Don't be a Chad.
You know the type. The smooth-talker who seems to glide effortlessly up the corporate ladder while you're pouring your heart and soul into your work, only to watch from the sidelines. It's frustrating. Sometimes it's downright heartbreaking.
But here's what I've learned after years of watching this play out, first as a corporate trainer and then through two decades in healthcare: God sees you, even when it feels like everyone else is looking right through you.
When Hard Work Feels Invisible
Let me be vulnerable with you for a moment. In my early career, I genuinely believed that excellence would speak for itself. Work hard, do good work, stay humble: and surely, surely, the right people would notice.
To put it simply, I was naive.
When I transitioned into healthcare in 2003, I started seeing this pattern everywhere. Brilliant nurses working double shifts, getting passed over for leadership roles. Social workers carrying impossible caseloads, watching less experienced colleagues get promoted. Educators pouring their own money into classroom supplies, only to see the spotlight go to someone who talked a good game but couldn't deliver.
And if I'm being completely honest? As a Black woman in these spaces, I saw this happening disproportionately to women who looked like me. Women who were giving 150% of themselves but somehow remaining invisible to the decision-makers who could change their trajectory.
It broke something in me. Because I knew: I knew: that invisibility isn't always a superpower.
The Biblical Truth About Being Seen
There's a verse that has sustained me through this journey: "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).
But here's what I've come to understand: while God sees our hearts, He also calls us to be the light of the world: and light, by its very nature, is meant to be seen.
Jesus didn't tell His followers to hide their light under a basket. He said, "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).
This isn't about pride or self-promotion. It's about stewardship of the gifts and calling God has placed on our lives.
The Cost of Staying Hidden
I spent years watching phenomenal professionals: particularly women of color in healthcare, social work, and education: struggle with a painful contradiction. They were taught to be humble, to let their work speak for itself, to wait for recognition to come naturally.
Meanwhile, they were burning out. Getting overlooked for promotions. Watching less qualified people advance while they carried the real weight of the organization.
The cost wasn't just personal; it was systemic. When the most dedicated, most competent people remain invisible, everyone suffers. Patients don't get the care they deserve. Students don't get the guidance they need. Families in crisis don't get the support that could change everything.
I realized that staying hidden wasn't just hurting these incredible professionals: it was actually selfish. Because when you have gifts that could transform lives, keeping them invisible isn't humility; it's withholding what God intended to bless others.
Building UCDI's Progressive Leadership Training Program
That's why I built UCDI's Progressive Leadership Training Program: not to turn good people into smooth-talking politicians, but to help dedicated professionals become visible and valued for who they truly are.
Because visibility with integrity isn't about selling out. It's about learning how to stand out for the right reasons.
It's about understanding that you can remain true to your values while also advocating for yourself. You can be humble while also being confident in what you bring to the table. You can honor God while also ensuring that the people who need your gifts can actually find you.
I am truly grateful for every woman who has trusted me with her story, her struggles, her dreams of making a bigger impact. Each conversation has shaped how we approach this work: not as a superficial makeover, but as a spiritual and professional transformation.
The Heart Behind Visibility
What does visibility with integrity actually look like?
It means knowing your worth because you understand that your skills and passion are gifts from God: not arrogance, but stewardship.
It means communicating your value clearly and consistently, not because you need validation, but because the right people need to find you to get the help they're seeking.
It means positioning yourself strategically in spaces where your gifts can create the most impact, understanding that influence is a tool for service, not self-promotion.
It means building relationships authentically, connecting with people not because of what they can do for you, but because of how you might serve each other's missions.
Most importantly, it means staying rooted in your faith and values while you grow in confidence and visibility. Your integrity isn't negotiable: it's actually what makes you unforgettable.
For My Sisters in the Struggle
If you're reading this as someone who's been giving everything you have while feeling invisible, I see you. More importantly, God sees you.
Your late nights matter. Your extra efforts matter. Your heart for the people you serve matters deeply.
But it's time to step into the fullness of who God created you to be. Not hiding behind false humility, but owning your calling with confidence. Not waiting for someone else to notice your light, but intentionally positioning it where it can shine brightest.
The world needs what you have. The people you're called to serve are looking for you right now. But they can't find you if you're hiding.
Moving Forward with Purpose
If you're ready to bridge the gap between your incredible work and the recognition it deserves, let's talk.
This isn't about changing who you are: it's about becoming more fully yourself in ways that honor both your calling and your Creator.
The time for hiding is over. Your community needs your gifts, your perspective, your heart. And you deserve to see your faithful service create the impact you've always dreamed of.
Prayer: Lord, help me step boldly into the fullness of who You created me to be. Give me wisdom to shine my light with humility and purpose. Amen.