By Monica Niles, CHRP

Have you ever felt like you were banging your head against your desk trying to move ahead?

You have many strong talents, but management seems to only see the one or two for which you were hired.  You believe there are other skills in your toolkit that you could use to make a positive impact to the company. The everyday is becoming mundane and you can see it’s going to become a problem to your motivation. 

While others have come to view you as being exceptional with these one or two skills, they don’t seem to recognize your other skill sets. In reality, while you have many other talents that are aching for a chance to shine, you need to take control of your career to let them shine.

Why Re-Invent A Great Thing?
How do you get managers to see all those skills and talents, when they don’t think to ask you?  They have never seen you display these abilities, so how do they know what you can do?  It’s as if you were partially invisible—they can only see one part of you, the part they have experienced.  Changing that will help them to see the entire package—and it’s incredible.

How can you get others to see you differently?  Do you need to reinvent yourself so that they see the person you really are?  Do you have an ability that you want to show or an area that you want more experience in? 

Seth Godin’s November 2012 article in Success Magazine expands on ways to reinvent yourself, and sometimes that is just what’s needed.  It’s an article that can get you moving forward and enacting change and energy in yourself.   However, what if at this point in your career you don’t necessarily need to change yourself, but to change how others perceive your abilities and knowledge? You want to feel challenged in your career, using all the skills you bring to the table, not just the few that you regularly use.

Simple Steps to Re-Introduce Yourself
Instead of reinventing yourself, try reintroducing yourself.  It’s really not that hard.  There are easy steps you can take in order to change others’ perception of your skills and knowledge.  Some options available are:

• Become a mentee.  We can always learn from others.  Look for a mentor who will constantly motivate you in your career. One who will dare you to strive for greatness. Your mentor/mentee relationship will need to be very open and honest.  You will receive feedback that will stretch and challenge you to defy the ‘norm’. Becoming a mentee can assist you in polishing the talents you want to showcase.
• Become a mentor.  A great way to reinforce your knowledge is to share it with another.  Seek out those who want to grow, and share your passion with them as they blossom.
• Take on a project that is outside of your realm of responsibility. Look at your company through the eyes of one newly hired on.  What could be done differently? What should be corrected? What value can be added to current functions?  Take on that project and display those management skills that have been hiding. Forget the suggestion box, just do it.
• Stop hiding behind your desk.  Get out there and meet with others who can provide a positive influence in your career. Seek guidance from them, and ask how they view your knowledge and potential. Then ask them what you could do to change their perception of your abilities.
• Setup an interview with your manager or department head. Request that the meeting be structured as if you were applying for your role, or a role that you are interested in.  Prepare your resume and be prepared to answer challenging questions.
• Tell your story. By delivering examples of situations and resolutions through storytelling, you can provide management with subtle insights into your background and varied talents.
• Get your CV into people’s hands. The right people need to understand what you have done and who you are.  A change in management doesn’t always provide you with an opportunity to shine. Re-introduce yourself!

Simple Steps for Employers to Discover Talent Within
As an employer, you can gain a depth of understanding of your employees abilities through different techniques:

• Rotate staff so that people take turns completing the same task. Choose someone to lead a meeting who does not normally facilitate meetings.  They may have been working on improving their public speaking skills and you can assist them in utilizing and becoming confident with this talent. 
• Ask staff to let you know if they are willing to challenge themselves to develop or fine-tune skill sets.  Try and get a better understanding of their passions and what hidden skills they already have. You will need to get out there yourself and interact with staff. Get to know them on a personal level, not just as a person who provides you with the monthly financial breakdown.
• When starting a new project or planning session, ask if anyone would like to take it on. You may have a project manager/party planner in your midst without even knowing it.
• Ask questions. As part of a change in the management team, you are missing out on knowing all of the potential and all of the background of your staff.  You may be surprised when they re-introduce themselves to you.

Sheryl Sandberg, in her recent book, Lean In, notes that career progression often depends on taking risks and advocating for oneself.  Let’s get up from our desks and re-introduce ourselves, letting all of our abilities shine. Not just the few that are seen each day, but our entire toolkit.  After all, it’s part of what makes us who we are, and should be a part of each day of our career.  Good luck reintroducing yourself to your company and yourself!

Now, you and I, let’s grab a cup of coffee and sit at our desk for a minute to think. How does management view us?   How do we want them to view us?  What perception of us do we want them to have right now, today?

Monica Niles, CHRP is an Employee Relations Consultant with a major financial institution in Canada.