My $150k Mistake

I used to lead crisis communications. The kind where cameras are rolling, microphones are shoved in your face, and reporters drill the same tough question over and over, waiting for you to flinch.

I knew how to hold my own under pressure. Think on my feet. Manage the message. Tell our story clearly, confidently and memorably.

That's why what happened later left me shocked and shattered.

I was tapped to lead the first-ever social media team at a Fortune 150 company. Ten people. High visibility. Internal skepticism. And a manager who'd fought to secure our resources.

I knew this was our chance to prove what we could do.

So I locked in. Poured everything into flawless execution. Obsessed over every deliverable, every detail, every question someone might ask. I spent more time in my office than anywhere else.

Then one day, the SVP called me into their office.

"I'm having trouble justifying your team's roles in next year's budget."

My head spun in confusion. We were delivering. The whole team was working hard. I asked why.

"No one really knows what you're doing. They don't see the impact."

My stomach dropped. I thought about all the time I spent safely in my office with my head down in the work.

This was on me.

I tried to make things right, but it was too late, and my relationships were weak or non-existent.

My team was downsized. Eventually, my position was eliminated. 

I was flattened. Absolutely crushed. I thought I had been doing everything right.

Do excellent work, stay humble, keep your head down, let results speak for themselves.

It became so clear to me in that moment. Results don't speak for themselves. We give them a voice.

I became determined never again to allow my work to go unnoticed.

Relying on my PR background, I developed a strategic visibility system based on the principles of great public relations.

And it worked! In my next leadership role, I was well-known, well-respected, regularly consulted and offers came my way.

So let me ask you. Are you working twice as hard as you need to? Staying late, perfecting presentations no one will see, solving problems no one knows exist?

Tired. Frustrated. Wondering why your contributions go unnoticed while others get put on juicy projects, asked to sit on panels and share their expertise, and promoted into the roles you want?

You don't have to become the loudest person in the room. You need to get your head out of the weeds and build a simple system into your workflow that ensures your leadership and your impact can't be overlooked.

Because the best leaders don't just deliver results. They make sure those results are visible and valued.