Why Brilliant Doesn’t Always Mean Recognized.
Being brilliant won’t guarantee your career growth.
Here’s why some of the smartest people I coach still feel overlooked…
I once worked with a brilliant engineer who constantly felt overlooked. She believed she was a victim of office politics. She switched jobs twice, but the same story kept repeating.
The real issue? She wasn’t building relationships.
Her mindset was: “My work should speak for itself.”
Conversations with coworkers were limited to tasks and deadlines. She wondered why promotions passed her by and why she never felt like she belonged.
During our coaching sessions, we uncovered the impact this had on her:
She felt invisible despite her hard work
She was burning out from trying to do everything alone
She didn’t feel safe asking for help, which drained her creativity, peace of mind, and the joy she once felt in her work.
When I asked if she had ever invited a coworker for a casual coffee chat, she was shocked.
“Why would I do that on company time? Plus, I’m single with no kids, they’re all busy with families. Why would they want to connect with me?”
This was the heart of the issue: she was rejecting herself out of fear of being rejected.
Together, we worked on small, practical steps to build confidence and connections. We called it “internal networking.” For her, this didn’t mean pretending to be an extrovert or forcing herself to socialize in ways that felt unnatural. It meant starting small and building trust one step at a time.
Here are a few of the approaches we worked on:
Begin with small gestures
A simple good morning, asking how someone’s day is going, or sharing what you’re working on can open the door to connection. I’ve always preferred to walk over to a coworker’s office if I had a question instead of emailing. It’s a simple way to check in, see how their day is going, learn from them, and offer support if possible.
Create space for informal conversations
A short coffee chat or virtual check-in helps people feel seen beyond their tasks. These moments give room to build relationships without the pressure of formal meetings.
Offer support
Sharing resources, giving feedback, or stepping in on a project creates reciprocity and trust.
Be yourself
You don’t need to be the most outgoing person in the room. Authenticity and kindness are far more powerful.
Notice your patterns
Pay attention to the times you hold back because of the thought, “they won’t want to connect with me.” Awareness is often the first step to shifting it.
A few weeks later, she shared a breakthrough moment. One evening, as a deadline loomed and panic set in, a coworker offered to stay late and help troubleshoot her code. She told me, “Nisha, I can’t believe he stayed with me until we found the bug. I wouldn’t have met the deadline without his support. For the first time, I felt like I belonged on a team.”
Her effort to connect, even virtually during lockdown, brought back the joy of collaboration and innovation. And here’s the best part: she didn’t have to pretend to be a social butterfly. By showing up authentically and vulnerably, she built genuine trust.
That courageous step transformed her career trajectory. Her confidence grew, and so did her opportunities.
You don’t have to be the loudest or most social person in the room. But being able to communicate authentically and kindly is non-negotiable for growth.
Where might you be holding yourself back because you believe, “my work should speak for itself”?
This is the work I help leaders with, building confidence and presence that gets noticed.
If this resonates with you, message me with the word CONFIDENCE. Every career situation is unique, and I can help you create a personalized approach to boost your confidence, presence, and growth.