🧙♀️ Hey Harry Potter, I Don’t Want Your Invisibility Cloak
- Denise Ang
- Apr 10
- 5 min read
5 Powerful Strategies for Asian Women to Boost Your Visibility at Work
I remember watching Harry Potter and being fascinated by his Invisibility Cloak. It was one of the coolest magical items—a prized possession that made you invisible at will.
But as I watched, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of irony.
Because for so many of us, especially as Asian women professionals, invisibility isn’t something we choose. It’s something that happens to us. And unlike Harry, we can’t just take the Invisibility Cloak off at will.
I grew up in an Asian culture where humility, harmony, and respect for hierarchy were guiding values. Speaking up too much was seen as disruptive. Showing off was discouraged. Being humble wasn’t just encouraged—it was expected.
That extended to school, too. I did not raise my hand unless I had something really good to contribute. If I had a question, I made sure I had done my homework and exhausted every resource before daring to ask it out loud.
That approach worked. I succeeded. I got into the top schools in the world.
So I carried that same mindset into the workplace. I worked hard, and I was frequently the last few to leave the office. I believed my results would speak for themselves. In meetings, I’d not speak up because I didn’t want to overstep, and I didn’t want to say things that are not useful and waste my leaders’ time.
I thought everything was going well until I received feedback in a performance review that “You’re too quiet. You don’t show enough leadership potential.”
I was shocked. I had been doing everything “right.” But I wasn’t being seen—not really.
That’s when I realized something no one had ever taught me: Just because we are here doesn’t mean we are visible.
At first, the idea of “visibility” felt strange—even a little offensive. I remember thinking, What do you mean I’m not visible? I exist. You can see me.
But in the workplace, visibility isn’t just about being present. It’s about being seen. It’s about having your voice heard, your contributions remembered, and your potential recognized.
That was a turning point for me.
I’ve since learned how to speak up, lead with authenticity, and show up fully without sacrificing the values I was raised with. And now, I coach other Asian women to do the same.
Here are five strategies that helped me—and now help the women I coach—remove that Invisibility Cloak and step into leadership with power and purpose.
5 Powerful Strategies to Boost Your Visibility at Work
1. Claim Your Achievements
Hard work does not speak for itself. If you don’t advocate for your accomplishments, no one else will. Take the initiative to showcase your accomplishments and their impact. Clearly communicate how your contributions have benefited your team, organization, and the company overall. Let your impact be known.
How To Take Action:
Track your wins. Keep a running list of accomplishments, outcomes, and positive feedback. Practice saying, “I’m proud of this because…” to own your success.
Share your updates proactively. Use updates to highlight momentum with your manager and relevant stakeholders, e.g., “I wanted to share an early win—this initiative is already showing results.”
Lead with impact. Replace effort-based language with outcome-driven statements: “This increased sales by 30%” is far more compelling than “I worked hard on this.”
2. Speak Up And Get Your Voice Heard
Don’t stay silent in meetings—your voice is key to being seen as a leader. Speak up and tailor your message to what matters to your audience. You don't need to be the loudest voice in the room; instead, focus on using your voice to add value and make a meaningful impact.
How To Take Action:
Prepare your points ahead of time. Walk into meetings ready to contribute with confidence.
Shift from reporting to perspective and ownership. Instead of “Here’s what happened,” say, “Here’s what I’m seeing and what I recommend.”
Focus on strategic insights. Use phrases like “Here’s a strategic angle we could consider…” to signal thought leadership.
3. Advocate For Your Promotion
Promotions don’t just happen—they’re earned and positioned for. Even if there’s no open role today, proactively making a case for your promotion keeps it on your manager's radar. Show that you’re not only delivering results, but already thinking and operating at the next level. Promotions go to those who are visible, valuable, and ready.
How To Take Action:
Initiate career chats. Share your goals and ask your manager: “What would it take for me to be considered for the next level?”
Link your impact to the business. Frame your results around outcomes that matter to leadership.
Demonstrate readiness. Lead high-visibility projects that showcase your ability to deliver and influence beyond your role.
4. Build Allies and Sponsors
Allies support you in your daily work, while sponsors help accelerate your advancement behind the scenes. Both are essential for building credibility, staying visible, and unlocking new opportunities. When your network extends beyond your immediate team, you are better positioned to navigate organizational changes and stay resilient through transitions.
How To Take Action:
Nurture relationships with decision-makers. Build trust with leaders who can speak to your strengths and potential.
Be a valuable collaborator. Support others generously to create authentic, reciprocal relationships.
Expand your presence. Engage with people in other teams, functions, or regions to grow your visibility and access new opportunities.
5. Stay True to What Matters Most
As you strive for the next level, stay connected to what matters most. Visibility and advancement are important, but they’re most powerful when rooted in purpose. Gaining clarity on your values and purpose will help you shape a meaningful long-term career vision, leading to greater fulfillment and joy in your work.
How To Take Action:
Know what drives you. Identify the values and motivators that make work meaningful for you.
Choose with intention. Prioritize roles and projects that reflect your long-term vision.
Pause and reflect. Regularly check in with yourself to make sure your path still feels right.
Final Thoughts
For many of us, invisibility wasn’t something we chose. But here’s the truth: we don’t have to keep wearing that Invisibility Cloak. We have the power to take it off. We have the power to show up as our authentic, powerful and unapologetic selves.
The five strategies I shared—claiming your achievements, speaking up and getting your voice heard, advocating for your promotion, building allies and sponsors, and staying true to what matters most—are not just tools. They’re acts of reclaiming your visibility. Each one is a step toward being heard, respected, and seen as the leader you already are.
You deserve to be visible.
P.S.: This article was first published at deniseang.substack.com/p/icanmindset. Subscribe at deniseang.substack.com for free to receive new posts and support my work.
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