We’d all like to be star performers. Whether it’s winning Wimbledon, going on The Weakest Link or coming top of our evening class, we all have our fantasies of success. But there is more to grabbing attention than doing a good job — some people always seem to end up covered in glory. Often to their co-workers’ annoyance: when the Queen gave Scottish airport worker John Smeaton a medal for tackling a terrorist in Glasgow last year, his colleagues protested that they had also had a hand in it.
It’s tough being the office Cinderella. But you can draw attention to your achievements without sleeping with the boss or turning into an ambition-zombie from The Apprentice.
First, get a grip. One reason we feel underappreciated at work is that we expect too much. “We look for a great deal from our working relationships and we may use work as a substitute for family or a friendship group,” says Dr Angela Carter of the Institute of Work Psychology at the University of Sheffield. “Getting positive feedback from colleagues means you know you are valued. But if you don’t get this you feel undermined.”
Instead of feeling jealous of a colleague who is getting accolades, look more closely at the way they operate. Chances are they are not drooping over the photocopier in a bobbly cardigan. Part of the secret of how to get noticed at work is presentation and professionalism. If you want to emulate their success Â- whether or not you feel it is justified — you might benefit from following their example.
Conduct your campaign with military efficiency. Chuck out your cheap shirts, prepare well for meetings so that you can make lots of useful and considered comments and volunteer for “add-on” activities, such as training colleagues or working on cross-team projects. On a basic level you can increase your visibility at work by setting aside 15 or 20 minutes a day to walk around your office building, chatting to people. Surprisingly few people do it: a recent survey found office workers were less happy than those with manual jobs partly because they are stuck behind their desks all day.
As well as stepping outside your office to see and be seen, try getting beyond a “me, me, me” mindset. “Putting yourself in your manager’s shoes and thinking about what they want to achieve is a starting point,” says Carter. “It’s not just about your ego, it’s about the success — or otherwise — of the team. Look at how your work fits into the bigger picture, how your department relates to the work of the whole organisation.” If you can come up with some big ideas that show an understanding of this, your boss is unlikely to overlook your efforts.
Chartered psychologist Ben Williams says looking beyond your personal achievement and working with others can help. “Talk about others’ success and they’ll soon comment on yours,” he says. “This really works.” Sublimating your ego doesn’t mean forgetting to promote yourself. Quite the opposite. Letting go of the paranoid feeling that workmates are getting the attention — which is rightfully yours — can free up a lot more energy. This energy can then be spent networking and being dynamic instead of lurking about feeling bitter.
“Seek support from both inside the organisation and outside and be sensitive to the workplace culture so you can fit your level of self-promotion to the organisation,” Bailey says. “There are two sides to this. It’s not just about telling people how great you are. Humility is a quality that is often noticed and appreciated at work. Act with humility, but remain assertive.”
This “assertiveness” can take the form of making sure that everyone is informed about what you are doing. In a busy work environment, you do have to make sure the relevant people know what you are up to. If you have a bright idea, an email that copies in the key players will keep them up to date without making you look like the office creep.
What about the ability of others to be the instant centre of attention? It may be something you just have to learn to live with. Some people are, it seems, destined to hog the limelight for no reason — but there is still room for the old-fashioned approach of working hard and getting results. — Â