Hospitality Leadership Series On ‘Professional Visibility’: Introduction

Seasoned executive search professionals and human capital advisors, Andrew Hazelton and Thomas Mielke, share their thoughts on achieving ‘professional visibility’.

Visibility, noun, “the quality or state of being visible; capability of being readily noticed.” Merriam-Webster online dictionary (2018)

Welcome to the ‘urban, global jungle’ better known as ‘today’s job market’. Whether you’re new to the workforce or a developing leader eager to climb the corporate ladder, you’ve probably been told or read somewhere that ‘survival of the fittest’ in this jungle means being career-focused and fixated on gaining an edge, discovering your metaphorical hedgehog, carving a competitive advantage, or establishing a personal brand.

This is all easier said than done, because no one really defines what these motivational directives mean and there does not seem to be much credible information available for those willing to learn. It can therefore be tempting to turn to self-styled management gurus or leadership books that claim to reveal the science of executive presence. However, too often we have found these kinds of sources either to be outdated or based on ambiguous or questionable data.

For this reason, Aethos™ is launching a new series of ‘pulses’ that revolves around the core topic of ‘professional visibility’. Let’s be clear on what we mean and where our insights originate: ‘Insider knowledge’, obtained throughout several decades of combined client consultation as executive search professionals and talent management practitioners in the hospitality industry, is meant to be shared with the readership, shedding light on what gets the attention of today’s high-powered decision-makers. In other words, this series outlines the competency set, professional attitudes and interpersonal dynamics that ‘power brokers’ use to define those professionals deemed most likely to add enterprise value to their organizations. Those are the individuals who garner the strongest attention, make the most lasting impressions and earn the most desirable professional opportunities.

We invite you to follow us along this expedition into the urban jungle armed with insights and learnings selected to help gain more self-awareness, close critical skill gaps, and hone attitudes and habits that are financially and socially profitable. Put all together, we now introduce a development concept that’s practical and transcends the often touted skills of ‘emotional intelligence’ or ‘executive presence’ alone. It all boils down to optimizing one’s ‘professional visibility’ – before, during and after one’s next professional challenge.