business outcomes, and build the strategic support around them, they\u2019ll move forward and up.<\/p>\n \n3 signs you\u2019re not visible enough to leadership:<\/h2>\n
Here are 3 moves you can make now:<\/h2>\n