The Visibility Paradox: Why Competent Women Become Invisible

There's a pattern that plays out in workplaces everywhere: a highly capable woman consistently delivers excellent work, supports her colleagues, solves problems before they escalate, and somehow gets overlooked when opportunities arise. Meanwhile, her less-accomplished but more vocal colleague gets the promotion.

This isn't about working harder. It's about understanding a fundamental workplace dynamic that affects women disproportionately: the relationship between competence, visibility, and advancement.

Why Excellent Work Isn't Enough

Research from INSEAD professor Herminia Ibarra reveals what she calls the 'paradox of excellence': women often receive feedback that they need to be more visible or strategic, whilst simultaneously being praised for being reliable, detail-oriented team players. These aren't compatible behaviours - yet women are expected to demonstrate both.

The Australian Human Rights Commission's research adds another layer: women receive 2.5 times more feedback about their communication style than men, but less feedback about strategic contributions. This means women spend cognitive energy managing how they're perceived whilst having less clarity about what actually drives advancement.

The Three Types of Workplace Visibility

Stanford's research on organisational behaviour identifies three distinct types of visibility that affect career progression:

• Task Visibility: Being known for completing work well. This is necessary but not sufficient for advancement - it makes you valuable in your current role but doesn't necessarily signal readiness for the next one.

• Strategic Visibility: Being recognised for contributions that connect to broader organisational goals. This requires translating your work into business outcomes, not just task completion.

• Relational Visibility: Being known by decision-makers and sponsors beyond your immediate team. Research shows men build this through informal networks more readily than women, who often wait to be formally invited into strategic conversations.

The Australian Workplace Context

Australian workplace culture values humility and egalitarianism, which creates a particular challenge for women's visibility. Research from the University of Sydney found that self-promotion is viewed more negatively in Australian workplaces than in North American ones - but this penalty is applied more harshly to women.

The solution isn't adopting American-style self-promotion, which feels inauthentic here. It's understanding how to make your contributions visible in ways that align with Australian professional culture: focusing on outcomes, acknowledging team contributions whilst clarifying your role, and linking your work to organisational priorities.

Practical Visibility Strategies

In team meetings, frame your updates as insights, not just status reports. Instead of 'I completed the client analysis,' try 'The client analysis revealed three risks we should address before the next phase.'

Create brief written updates for key stakeholders on project milestones. Research shows written communication reduces bias in how contributions are remembered and attributed.

Request specific feedback on strategic capabilities, not just task execution. Ask 'How can I demonstrate more strategic thinking?' rather than 'How am I doing?'

Build relationships with decision-makers through offering insights, not just asking for opportunities. Share an article relevant to their priorities. Brief them on a trend you've observed. Demonstrate your thinking before you need their support.

Reframing the Approach

Strategic visibility isn't about being pushy or self-promoting. It's about ensuring your contributions are understood in context and connected to outcomes that matter to the organisation. It's about making it easy for decision-makers to recognise your impact when opportunities arise.

You've already done the hard work of being excellent. Strategic visibility is about making sure that excellence translates into the recognition and opportunities you've earned.

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Need help articulating your value? Try our Personal Brand Audit Checklist to identify where you can increase strategic visibility.