Many professionals are taught:
“Your work will speak for itself.”
But in many environments, work is interpreted through a narrative.
If that narrative isn’t clear —
your work can be misunderstood, minimized, or overlooked.
Example from my career
I’ve seen highly capable professionals produce strong work…
but struggle because their contributions weren’t clearly positioned or communicated.
Once they began summarizing outcomes and reinforcing their role in key initiatives, perceptions shifted.
Not because their work changed —
but because the narrative did.
Discussion
Have you experienced a situation where your work was strong but misunderstood?
Relevant SHIELD Pillars
E – Echo and Document
I – Initiate Interactions Intentionally