Invisibility at work. It’s an odd one.

[ThewrathofBethDutton]

If you are a manager or in a leadership position do you recognise high achieving employees and if you do, how do you acknowledge them?

Im not at all in a leadership position but I am a high achiever bringing innovation and new dimension to the business. My direct line manager is lovely and does bang the drum somewhat on my behalf.

The higher management however is seemingly untouchable, out of reach, silent, uninterested.

Im so anxious all the time about getting into trouble, saying the wrong thing, doing the wrong thing, being pulled up and even sacked. There is a fairly high turnover of staff in the industry.

I think it’s poor people management but I am unfortunately stuck with no chance of getting another job.

Can you advise about how to navigate this if you have experience please?

I would only expect feedback from my line manager - I think you’re being a little needy. The management structure is there for a reason.

Why on earth would you ‘get into trouble’ if, as you say, you’re a high achiever st work? And why is moving jobs not possible for the same reason?

Yes needy does spring to mind but it’s not a big company and in general there’s very little communication from senior leadership to the rest of the company.

There is tight regulation in the industry and it is closely policed so any slip is picked up and dealt with. I’m fairly new to it so learning.

I would never get further than application form for another job, there’s a jobs freeze on so when a job comes up competition is fierce and I don’t have qualifications or know how.

How big is the organisation? What level are you at and what level do you want visibility? What kind of work do you need to bring to their attention?

OK, but if you’re new and only learning the ropes, and have no qualifications, how are you also an innovator and high achiever who feels senior management should be praising you?

This bit is on you…
”Im so anxious all the time about getting into trouble, saying the wrong thing, doing the wrong thing, being pulled up and even sacked. There is a fairly high turnover of staff in the industry.”

the best boss I had showed how much he loved my work by sharing his elevenses with me once in a while and giving me a massive pay rise every year (>10% pa every year for 5 years)😅

I’m am a big believer in using your words and voting with your feet….

I think you need to settle in and gain more experience and confidence. What you see has bringing innovation could be seen as being new and (overly?) keen.

Being anxious at work all the time about getting into trouble isn't a healthy state to be in. Think about why you feel this way. I would focus on getting experience in your job not trying to catch the slt's attention.

What kind of recognition are you hoping for? Your line manager is supportive and seems to be happy with your work, what are you thinking senior management should be doing?

Im also interested in you saying you don’t have required qualifications or know how but that you’re also high achieving and innovative. Is there a bit of imposter syndrome at play, are there qualifications you need to take to formalise your knowledge and enable you to move on?

"High achiever bringing innovation and new dimensions"said by the person themselves does tend to make me think of someone who is overestimating their contributions.
Concentrate on doing your job well and impressing your direct manager. The senior management will take their cues on promotion etc from the people who have direct contact. You don't need them to be actively acknowledging it.

Sounds more like imposter syndrome to me.

I'm also intrigued by the inconsistencies in your posts, OP.

Not only the "high achiever and innovative" but "lacks qualifications and know how" but in particular the "high turnover in the industry" but "recruitment freeze". Surely it can't be both? If there's a high turnover then surely posts must be becoming vacant all the time, so how can there be a recruitment freeze?

I think I would focus on just doing the best job you can, and perhaps trying to gain any relevant qualifications and know how to make your CV more attractive if you do want or need to look for another job.

Great advice thank you.

its difficult to explain without giving too much away but to go back to my original expertise is now impossible due to job freezes, I have taken a side road into another direction. This direction has a high turnover of staff.

What resonates is the poster who said I am over estimating my contributions, I think I probably am. I need to pipe down and quietly crack on.

Imposter syndrome wears heavily on every job I’ve ever done. There is ALWAYS something that kicks the legs from under me, guaranteed.

Thanks all.

I loved being invisible at work. Do job, keep head down, go home.

Keep evidence of any high achievement and innovation with your own input highlighted. Present it at any annual/pay review.

Being invisible can mean being a pushover, a doormat, (not good) or being a trouble free hire that adds value to the business without hassle to management (very good).

Try to stop needing validation or recognition from anyone other than your immediate line manager. Life gets easier if you are invisible but good.

I think this is a great idea, especially as you are new to the role and the staff turnover is high. If you’re worried about messing up, the last thing you want is upper management scrutiny, especially as you are anxious about it. Work diligently, show you are a safe pair of hands and reliable, you don’t need to show boat and risk your neck on the line. Once you’ve proven yourself in this new role, then you have good leverage for promotion.

Keep your head down, clock up more experience, think about getting more qualifications, and look out for other jobs.

Congratulations, OP! I actually mean that sincerely - you came here looking for perspective, people gave their views and you listened! So rare on here... Wishing you all the best in your work.

OP unfortunately high performance isn’t just in performing your job. It’s a whole host of competencies and behaviours and given what you have said I would suggest you may be over performing in your actual job but not in the rest. This is the special sauce that tends to get people ahead and in some cases (we have all seen it) sometimes those who are less capable but have that special sauce get ahead. You sound like you lack confidence, curiousity (being afraid to ask questions) etc.

In ny experience people who are more visible are literally that; they're involved in and deliver consistently well in business critical activities or high profile projects, so the more senior members of staff can see and understand the value they are adding.

Hi OP, I hear you and it's really important to acknowledge that you are carrying the imposter syndrome and fear of getting things wrong around to each job so it isn't 'the job', it's you (I mean that in a gentle, loving way, I have exactly the same issue). Therefore we have a certain amount of power to address this rather than continuously projecting it out onto other people. Good luck!

It's really hard working for somewhere where there are frequent layoffs. It's an unpleasant, anxiety provoking environment.
I'm wondering if you're thinking along the lines of if you feel like you're invisible to higher management then how can they know you're making a valuable contribution to the company?

It would be nice to get recognition or a thank you but it seems you get that from your line manager which is how it should be. The company pay you to do your job so don't need to gush about your innovation. They compensate you for your effort by paying you.

Yes this.

The plan is to just carry on quietly getting my head down (I do anyway, no one knows I think these things things in work) and see what comes.

I bring things, ideas, strategies and opportunities that they seemingly haven’t considered before and these things get snapped up immediately
and I'm leading on several projects now but what is odd is that each of these things have to go by senior leaders in the company who all say yes, do it.

Its others in the company that present my ideas on my behalf so I don’t get in front of them.

This is quite unusual I think, normally there’s is much discussion around these things and a long no..

Yet not a single word from any of them.

It’s maybe how they operate.

My employer had a cash reward scheme for 'going over and above'. Anyone could nominate a colleague. It was really good as the company paid the tax so everyone got the same amount of cash.

I say 'was' because we got taken over and the cash value has now been replaced by gifts which can be chosen from a catalogue. Somehow this just feels a bit tacky by comparison!

Sounds more like the opposite of imposter syndrome!

Its others in the company that present my ideas on my behalf so I don’t get in front of them.

They present your ideas on your behalf, or they claim the ideas as their own?