What Corporate Women Get Wrong About Visibility (And How to Fix It)
- Latoya Baldwin
- Sep 6
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 1
“I Thought My Work Would Speak for Itself”
For years, I believed it.
If I worked hard, stayed humble, and didn’t make waves…
Eventually, someone would notice.
Eventually, the right people would speak up.
Eventually, I’d be chosen.
But eventually never came.
What came instead? Watching less-qualified coworkers get promoted.
What came? My ideas being praised when repeated louder by someone else.
What came? The realization that effort isn’t the currency of advancement. Visibility is. And no one ever teaches women that part.
The Visibility Lie Women Are Sold
Here’s what most women are told:
Keep your head down and work hard
Don’t brag. Stay humble
The right people will notice
And here’s the truth:
Those rules don’t work in the rooms where decisions are made.
In fact, they often backfire, especially for women of color and especially in corporate leadership.
Because visibility isn’t just about showing up. It’s about being seen in the right rooms by the right people for the right reasons. What we get wrong isn’t effort.
It’s the assumption that effort is enough.
Why Visibility Feels Risky for Women
Let’s talk about the real reason visibility is complicated.
We’ve been conditioned to believe being “visible” means:
Being performative
Being political
Or worse, being “too much”
So we try to blend in.
We water down our voice.
We make ourselves smaller to feel safe.
But shrinking doesn’t create safety.
It creates silence. And silence costs promotions, leadership roles, and the recognition you’ve already earned.
Visibility doesn’t have to mean loud.
It doesn’t have to mean fake.
It means intentional.
It means showing up in alignment with your values, while still being undeniable.
What Visibility at Work Actually Looks Like
Visibility isn’t a vibe.
It’s a strategy.
Here’s what it really looks like in the workplace:
1. Owning Your Wins Out Loud
If you don’t name your value, someone else will define it for you.
Document your results. Share your impact. Practice saying it without a disclaimer or a giggle.
2. Speaking in Meetings, Even If You’re Nervous
You don’t have to say the most profound thing. Just speak.
Visibility comes from contribution. Waiting to be invited is a setup.
3. Building Relationships Before You Need Them
Strategic networking is not fake, it’s survival.
Mentors, sponsors, and key decision-makers should know your name and what you’re building toward.
4. Saying No With Confidence
Boundaries build respect. The person who’s always available is rarely seen as a leader. Prioritize what aligns with your goals.
5. Making Your Goals Known
People can’t help you get somewhere they don’t know you’re trying to go.
Stop assuming your work speaks for itself. Say the thing.
The Executive Presence Gap
Let’s get into it.
Many women think they don’t have “executive presence.”
But the truth? Executive presence isn’t something you’re born with.
It’s a combination of:
Clarity (Do you know your value?)
Control (Can you communicate it clearly?)
Confidence (Can you hold your power in the room?)
That’s why I created the Power Presence Framework to shift how we show up without code-switching or burning out.
If you’re dimming your light just to survive in the room,
that’s not presence. That’s survival.
Let’s build something better.
Visibility Isn’t Just for Extroverts
You don’t have to be the loudest person in the room.
You just have to be strategic about how you show up in it.
Here’s what visibility can look like for different personalities:
For the Quiet Strategist
Drop gems in Slack threads and follow up in writing after meetings
Request 1:1s with decision-makers to share progress
For the Overlooked Operator
Ask to present a key project at the next team meeting
Volunteer to lead a short lunch-and-learn on a niche topic you’ve mastered
For the Mid-Career Expert
Share your wins on LinkedIn once a month
Join a cross-functional team and bring your voice to a new space
Visibility isn’t about changing who you are.
It’s about making sure who you are is seen, respected, and rewarded.
What Happens When You Stop Shrinking
Here’s what happens when you choose visibility:
You become a name that’s mentioned when you’re not in the room
You stop being passed over for promotions
You move from contributor to contender
And most importantly?
You start owning the power you already have.
That’s what happened for me.
And it’s what I teach inside The Vault, on how to lead with presence, power, and purpose.
You Deserve to Be Seen. But First, You Have to Show Up.
Let this be the moment you stop waiting.
Stop hoping to be chosen.
Stop shrinking in rooms you’ve already earned the right to stand in.
Because the truth is…
You don’t need to become someone else to rise.
You need to become more of who you already are, out loud, on purpose, and in the room.
And if you don’t know how to do that yet?
It’s time to stop playing small and start getting seen.
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