What is airtime? Airtime is the frequency and quality of time that you spend in front of the people who can help with your career trajectory.
Why is airtime important? Because airtime keeps you top of mind with the people who matter. It allows you to demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and potential. It lets them know what you are working on, what you have accomplished, and where else you may be a good fit.
If you are in a company that has more than 50 people it so easy to get lost among the sea of many talented and not so talented folks. Have you noticed that most of the work, projects, and advancement tend to stay within a particular circle of people? If you take a step back and evaluate the circle you may notice that they have a lot of airtime with those who make the decisions on assigning work. How do you get more airtime?
- Schedule frequent check in’s with your boss
- Volunteer for cross-functional assignments
- Raise your hand for a high-profile project
- Speak up and contribute in meetings
- Blow your own horn
As much as it is your responsibility to create your own airtime, I believe that as a leader of people you also hold the responsibility to provide opportunities for members on your team to have airtime. How do you give your employees airtime?
- Suggest them for upcoming projects
- Assign them to a high-profile project
- Encourage them to schedule time with your boss
- Assign them to cross-functional teams
- Name drop with their accomplishments and career goals
- Lend your influence
Airtime matters for career growth. Don’t lean back waiting for someone to notice you, that seldom happens anymore. You have to make your career happen. You have to own the responsibility to go wide and deep and put yourself in front of others horizontally and vertically to stay top of mind.
Last updated on September 14th, 2020 at 06:44 am
