“Is there such a thing as too much visibility?”
This is a question that I get in nearly every speaking engagement that I do. When I press them for more information, it is usually a response similar to this one: “I don’t want to be seen as someone who brags or who takes up all the space in the room. I am afraid that I would be seen as that kind of person if I am being visible and I don’t want that for myself.” That was definitely a concern that I had as well when I was learning about visibility. I didn’t want to be that person either, so I played small and hid in the background. The fear of becoming that person was greater than I wanted to admit to myself, so I rationalized and told myself a story that said that I was “visible enough.” You know enough about my experience to know that I definitely was not visible enough!
When I answer the question, I talk about where that concern comes from for them and how I had the same worry. The concern about being too visible shows up because you haven’t seen a way to be visible that plays to your strengths and allow you to be authentic.
You have only seen the version of visibility that is over the top and not someone that you want to emulate.
I wrote the book to help people find a way to be visible in a way that works for them. I have made it my mission to help leaders show their value and talent, but in an authentic way that builds confidence. If you are trying to be more visible, know that you can show up in a way that is in your own style. Trust yourself to start taking intentional, consistent actions that push you out of your comfort zone a bit. (There are so many actionable ideas in my book!) The goal is to get you in front of the decision makers so they see what you can do and remember you when they plan for future opportunities.