When Doing Great Work Is Not Enough

It really made my day when my client Katie told me she had landed multiple promotions in a single year — and recently secured a Chief of Staff role.

She’s an incredible example of what’s possible when you own your brilliance.

And she’s one of many.

Because here’s a scenario I see all the time with high achievers.

You work hard.
You deliver exceptional results.
You go above and beyond.

But if no one outside your immediate manager knows about it, you stay invisible to the people who decide your next career move.

That’s why I always say this:
doing great work is just the entry ticket.

To grow your career, you need to spend at least 20% of your time building the skills to be seen, heard, and valued.

You need to own your brilliance.

In Katie’s case, it wasn’t just her performance that set her apart. She learned how to make her work visible. That’s what enabled her to secure an international move, pivot her career, and land multiple promotions within a year.

And no — this isn’t about being the loudest person in the room.
It’s about being the most strategic and intentional.

Here’s the Own Your Brilliance framework I use with my clients.

1. Clarify Your Value

Start by getting specific about what makes you exceptional.

Ask yourself:
What are 3–5 core results I consistently deliver?

Think beyond generic skills. Focus on what feels easy or obvious to you — but is difficult for others.

For example, instead of saying:
“I manage projects,”

Try:
“I delivered a $2M project on time, saving the company 15% in costs.”

One practical habit that helps here is keeping a Brilliance Journal — a simple place to log wins, feedback, and measurable outcomes weekly. Over time, this becomes powerful evidence of your value.

2. Activate Your Own PR Agency for Strategic Visibility

Great work only matters if the right people know about it.

That means sharing updates beyond your immediate manager — in cross-functional meetings, internal channels, or industry spaces.

You don’t need to wait for big milestones.
Use light-touch visibility: share small wins consistently instead of staying quiet until something “huge” happens.

Visibility isn’t self-promotion.
It’s making your impact legible.

3. Grow Your Influence Through Self-Advocacy

Being excellent at your job is important.
But excellence alone doesn’t guarantee recognition or advancement.

You also need to ask for what helps you grow.

That might look like:

• Putting yourself forward for stretch assignments or high-impact projects
  
• Raising your hand for leadership roles in cross-functional teams
  
• Seeking out sponsors who will advocate for you when you’re not in the room
  

At its core, self-advocacy isn’t about vanity.
It’s about value alignment — ensuring your contributions are visible where decisions are made.

Final Thoughts

When you get clear on the value you bring — and learn how to articulate it — something shifts.

You stop chasing opportunities.
You start attracting them.

And you begin creating career options you didn’t even know were possible.

If you want to master this skill, I break it down further in my Career Power Move Playbook — a 5-step guide to standing out and stepping up.

Rooting for you,
 Angel Kilian
Founder | Career inFocus