Organizations today face a leadership pipeline problem—not because they lack talent, but because high-potential employees remain unseen and underutilized. At the same time, employees are struggling to get noticed in a workplace that is more fragmented than ever.

And in today’s modern workplace—where some of us are hybrid, some are in-person, and some are fully remote, paired with a cooling job market and an increasingly distracted world—it has become more and more difficult to make yourself, and your work, known. This is where leadership training, career development, and the right business books can make all the difference. 

I experienced this first-hand: A quiet yet very ambitious worker who was part of high-profile projects and was well-liked by my peers, but never could quite get to that senior level I wanted so badly for my career.

After many conversations and a lot of reflection, I’d learn that in today’s corporate landscape, the way to get ahead and be recognized for your work is by being intentional with your professional presence (and yes, this extends beyond traditional definitions and advice around executive presence).

The new rules to standing out aren’t about being flashy or the loudest voice in meetings—it’s about being memorable, credible, and impactful in the right ways.

Rule #1: Understanding the New Definition of Presence

Much of the existing literature and advice out there around presence tends to center around executive presence. That je ne sais quoi that leaders have to command respect, admiration, and charisma.

And yet, it can often be coded language that feels like it’s someone’s way of telling you to “be more like a man.” It can also feel like executive presence is something reserved for people of a certain seniority level. Thankfully, its definition is changing for the better, and executive presence is only one piece of the puzzle.

Professional presence focuses on the two-part equation of how and where you are seen. 

It’s not enough to just do hard work—you and your work need to be seen by the right people, in the right ways, in the right places. 

You need to know how to have a presence not just in the boardroom, but the virtual meeting room (that means you need to create and curate a strong virtual presence). It also means you need to be aware of your online brand on platforms like LinkedIn, where most people turn to first to assess your credibility and experience even before you meet face-to-face. It’s about showing up in the right Slack and Teams channels so that your leadership team sees the work you’re doing.

By being intentional about your overall professional presence, you become more intentional about your career and can have more control over your destiny. Investing in leadership courses and training programs can provide key strategies to strengthen this presence.

Rule #2: Visibility Isn’t Vanity—It’s a Must-Have

One of the biggest misunderstandings that early to mid-level career professionals have is that if they work hard, they will get rewarded and recognized. I certainly believed this in my role at LinkedIn that I referenced earlier. The harsh reality is that if people don’t know about your contributions, your impact stays invisible.

So much of professional presence and becoming the “CEO of your career” as I like to call it is about shifting your mindset. Visibility isn’t about bragging or self-promotion, but rather sharing your work in ways that add value to your teammates and company.

Visibility has transformed dramatically. It’s no longer about just being there in person. There are so many touchpoints we have with teammates, clients, and prospective partners in a given day. How are you showing up? Is it consistent? Do you know the right Slack channels to be in and how to communicate their impact in such a way that others will actually listen?

And of course, there’s the obvious benefit to the organization—with employees knowing how to advocate for themselves, it leads to more information flow, cross-team communication, and collaboration.

Rule #3: Influence Before Title

Influence is also one of the major themes I discuss in the book because it’s such a critical part of getting things done. Organizations thrive when employees at all levels know how to influence without authority. When team members build strong relationships, communicate effectively, and understand the power of perception, they drive initiatives forward faster and with more alignment.

It’s important to remember that influence is not confined to a certain job title, but rather a way of working, no matter the level you’re at. It’s about how you show up, solve problems, and the relationships you build. This approach is key to fostering career progress and overall professional growth.

My book goes further into the RAVE Model — the 4 critical pieces to influence (Relationships, Appearances, Visibility, and Expertise) to ground a nebulous concept like influence into tactical frameworks teams and individuals can use to get buy-in and get work done.

Rule #4: Building Your Brand At Work and Beyond

One of the most popular themes I’ve spoken on over the years is the concept of a “career brand.” What this is is your personal brand, but reframed in a way that makes it more approachable and clear what its purpose is for. The thing about a personal brand/career brand is we all have one. It’s essentially your reputation and what people say about you when you’re not in the room. It’s what people think about when they hear your name (or whether they think about you at all!).

Your career brand can be broken down into 4 key criteria - your EPIC Career Brand, i.e. Experiences, Personality, Identity, and Community. These are the stepping stones you can use to start figuring out what yours is and to make sure it aligns with what your community also believes about you. (Inside my book you can also grab the EPIC Career Brand Workbook to dig in deeper—it’s certainly not an overnight process and something that will continue to evolve as you do throughout your career).

My experience at LinkedIn as a founding editor put me in a position where I thought about my virtual presence often; as one of the first members who had access to post content on the platform, I got some practice early on with putting my voice out there. What’s unique about Unforgettable Presenceis that it also has a whole chapter on LinkedIn as part of your overall career strategy (compared to many books just about LinkedIn or books that cover only what happens inside the office).

LinkedIn is what I like to call your ultimate virtual office, virtual watercooler, and virtual landing page. This is one of the best places where you can build your brand and stand out. And, contrary to what some companies may think, having your employees be active on LinkedIn is a great thing! 

When I began posting again on LinkedIn (after a hiatus) during my time as Head of Editorial at Prezi, I brought organic brand awareness to the organization and even got tapped for more opportunities within the company because leaders had seen me speak more and post my expertise on the platform. Employees saw me as a leader and a “face of” the company.

Employees with strong professional brands enhance not just their own careers, but also their company’s external perception. When your employees confidently represent your brand in meetings, conferences, and on platforms like LinkedIn, they become trusted ambassadors for your company, which can help with attracting top-tier talent, more authentic reputation building, and positioning your company as an industry leader in an increasingly competitive market.