How to Stand Out Professionally

Whether you like it or NOT the most important decisions about your career are made when you’re not in the room. Your title Your pay Your opportunities All shaped in conversations you are not invited to. As a former leader and exec I've sat in on them. Years ago, I was up for a promotion in another part of the business. I had just started working with a new manager, and when I asked if she would support my candidacy, she said yes. Later, I found out she told someone I was too junior for the role. She didn’t stop the promotion, but she tried to. What protected me was the brand I had already built. And the advocates who already knew my work. → I led a process improvement project with measurable results → I built trust with leaders beyond my team → I earned visibility through recognition programs That reputation made it easier for others to speak up. And harder for her doubt to carry weight. If you’ve ever had a manager say the right things in public but block you in private, you are not alone. When I became a leader, I made it a point to speak up for my team. Not just when it was easy, but especially when they were not in the room to speak for themselves. Because I know what it feels like when someone stays silent or worse they don't protect you at all. If you want to protect your career, start here: → Be consistent Show up the same way in high-stakes rooms and day-to-day meetings → Be clear Speak in a way that leaves no one guessing what you do or why it matters → Be credible Follow through on what you say, and let your results speak without over-explaining Your boss or [insert here] may not be your biggest advocate. But you can still have a strong campaign. And when you become a leader, do not stay quiet in rooms where decisions are made. Because if your name is going to be spoken, make sure it is by someone who protects it. Who spoke your name when you weren’t in the room? Tag them below and thank them. —- Hi, I’m April, and I specialize in helping women leaders prepare for executive roles by enhancing their influence, presence, and communication skills. Executive Material

She said yes to every single project. Yet, she was overlooked for the promotion. They said: “She’s irreplaceable.” “We’d be lost without her.” But when it came time to lead the next big thing - She wasn’t even on the list. Over the past decade working in women’s leadership, I’ve seen this story play out far too often. Women staying in roles long past their expiration. Not because they lack clarity - But because they’ve been conditioned to confuse loyalty with worth. Loyalty to a team. To a leader. To a company culture that praises their reliability... But never promotes their vision. So how do you ensure you’re valued - not just used - for all that you bring to the table? Here are 5 practical, research-backed strategies I’ve seen top performers consistently use: ✅ Be Known for Vision, Not Just Execution ↳ “She delivers” is solid. ↳ “She sets the direction” is strategic. ↳ Build a reputation rooted in foresight - not just follow-through. ✅ Document and Distill Your Wins ↳ Don’t wait to be noticed. ↳ Capture and communicate your impact consistently. ↳ Think: outcomes, initiatives, feedback snapshots. ↳ This becomes your proof of value during reviews, promotions, or pivots. ✅ Speak the Language of Business ↳ Translate your work into metrics that matter: revenue, retention, growth, efficiency. ↳ When leaders see your contribution tied to business outcomes, you shift from “nice to have” to “can’t afford to lose.” ✅ Build Cross-Functional Credibility ↳ Influence isn’t built in silos. ↳ Make your value visible across teams. ↳ When multiple departments rely on your insight, you become a strategic connector - not just a contributor. ✅ Create Strategic Allies, Not Just Mentors ↳ Power isn’t just about performance - it’s about proximity to influence. ↳ Nurture relationships with decision-makers, peer champions, and collaborators. Influence grows through meaningful connection. The truth is - being essential isn’t the same as being seen. You can be deeply loyal to others - and still loyal to your own growth. These shifts aren’t just career strategies. They’re acts of self-respect. Because when you decide to lead from alignment, not obligation - You stop waiting to be chosen. And start choosing yourself. 💬 Which of these strategies feels most relevant to where you are right now? I’d love to hear in the comments below. ♻ Repost if you believe it’s time to stop rewarding quiet loyalty - and start recognizing conscious leadership. 🔔 Follow me, Bhavna Toor, for more. 📩 DM me to bring our holistic leadership development programs to your organization - that are a powerful combination of inner-work and real-world strategy.

Your competence at work is judged in seconds. Even when you over-deliver, you can be underestimated. Every day, false assumptions about you are made: — Polite = Weak — Older = Not agile — A foreign accent = Less capable — Introverted =  Not a strong leader — Woman =  Softer voice, less authority It's not just unfair. It's exhausting. So the question is: How do you beat biases without changing who you are? Here’s what I recommend: 𝟭. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 → Speak about impact, not effort. → Articulate your value proposition. →“Here’s the problems I solve. Here's how. Here’s the result."  If no one knows what you bring to the table, they won’t invite you to it. 𝟮. 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 Silent excellence is wasted potential. → Speak up when it feels risky. → Build real not just strategic relationships. → Share insights where people are paying attention. You don’t need to be loud. You need to be seen. 𝟯. 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 The traits that trigger assumptions? Those are your edge. → Introverted? That’s deep listening. → Accent? That’s global perspective. Don’t flatten yourself to fit. Distinguish yourself to lead. 𝟰. 𝗢𝘄𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 → Say “I recommend” not "I think.” → Hold eye contact. Take up space. → Act like your presence belongs (even when others haven’t caught up.) Confidence isn’t volume. It’s grounding. Bias is everywhere. But perception can be changed. Don't let other people's false assumptions define you. Do you agree? ➕ Follow Deena Priest for strategic career insights. 📌Join my newsletter to build a career grounded in progress, peace and pay.

if you tried to post content consistently and failed in 2025, do this in 2026: 1. SET SMALLER GOALS: maybe don't start a 100-day challenge in January. start small with 3, 7 or 21 days, finish then start again, it's true that your dreams should be so big that they scare you. however, your goals should not, otherwise you'll never do anything. break each big dream into smaller, granular tasks that are achievable over short periods. 2. SET PROCESS-BASED GOALS, NOT OUTCOME-BASED: rather than set a goal like "i want to hit 10k followers,” think about the work that is required month-to-month, week-to-week and day-to-day, then set goals based on that. focus on factors that are within your control and do your part. your goal should look more like "post 4 times a week" or “upload 8 times every month for one year." note that it's the process that produces the outcome you want. 3. BATCH-CREATE: leverage your peak periods and squeeze each moment of inspiration to the max. plan ahead and make 5-10 videos each time you set out to create. that way, you can have content to post even when you're not in the mood. most full time creators do not make videos every day. that's how they post daily but avoid burn out. 4. RESIST COMPARISON: don't compare yourself to the people you should be learning from. do not be intimidated by others, be inspired. do not let awareness fuel discontentment. let it inspire education and self development. 5. STOP DELETING YOUR POSTS FGS!! don't delete posts because of low engagement. one day, someone who's been looking for someone like you on the internet will randomly find your page, and there needs to be enough for them to binge. this is how creators build community. 🎁BONUS Remember that effort will not always be rewarded with success, so don't go giving up after 3 months of consistency. remember that success is not only be measured by direct results - it's not only about what you get out of your effort but what you become by it. remember that there is no consistent deposit of time and effort into a meaningful pursuit that will add up to nothing. may not add up when you want or in the way you want, but it always adds up. if you show up authentically, consistently and generously enough, the internet finds a way to reward you. as always, i'm rooting for you. go into 2026 and prosper! 🎉

If you over-curate & overthink your personal brand to perfection, your engagement will be dead! You see them everywhere—polished, poised, and perfectly positioned personal brands. Yet, their engagement is flat. Their audience? Passive. This is the"Perfect Persona" Effect—where people curate an online brand so flawlessly that it becomes unrelatable. And science backs this up. 📌 A study from Harvard Business Review found that leaders who share their struggles increase trust by 66% compared to those who only share polished success. 📌 Social psychologist Dr. Elliot Aronson’s "Pratfall Effect" proves that people perceive those who show vulnerability as more likable than those who appear perfect. The brands that win aren’t the ones that look flawless. They’re the ones that feel real. This is how we work this out with SackBerry clients: 1. Show the process, not just the results. ❌ “We grew our business 10x in a year!” ✅ “We struggled for months with zero sales—here’s what finally worked.” People relate to struggles, lessons, and real journeys. Share the how, not just the highlight. 2. Write like you talk. The easiest way to sound human? Read your post out loud. If you wouldn’t say it in a conversation, rewrite it. 3. Share your unpopular opinions. The fastest way to stand out isn’t to blend in. Take a stance. Challenge industry clichés. Say what others won’t. 4. Use the “3-Post Rule” to create trust. Your content should rotate between these formats: A personal story (human connection) An actionable insight (expert credibility) A polarizing take (sparks discussion) 5. Don’t fear the “mess.” -Not every post needs to be perfect. - Test new ideas. - Share drafts. - Build in public. People love watching something unfold in real time. So, tell me—what’s one thing you wish more people shared online? #PersonalBranding #Authenticity #BuildingInPublic #ContentMarketing

As a junior lawyer, I was told to "take ownership" of the work but didn't get much guidance on what it actually meant. Here are 6 actions that junior lawyers can take to do this: 1️⃣ Correspondence When you're copied into email chains with clients, offer to do the first draft of the document / task / email response instead of waiting for it to be delegated to you. You can also ghostwrite draft emails* (from instructing lawyer to client), instead of sending internal emails (you to instructing lawyer) that they'd need to redraft for the client. Include notes where you have questions / assumptions. 2️⃣ Project management Keep track of key dates and the next actions that would follow your immediate task and check if you can help out with those next actions too. If you're not sure, just ask! "Thanks for getting me to help out with this task. I'd love to stay involved in the matter but I haven't worked on this sort of project before. Would you mind walking me through the next steps and where somebody with my experience could assist?" Also, if you're waiting for a senior lawyer to review your work and it's approaching a deadline, give them a reminder. "Hi, just wanted to remind you that we need to send out that advice on Friday. I sent you a draft on Tuesday. Please let me know if there's anything I should amend, or if you'd like me to send it again." 3️⃣ Provide solutions, not problems If you identify a problem with a task / matter, take some time to think about a potential solution instead of just passing the problem to your supervisor. "As I was [doing this task], I found that [Step 2] wasn't working because of [reason]. I think we can still achieve the same result if we do [potential solution]. Do you think that would work?" 4️⃣ Be prepared to challenge instructions The ultimate goal is to achieve the client's desired outcome, not to perfectly follow instructions that may be flawed. If you see an issue with your instructing lawyer's (or the client's) instructions, speak up and be prepared to offer an alternative. 5️⃣ Understand the business side of things Doing the actual work isn't the whole job. Take some time to learn about the budget for the matters, your hourly rates, what to write in your billing narratives, how each client likes to communicate (phone calls, emails, client portal uploads), and who the client needs to report to / get approval from. 6️⃣ Communicate leave and coordinate handovers When you take leave – communicate in advance, check with your team to see if there is coverage, and give your team proper handovers for matters that might continue during your leave period. Sending a calendar invite for your leave period and preparing handover notes* can also be helpful. * I've written guides on the asterisked things. Let me know in the comments if you'd like a link. 📌What else do you think junior lawyers can do to demonstrate that they're "taking ownership" of their work?

The secret to standing out isn’t being the best—it’s being different. You don’t need to compete with others on their terms; instead, build a unique combination of skills that only you can bring to the table. This is how you carve a path that’s uniquely yours. This is the advice I shared with young people who feel the pressure to be the “best.” Comparing yourself with others can be an exhausting downward spiral. Your uniqueness is your superpower. Rewrite the rules to work for you. When you’re starting out, carve out a niche. The more narrow it is, the easier it is to stand out and excel. Once you gain a foothold, you can broaden your skillset and expand your impact. Think of it as building a “skills stack.” The idea is simple but powerful: instead of trying to master one area, combine complementary skills from different domains. Each skill you acquire becomes a multiplier for the others. You don’t need to be the best at any single skill—being good at a unique combination is enough to make you stand out. Early in my career, I specialized as an economist. But over time, I recognized that solving complex problems required a multifaceted approach. So, I adapted: blending economics with history, financial markets with psychology, and finance with storytelling. This interdisciplinary approach allowed me to create my own game. Following my own path made work feel like a journey, not a competition. It kept me from getting lost in the trap of comparison. Start small: Choose a skill you’re curious about and think about how it could enhance what you already know. Over time, your stack will grow, making you uniquely equipped for opportunities no one else can match. The world doesn’t need more copies. It needs you, as you are. How are you building your own skills stack? And what advice would you give to those striving to be the best?

🧾 The cost of being seen isn’t the same for everyone. For women, it’s a "Surchage" no one talks about. 👩 Take Ling, a regional sales director. When she speaks up in strategy meetings, she’s told to “be mindful of her tone.” When she stays quiet, she’s labeled “not strategic enough.” It’s not a leadership gap. It’s a cost-benefit calculation, rigged against her. 👩 Meet Rina, a product lead. She’s built three go-to-market launches. Each one a success. But when promotion time comes, her boss says: “You’re doing great. Let’s not disrupt the team dynamic.” Her competence became the excuse to keep her contained. 👩 And then there’s Julia, a COO candidate. She’s been asked to mentor the next generation of women leaders. But no one’s sponsoring her to be the next CEO. 👉 Because championing others is celebrated. Championing yourself gets complicated. But the problem is, the system charges women extra for the power move: • Speak up? Pay the “too aggressive” tax. • Stay humble? Pay the “forgettable” fee. • Stay silent? Pay with your career.    ⚙️ So how do you stop overpaying for power? You fix it by changing the cost structure. Here are 4 strategic power moves to change the terms: 1️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲. Most women try to optimize for comfort: "How can I be visible without making anyone uncomfortable?" Wrong question. Ask: "What does this room need to believe about me to attach power to my name?" Then behave in a way that enforces that belief, consistently! 2️⃣ 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁. Workhorses get thanked. Strategists get promoted. Shift the conversation from "how hard you worked" to "what changed because of you." Make people dependent on your thinking, not your labor. 3️⃣ 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁, 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺. When women lead, people often don’t know how to process it. So they fill in the blanks, with assumptions. Don’t let the room guess. Tell them why you’re doing what you’re doing. Say 👉 "I’m recommending this because it moves us closer to the long-term goal." 👉 "I’m raising this because keeping quiet will cost us more later." 4️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺’𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. Decisions about you happen in rooms you’re not in. Those rooms won’t remember your to-do list, they’ll remember the shortcut version of you. Make sure the phrase people repeat about you is a power narrative, not a service narrative. Keen to own your narrative? 📅 Join our online workshop on July 24th 7:30 to 9pm SGT 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 👉 https://lnkd.in/gVT2Y59Q 👈 For women who are done paying extra just to be in the room. 👊 Because if you keep paying the power tax quietly, you’ll be subsidizing other people’s promotions forever.

The longer your resume, the more experienced you look. This is one of the most common mistakes I see from senior professionals. They add every role and every responsibility they've ever touched. And wonder why they are not getting callbacks. A long resume does not make you look more experienced. It makes you look unfocused. At the leadership level, hiring managers are not reading your resume line by line. They are scanning for three things in under 10 seconds. → Can this person solve my problem? → Have they done it before? → Are they operating at the right level? A resume packed with tasks and responsibilities answers none of those questions. Having reviewed 1000s of resumes as a hiring manager and now as an executive coach, here are 6 outdated practices to remove from your senior level resume today. ❌References available upon request: hiring managers already know this, use that space to show what you have accomplished instead ❌ Your full address: not necessary and creates privacy risks, your city and province/state is enough ❌ An objective statement: this focuses on what you want, replace it with a professional summary that communicates your leadership value immediately ❌ Writing in third person or huge paragraphs: your resume is not a biography, keep it sharp, punchy and results focused ❌ Listing skills without context: if you cannot show where and how you used them, they add nothing ❌ Including every job you have ever had: anything beyond 15 years adds noise not value, focus on relevance not quantity Your resume is not a record of everything you have done. It is a marketing document for the role you want next. Less is more. Clarity wins.

A highly qualified woman sat across from me yesterday.   Her resume showed 15 years of C-suite experience. Multiple awards. Industry recognition.   Yet she spoke about her success like it was pure luck.   SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT of female executives experience this same phenomenon.   I see it daily through my work with thousands of women leaders. They achieve remarkable success but internally believe they fooled everyone.   Some call it imposter syndrome. I call it a STRUCTURAL PROBLEM.   Let me explain...   When less than 5% of major companies have gender-balanced leadership, women question whether they belong.   My first board appointment taught me this hard truth.   I walked into that boardroom convinced I would say something ridiculous. Everyone seemed so confident.   But confidence plays tricks on us.   Perfect knowledge never exists. Leadership requires:   • Recognising what you know • Admitting what you miss • Finding the right answers • Moving forward anyway   Three strategies that transformed my journey:   1. Build your evidence file Document every win, every positive feedback, every successful project. Review it before big meetings. Your brain lies. Evidence speaks truth.   2. Find your circle Connect with other women leaders who understand your experience. The moment you share your doubts, someone else will say "me too."   3. Practice strategic vulnerability Acknowledging areas for growth enhances credibility. Power exists in saying "I'll find out" instead of pretending omniscience.   REALITY CHECK: This impacts business results.   Qualified women: - Decline opportunities - Downplay achievements - Hesitate to negotiate - Withdraw from consideration   Organisations lose valuable talent and perspective.   The solution requires both individual action and systemic change.   We need visible pathways to leadership for women. We need to challenge biased feedback. We need women in leadership positions in meaningful numbers.   Leadership demands courage, not perfect confidence.   The world needs leaders who push past doubt - not because they never experience it, but because they refuse to let it win. https://lnkd.in/gY9G-ibh