You can be excellent at what you do and still be passed over. Not because your work isn’t valuable, but because the people making decisions may not understand the impact you’re creating or even know enough about it to advocate for you.

Tiffany Benitez sits down with cybersecurity executive and author Janet Heins to explore the difference between doing valuable work and making that value visible. It’s a conversation for anyone who has been told to “let your work speak for itself” and is beginning to realize that great work often needs context, relationships, and a voice behind it.

Janet shares what happened when she was the only woman on a leadership team and watched the room repeatedly move past her contributions. Instead of continuing to accept the pattern, she physically stood up and created a pause that made people listen. It’s a simple story, but it raises a bigger question: what do you do when being good at your job still isn’t enough to be heard?

One of Janet’s most useful frameworks is “the what and the so what.” Don’t only tell people what you completed. Explain why it mattered to the business, what changed because of it, and what might have happened without your contribution. That shift can change how leaders understand your work and how easily other people can speak about your value when you’re not in the room.

Here are the key takeaways:

(4:35) Bringing your genuine self to work without performing

(5:33) When adapting starts turning into losing yourself

(8:25) What to do when your voice gets overlooked

(13:38) Turning the “what” into a meaningful “so what”

(17:52) Building relationships beyond your immediate function

(20:17) The real difference between mentors and sponsors

(22:20) How visibility creates opportunities beyond promotions

(24:45) Why community matters throughout your career

(28:29) Replacing work-life balance with work-life harmony

(31:16) Doing the groundwork before making the ask

(32:59) Stop denying yourself what you deserve

(34:38) What a “no” can reveal about your visibility

The conversation also gets into the difference between mentors and sponsors, choosing the right stretch opportunities, asking for what you need at work, and learning from rejection instead of letting it end the conversation. Janet leaves listeners with a challenge worth carrying into the next promotion, role, or opportunity: “Stop denying yourself what you deserve.” Tune in now and hear what it takes to make your value impossible to overlook.

About Janet Heins

Janet Heins is Chief Information Security Officer at ChenMed and the author of Go Ahead and Ask for It. Her executive leadership experience spans healthcare, pharmaceuticals, biotech, travel, and media, including roles at Merck, Biogen, Royal Caribbean, and iHeartMedia. She is known for building high-performing teams and helping leaders connect their expertise to visible business impact. Janet is also a speaker and mentor who is passionate about developing diverse talent, supporting professionals throughout their careers, and helping people become more intentional about relationships, visibility, and asking for the opportunities they want.

Connect with Janet:

LinkedIn

About Tiffany Benitez

Tiffany Benitez leads Data Governance at Compass Group USA, ensuring data quality, integrity, and compliance across all business units. She is passionate about driving data excellence and advancing women in tech and STEM.

Connect with Host:

Tiffany’s LinkedIn

Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational purposes only. The content should not be considered professional advice. Listeners are encouraged to consult with professionals regarding specific situations or concerns.