A lot of business advice in recent years centered on people branding themselves to get ahead. The Internet, they argue, offers everyone the same opportunity to “promote themselves as well as celebrities and large corporations, even without a multi-million dollar marketing budget.”
That’s all well and good, but what about those who’d rather do less branding and just do a good job instead? What if those people could get promotions and succeed in their career without having to toot their own horn 24/7?
A recent book from David Zweig suggests that it’s entirely possible. “Invisibles: The Power of Anonymous Work in an Age of Relentless Self-Promotion” profiles successful individuals who succeeded without always showing off.
They’re highly skilled individuals whose work is critical to whatever enterprise they’re a part of, but who generally go unnoticed…
Workers who operate “under the radar” and typically keep their heads down can be some of a company’s most critical employees.
Low profile doesn’t mean low importance.
It’s what I call “drummer syndrome.” Much like Zweig’s “Invisibles,” drummers have the critically important task of keeping the beat. And, barring the occasional Neil Peart solo, it’s a thankless job that people often forget about…well, at least until the drummer screws up.
When drummers make a mistake, it jumps out. Miss a guitar note and no one might notice, but when the beat drops the whole song falls apart. Likewise, when “Invisibles” screw up, the whole company can grind to a halt. That’s why, on the odd occasion when they get any attention at all it’s usually negative. And that only makes their tough job even tougher.
Fortunately, the tibbr Enterprise Social Networking platform can help executives distribute praise equitably wherever it’s warranted — on their squeaky wheels, as well as their quieter, more introverted workers.
How tibbr Analytics can identify hidden awesomeness.
One of the less obvious benefits of tibbr is its ability to shine a light on what’s happening in all areas of your business. tibbr helps businesses see what people are talking about, who’s contributing the most, and who’s really influencing the discussions. That way, the right people get the credit they deserve, not just the loudest people.
tibbr integrates with Spotfire®, TIBCO’s analytics platform, to help businesses discover new and interesting insights in real-time. Like spotting unknown affinities and connections, discovering popular activities, trending subjects and, of course, identifying your “invisible” employees.
If you’d like to better understand your employee’s contributions and your company’s big picture so you can make more informed business decisions, get a free trial of the tibbr platform now.
