I had an ah-ha moment last week, and I can’t take credit for it.
It came from Shan Escobar, Director of Talent Development at CoVolt Power. She was one of our panelists at Time to Lead. The panel was focused on career development, and Shan said something that flipped the script on conventional wisdom:
“It used to be, ‘It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.’ That’s not true. It’s not who you know. It’s who knows you.”
I’ve been chewing on that ever since.
We live in an age obsessed with follower counts and connection numbers: How many people are in your network? Who are you linked to? Who have you met?
But Shan’s point cuts through all of that: your network size isn’t what moves your career. What moves your career is what people say about you when you’re not there.
Think about where the real decisions get made. The promotion discussion. The “who should lead this project?” conversation. The call where a client asks a colleague, “Do you know anyone who could help us with this?” You’re rarely in those rooms. But your reputation is.
You can’t be in every room. You can influence how you’re talked about in them, though.
That requires being purposeful with your brand, helping others understand your value and expertise, and doing it in a way that’s savvy, not off-putting. Because let’s be honest: no one wants to work with someone who’s in constant self-promotion mode. We’ve all met that “look at me, look at me” person. We’ve all quietly steered around them.
So how do you get known the right way? Here are three things you can do today.
1. Decide what you want to be known for, and say it the same way every time.
People can only repeat what’s easy to repeat. If your value is fuzzy to you, it’ll be invisible to everyone else. Write one clear sentence about the problem you solve or the strength you bring. Then use it consistently: in introductions, in meetings, in how you frame your updates. And when you share your work, lead with the lesson or the impact on others, not the accolade. “Here’s what our team learned” travels further than “Look what I did.” (Oh yeah, and this goes without saying: follow up your words with actions.)
2. Ask three people how they’d describe you.
This one takes a little courage. Pick three people you trust (a peer, a leader, someone who works for you) and ask: “When my name comes up, what do people say?” or “What would you tell someone I’m great at?” The gap between how you want to be known and how you are known is where your work is. You can’t close a gap you haven’t measured.
3. Be the person who talks others up.
The fastest way to be spoken well of is to speak well of others. Give credit publicly and specifically. Make introductions. Tell someone’s boss what a great job they did. Generosity is memorable, and people naturally want to return the favor. The best reputations aren’t built by self-promotion; they’re built by people who make others look good.
None of this is about ego. It’s about making sure the people making decisions have an accurate picture of what you bring, so the right opportunities can find you.
P.S. Last week’s Time to Lead renewed my sense of purpose for this program. As AI changes how we work, the skills that make us more personable, connected, and relevant matter more than ever, not less. That’s what I’m here to help you build. Join me on this journey.
I’m toying with the theme of visibility for what’s next on the Time to Lead agenda, inspired by my friend Madhuri Kumar, and I’d love your input. What does visibility mean in your career right now? Where do you feel seen, how are you seen, and where do you feel overlooked? Email me at info@angieconnect.com.
