Episode #86: Visibility at Work: How Leaders Create Space for Every Person's Unique Contribution

Your people decide every day how much of themselves to bring to work. What helps them choose to show up fully, and be seen fully as members of your team? In this episode of Missing Conversations, Altus Growth Partners executive coaches Dan Winter, Steven Jones, and Lara Guille guide leaders through that question with insight drawn from their own lives and work, from the career advice Dan once received to "go become invisible," to Steven's early career leading a minority affairs office, to Lara's deep interest in how people become visible to themselves and to others. Together, they explore why capable people hold back, how psychological safety and visibility connect, and how dissent can become a unique contribution. Listen now for practices that equip your team to show up fully and grow stronger together.

Key Moments You'll Want to Hear

03:53: Invisibility at work: what it looks like and what it costs.
05:50: Why capable people may choose to stay unseen.
09:19: Leaders as explorers: the curiosity that transforms organizations, systems and society.
11:43: A CFO's standout answer, and what it teaches every executive team.
13:06: The best question you can ask a colleague: How do you like to work?
17:19: How leading with excitement and honoring your unique contribution expands what's possible for the team.
22:22: Dissent as contribution: why a different view, offered with care, makes teams stronger.
25:38: The biggest team breakdowns: the missing conversation and the pressure to have every answer right away.
30:08: Making room for opportunity: staying open to possibilities in whatever form they arrive.
31:23: Connecting psychological safety and visibility by asking, "How am I contributing to this system?"
33:46: The somatics of visibility and how recognizing contraction invites voices to come forward.
36:53: The story you tell yourself shapes the actions you take, including whether you choose to be visible.
39:20: Practices to try this week to help your team become more visible.

By the end of this conversation, you'll hear answers to:

Why do capable people choose to stay invisible at work?

Altus executive coach Lara Guille sees two patterns. Some people haven't yet realized they're holding back. Others, especially people with minority or outgroup status, deliberately mask parts of themselves because being visible doesn't feel safe. Lara also points to results-driven leaders whose organizations have stated values around inclusivity, yet who move so quickly to decisions that concerns end up in the back channel. When these leaders slow down and welcome disagreement, the team gets to benefit from every perspective. Timestamp: 06:05-06:57

How are visibility and psychological safety connected?

Lara Guille describes them as closely related, because visibility always brings difference into the room, and how a team handles difference either builds trust or wears it down. She notes that psychological safety is built in what happens after an issue surfaces, sometimes even more than in what gets said. One of the biggest moves a leader can make is to put their own impact on the culture up for discussion by asking, "How am I contributing to this system?" Steven Jones adds that people learn the most from what leaders model, like pausing in the moment or bringing an overlooked colleague into the conversation. Timestamp: 29:34-31:23

What can leaders say in meetings to encourage people to speak up?

Dan Winter recommends making "Tell me more" a habit, especially when your first reaction to an idea is doubt. He also suggests turning a quick evaluation into a shared problem, such as "If we only had $5,000, how would we make that work?" instead of saying, "I don't think that will work." For conversations that feel overwhelming, Lara Guille offers a back-pocket response: "I really appreciate having this conversation. I'm going to take some time and think about this. Let's come back to it at a later date." What people need most is connection and care, and following through on that promise to come back shows it. Timestamp: 41:44-43:21

If we're willing to be explorers and get to know people, things transform as an opportunity for organizations, family systems, and society. ~ Steven Jones

About Altus Growth Partners

At Altus, we partner with CEOs and leadership teams who are serious about growth and willing to engage in new kinds of conversations to produce better results.

We care deeply about helping leaders and teams collaborate more effectively, navigate complexity with confidence, and foster a culture where people thrive. It's in these environments that challenges are met with curiosity, people bring out the best in one another, and progress is anchored in shared purpose.

Because when leaders and teams are truly working together, they expand what's possible and the meaningful impact they can make in their lives, their organizations, and the world around them.

You can find Altus Growth Partners on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altus-growth-partners/

About the Book

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If you're looking to expand your leadership influence, shift your results, and develop a highly engaged, accountable team, we'd love to talk to you. Schedule a conversation with an Altus Team Member here: https://calendly.com/prollin-altusgrowth/zoom-video-30-min.

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Keywords:

#Invisibility, #PsychologicalSafety, #Inclusivity