Why can’t I get the recognition I deserve?

Dear B, I applied for a management position, but last week the promotion was given to a colleague who has been here less than a year, he is better at self-promotion but his achievements are largely based on the work that I am doing. He never covered for colleagues or stayed late to fix errors made by managers like I do. How can I get noticed without turning toxic towards the new colleague? My manager said, I am critical to the daily operation where I am, but I now feel trapped by my own competence and I’m thinking of leaving. M.

Dear M, This is very common, you work so seamlessly that your work is invisible, and your managers job is easier while you’re hiding flaws in the business operation. 
Change your strategy to manage how the outcome of your work is seen. Log the coverage when correcting manager errors or absorbing a colleague's workload, send a weekly report of completed metrics, and let the cracks show now and then so that the difference is self evident. Ask about the timeline for training your replacement, since you would like to move to a leadership track. Point out how you could avert issues better from further up the line. If the response is that you’re still "too valuable,” in your current position, they’re spelling out that your growth is capped. Take your immense competence and update your CV, the market always values a fixer; don't discount your worth.

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