Navigating Optics as an IC (Introverted contributor)
Did I say too much?
First things first, I’m a bad person to write this article as I don’t know how to sell myself well. I consider myself smart, hard working, adaptive, a team player, ambitious; but I’m an introvert.
So I’m just gonna write a rant-ish listicle which may or may not be actionable in the hope that some of you may help me on this topic.
Understanding why we’re even discussing this? What is optics? Why is it of any value? Why does it feel strange?
Optics, in the context of work, is about how your actions, contributions, and presence are perceived by others — not necessarily how they are. It’s the art (or accident) of being seen. Sometimes it’s about self-promotion; other times it’s simply the visibility of effort. And that visibility often shapes career growth far more than we’d like to admit.
Now there’s some of us, who believe their work speaks for themselves. But truth be told, sometimes you need to give your work the amplification it deserves for the following reasons:
Feedback: To get feedback & improve it
Awareness: To let it reach someone who needs it
Recognition: To get yourself the recognition you deserve
Spark ideas: To open discussions, spark new ideas with your teammates
There are probably many other good reasons. Because even the best work can disappear quietly if it isn’t shared. Visibility isn’t vanity, it’s how ideas travel. I’ve learned that sharing your work doesn’t mean showing off, it can simply mean inviting others into your thought process. And that’s how collective growth happens.
My biggest problem is how can I do it authentically in a non soul compromising way?
Some other points:
Social media & remote work have shaped the way we view optics, how our brain perceives it.
People spend a lot of time picking the right GIFs, emojis & words for slack messages and not enough doing their actual job. Dopamine is more glamorous & instantaneous than complex problems and long term impact.
Sometimes I wonder, wouldn’t it be so great that all companies rewarded the efforts and not the loudmouths, the networkers, the credit stealers & the narcissists? If all leaders were smart and intuitive who could see beyond the yapping and understand the depth of the subjects rather than taking things on face value?
the truth is, it’s not that black and white. Sometimes average work with the right kind of amplification (and slides) shines better than excellent work without any spotlight.
work doesn’t have to feel like a popularity contest. It should be stimulating for your mind and give you some sense of purpose.
One of the reasons I find it strange is because I think the end goal of optics is validation and not impact. But I’m wrong, there’s a healthy amount of optics that help with impact, validation is only a byproduct (if you view it like that)
The nuances of language, culture, gender, power dynamics, favouritism are all very much existent
What may be considered polite in one culture may be deemed as a sign of weakness in another.
In some Asian cultures, employees show respect to their team by letting others speak first, taking up less space and speaking only when they have something to add. However, in Western cultures such behaviour may be interpreted as a lack of confidence, initiative, or leadership potential.
In the end remember it’s a job and nobody’s clout no matter how big it is — (dash not from ChatGPT) is an insignificant speck in the universe. Touch the grass, watch the sea, play with your kids. That’s the good stuff. There’s a certain liberation in this thought. But it’s also an easy excuse for an introvert to not put in the work.
Maybe that’s where the balance lies: between caring enough to share what you’ve built and caring little enough to not let others’ perceptions define you
Embracing the discomfort that comes with it, in the right proportion, this is a skill that will help you grow. There’s a great video explaining why it could be deeper than just “not liking the spotlight”
Perhaps the goal isn’t to become someone who loves the spotlight, but someone who can step into it when the message (not the ego) needs to be seen.
Coming up next is part 2 - Navigating Optics as a Manager, which is even more layered, complex and crazy! 🤪
Thanks for writing this, it clarifies a lot. It's a bit frustrating that perception often treumps pure effort, but you're right, sharing really is esential for growth and getting good feedback.