You might’ve heard that if you just work hard, you’ll eventually be rewarded for it. But success seldom comes that easily, says leadership and career development expert Jeffrey Pfeffer.
Young people especially often think that “if they do a good job, someone will notice, which they may or may not,” says Pfeffer, a 16-time author, MasterClass instructor and longtime Stanford University organizational behavior professor. “That hard work will speak for itself … [and] if you keep your head down and play by the rules, you’ll succeed.”
But keeping your head down just gets you overlooked, and the most successful employees boldly differentiate themselves from their colleagues by speaking up about what they want, he says.
“You are seen for how you show up,” says Pfeffer. “Therefore, how you show up is at least as important as what you actually do.”
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In other words, if you stay quiet and simply do what’s in your job description, you might get overlooked for raises or promotions — particularly compared to your colleague who raises their hand for new projects and builds a rapport with their boss.
Speaking up and standing out can be difficult, especially if you’re shy, reserved or highly focused on your work. “I don’t care if you’re introvert, extrovert, whatever. You’ve got to do the job, right?” Pfeffer says. “This is not about personality, it’s about behavior.”
Pfeffer recommends getting comfortable sharing your ideas in meetings, building your professional network — whether through LinkedIn, coffee chats or lunches — and making an intentional effort to strengthen your relationship with your boss. Don’t be afraid to use some professional, workplace-appropriate flattery, he says.
You could tell your boss you appreciated the way they conducted an emergency team meeting, for example, or ask them for some career advice. Even small gestures can help you stay top of mind when they’re thinking about candidates for new opportunities, says Pfeffer.
“I don’t need to flatter my peers. I need to flatter up,” he says. “The people in the hierarchy are the people who are responsible for your career.”
Pfeffer also offers a tip for standing out — in a good way — that has nothing to do with your actual work output: Dress slightly more nicely and professionally than the people around you, to project some extra confidence and a sense of capability.
The advice echoes a similar recommendation from style experts Stacey London and Clinton Kelly, who spoke with CNBC Make It in June. Being “conscientious about your wardrobe” communicates that “you’re probably going to be conscientious with your work,” Kelly said.
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