They get promoted. You do the work. Here’s why.
How to be taken seriously at work
You work hard, you know your stuff, and your results speak for themselves.
But somehow, you’re still not quite being taken seriously. People overlook your input in meetings. You get lumped with work that doesn’t challenge you. Someone else gets the opportunity you wanted—again.
It’s frustrating, and it’s easy to assume the only way to fix it is to start “playing the game.” You know the type—loud in meetings, mates with the senior leaders, never shy about taking credit.
But here’s the truth: being taken seriously at work doesn’t require you to become political or fake. You don’t need to start working late just so your manager sees you’re “committed”. You don’t need to hang around the office kitchen hoping to bump into someone influential.
You just need to be intentional, consistent, and smart about how you show up.
This guide is about doing exactly that—without compromising your values or turning into someone you’re not.
1. Deliver Results That Are Impossible to Ignore
The foundation of being taken seriously? Results. But not just any results—visible results.
It’s not enough to do your job well. You need to show how your work makes a difference.
What that looks like in practice:
Don’t just submit the report—include a quick summary of what it’s telling the business.
Instead of just finishing a project, note the impact: “Delivered two weeks early, reducing downtime by 18%.”
Follow up. If your analysis or recommendation led to something changing, tell that story.
Your work might be exceptional, but if nobody sees the impact, it won’t drive influence. You don’t need to shout about it. But you do need to connect the dots for people.
📌 Pro tip: Keep a running document of your wins and impact—big or small. This becomes your go-to for performance reviews, pay conversations, and promotion discussions.
2. Control the Narrative (Or Someone Else Will)
Let’s be blunt—if you’re not shaping how people perceive your work, someone else will.
And it might not be accurate.
The most respected people I’ve worked with all had one thing in common: they knew how to frame their work. Not in a boastful way—but with clarity and intention.
If you just say, “I managed the project,” people assume you did admin.
If you say, “I led a cross-functional team of five to deliver a new onboarding process that cut time-to-productivity by 30%,” people take notice.
You’re not lying. You’re just framing your work in the right way.
This isn’t spin. It’s storytelling.
3. Speak Up (Even When It’s Uncomfortable)
The number of times I’ve seen great people stay quiet in meetings—only to message me afterwards with a brilliant point—is unreal.
If that’s you, you’ve got to break the habit.
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