Invisible

It’s often said—and you’ve probably heard it too—let the outcome speak for you. I strongly believe in that philosophy and have always followed it myself.

Being in the field of sales and marketing, I’ve seen many colleagues who constantly make noise about their work—showcasing every activity they do to build pipelines, develop prospects, and so on. They believe this visibility keeps them in the limelight and strengthens their relationship with leadership, fueling expectations of eventual rewards. But in reality, an expectation remains just that—an expectation. Nothing more, nothing less.

I recall an incident from about ten years ago. At an annual sales meet, one of my colleagues gave an elaborate presentation on how he was managing a large pursuit—detailing every step of his sales approach. Since the deal was still in progress, no one questioned the outcome. Unfortunately for him, the result didn’t turn out as expected. Yet, during that meeting, he stole the limelight and was celebrated for his unique style and enthusiasm.

A few months later, I quietly closed the biggest deal of my career—worth over $100 million. There was no noise, no showmanship—just patience, persistence, and a relentless focus on building trust with the customer. When the result was announced, almost everyone reached out in surprise, curious to know what I had done differently.

That, to me, was the perfect moment to share my story. I stayed invisible in the background for a long time until my result made noise loud enough for me to remain invisible any longer. I didn’t need to make noise —the result did it for me.