How to market\showcase the work you are doing [closed]

Question

I work in a software development firm & feel my work is not appreciated as much as it should. Over the period I have seen people (does not work) who highlight their work are the ones who are more successful as compared to those who believes their work will speak for itself.

I have seen those individuals who go out with managers and praise manager all the time gets higher visibility. Many people never criticize the manager even when the manager is wrong. As for me I cannot be part of such meeting and cannot praise anyone when they are wrong.

I don't like to send mails for every small task I do. I am paid to do my work. But some people send mails for every small task they perform. I personally think its unethical.

I wonder how can I market my work or get appreciation for my work ?

How can I publish my work to larger audience without making it look that I am trying to take extra credit.

Answer 1

You are going to have a very poor career if you don't get over your prejudice about offfice politics. It is not unethical to let people know what you have accomplished. It is the smart move, in fact.

As far as disagreeing with the boss, this is something that is best done privately and calmly and always remembering that while you are paid to do your job, he or she is paid to make decisions about how you do your job and thus even when you disagree, you must be aware that the final decision is rightfully the boss's. So choose only important things to disagree about and choose your timing carefully and always express the objections before the decision was finalized not after when it is too late. And learn to read your boss, some bosses tolerate more speaking up than others. And remember that since smart players only disagree in private, the people you think are only "yes men" may not be.

What you want is to be effective at work and that means learning to play the game. Even if you choose not to go into managment yourself (and frankly people who refuse to play office politics are very bad candiates for management), you want to effect how the work is done and you want to see things done well. So in order to have the effect on the organization you want, you need to build alliances, to make sure that people respect your knowledge and accomplishments and to create a reason why they should listen to you.

Please read up on office politics as there is a lot more there than you think and you are disabling your own ability to work by refusing to undersand how the game is played. Remember, you don't have to be a snake to be effective with office politics. But you are in the game whether you want to be or not and you must learn how to be effective or you will lose every time.