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You can also just communicate the benefits of your work to people. This works especially well if you do it beforehand...eg with the backup process, tell your bo

You can also just communicate the benefits of your work to people. This works especially well if you do it beforehand...eg with the backup process, tell your boss that it saves X hours/month, and include that in your performance review (you should always be writing your own performance reviews, by the way). There's no need to restrict yourself to tasks with visible, obvious value...you just need to take on the work of communicating what it is you contribute.

dinkumthinkum 15y ago
Well, honestly, for many of the work environments the author refers to, which may not be ones you are I would want to work, the author is correct. The CEO of XYZ corp doesn't care and is not interested in your explanation about how optimizing the thermocouplers makes things better. Even if you tried to relate to how it does save the company, he won't think you know what you're talking about. This is more about playing a psychological, even childish, game with your boss. And I suspect, in fact I'm completely sure, that in these kinds of companies, this is probably the advice you can get. These are the kinds of CEOs for which you could just explain until you're blue in the face about how important backups are for customers and they will stare blankly and wonder why they hired you in the first place.
- jrockway 15y ago
  Why work for a CEO that "doesn't care and is not interesting in your explanation about how optimizing the termocouplers makes thing better"? There are plenty of companies run by people that do understand the low-level details that make their businesses successful. Work there instead. Remember, they need you more than you need them. They already admitted that they don't understand their own business!
  - dinkumthinkum 15y ago
    I agree, which is why I wouldn't work there. But that is the reality many face in our industry. Not everybody works at a hip startup. Many work at those "enterprise" places.
- SatvikBeri 15y ago
  It's a continuum. In maybe 1% of companies you won't have to show your value, because everyone will know. In 10% it won't matter what you do, because you'll be distrusted anyway. But the vast majority of the time, learning to communicate your value will increase others' perception of you and lead to better raises.

dinkumthinkum 15y ago

Well, honestly, for many of the work environments the author refers to, which may not be ones you are I would want to work, the author is correct. The CEO of XYZ corp doesn't care and is not interested in your explanation about how optimizing the thermocouplers makes things better. Even if you tried to relate to how it does save the company, he won't think you know what you're talking about. This is more about playing a psychological, even childish, game with your boss. And I suspect, in fact I'm completely sure, that in these kinds of companies, this is probably the advice you can get. These are the kinds of CEOs for which you could just explain until you're blue in the face about how important backups are for customers and they will stare blankly and wonder why they hired you in the first place.

jrockway 15y ago
Why work for a CEO that "doesn't care and is not interesting in your explanation about how optimizing the termocouplers makes thing better"? There are plenty of companies run by people that do understand the low-level details that make their businesses successful. Work there instead. Remember, they need you more than you need them. They already admitted that they don't understand their own business!
- dinkumthinkum 15y ago
  I agree, which is why I wouldn't work there. But that is the reality many face in our industry. Not everybody works at a hip startup. Many work at those "enterprise" places.
SatvikBeri 15y ago
It's a continuum. In maybe 1% of companies you won't have to show your value, because everyone will know. In 10% it won't matter what you do, because you'll be distrusted anyway. But the vast majority of the time, learning to communicate your value will increase others' perception of you and lead to better raises.