Frame Your Impact, Not Just Your Effort

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High performers often fall into the “invisible work” trap: they deliver consistently, solve problems, and get results, but their contributions go unnoticed. Doing great work is essential, but it’s not enough to advance your career. What separates those who get recognized from those who don’t? How you communicate your impact.

Why Communication Matters

Executives and leaders aren’t looking at hours worked or tasks completed. They care about outcomes that affect the business. Your goal is to help others see the value you create, so your work leads to opportunities, promotions, and influence. In a recent session of WIT Technology Uncorked, one thought-leader shared that framing work in terms of business impact is a game-changer: instead of saying, “I implemented a new access management tool,” say, “This new tool reduced login issues by 40%, saving the team 10 hours a week and improving productivity.”

Use Storytelling to Make Your Work Memorable

How you tell your story matters as much as what you did. Use a simple narrative:

  • Beginning: What problem or challenge existed?
  • Plot: What actions did you take?
  • Takeaways: What measurable impact did your work have?

Visibility Is Key – Inside and Outside Your Organization

It’s not enough for your manager to notice you. Influence comes from multiple angles: peers, other teams, HR, and executives. Share your wins across teams. Build an external presence through LinkedIn posts, speaking engagements, or writing articles.

Practical Steps You Can Take

  • Write a 3-line impact story for each major project
  • Highlight the business results in updates or meetings
  • Explain how your work benefits others, not just what you did
  • Build an external presence through LinkedIn posts, talks, or articles

High performance will get you far, but strategic storytelling and visibility take you further.

Working Hard is Not a Promotional Strategy

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If you’re the “reliable doer” on your team – the one who always delivers, works late, and gets it done – you’re valuable. But that alone won’t get you promoted. In a recent session of WIT Technology Uncorked, one message was clear: Performance builds trust. Visibility builds opportunity.

Many women hit a point where they realize: others are getting promoted, their work is being credited to someone else, or they’re praised but not advanced. Why? Because promotions aren’t based solely on effort. They’re also based on perceived impact. Research shows that women are promoted at lower rates at the first step to manager, even when performance is strong.

What Actually Moves You Forward

  • Build advocates. Promotions are often decided in rooms you’re not in. If no one there understands your impact, your name won’t come up.
  • Learn the business. Technical skill is expected. Business fluency is differentiating. Talk about outcomes (revenue, risk reduction, efficiency) not tasks.
  • Communicate in benefits, not busyness. Saying “I worked all weekend” doesn’t land. Saying “This reduced processing time by 30%” does.
  • Create opportunities. If the next role doesn’t exist, build a case for it. Line up support before the big meeting.

Hard work makes you dependable. Strategic visibility makes you promotable. If you feel stuck, the answer isn’t to work harder. It’s to make sure the right people see your impact.

Woman to Watch: Leading with Vision and Impact

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The 2025 Woman to Watch category honored leaders who are driving innovation, shaping strategy, and inspiring others in technology.

ZsaVette Eze — Vice President of Technology, Synchrony Financial (Winner)

ZsaVette’s journey in technology spans more than 15 years across fintech, cloud, and enterprise transformation. One of her proudest milestones came while leading the launch and operational scale of Amazon Pay Later at Synchrony Financial. As the single-threaded owner, she aligned technology, compliance, fraud prevention, and customer experience across two Fortune 100 companies — resulting in a product that supported $967M in net earnings and exceeded EPS expectations by nearly 40%.

“Leading initiatives like Amazon Pay Later has not only proven my leadership but also reinforced the importance of visibility, strategic thinking, and mentoring others to succeed.”

Manjula Ganta — Senior Director of Product Development, ADP (Finalist)

Manjula’s career in technology spans 25 years in Human Capital Management. At ADP, she leads technology teams managing HR, Payroll, Talent, and Portal products across a $500M portfolio. She led a large-scale digital transformation of ADP’s Payroll product, moving from legacy on-premise to cloud-based solution, supporting over 600 clients and generating $8.6M in cost savings.

“Driving large-scale transformation requires more than technology — it’s about empowering teams to innovate confidently.”

Francine Marquis — AI Program Manager, Google Cloud (Finalist)

Francine is revolutionizing AI accessibility while creating opportunities for underrepresented communities. She architected Google Cloud AI’s Trusted Tester Program, expanding it from an internal pilot to a 5,000+ customer ecosystem — exceeding projections by 10x in just 1.5 years.

“The best innovations emerge when diverse voices shape technology from the ground up.”

Single Mother of the Year: Strength, Resilience & Leadership

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The 2025 Single Mother of the Year category honored women who balance motherhood, career growth, and personal development while overcoming significant challenges.

Kassundra Evans — IT Analyst, Cybersecurity & GRC (Winner)

Kassundra’s journey into technology began with a leap of faith. She relocated across the country with her one-year-old son, stepping into the unknown with only determination and hope. Since then, she has completed the WIT Single Mothers Program, secured her role as an IT Analyst in cybersecurity and GRC, and is working toward her CompTIA Security+ certification. Her long-term goal is to become a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).

“Every accomplishment has been deeply meaningful — not just for me, but for my son. I’ve built a life that shows him what happens when you refuse to give up.”

Cheliya Green — Armed Service Technician, Loomis (Finalist)

Cheliya’s career combines precision, problem-solving, and a growing passion for cybersecurity. As an Armed Service Technician, she manages a high-stakes route handling cash pickups, transport, and ATM refills. A graduate of the WIT Single Mothers Program, Cheliya credits WIT with giving her clarity, confidence, and a path forward.

“WIT helped me gain the confidence and direction to pursue a career in cybersecurity, where I can make a real impact.”

Laura Newberry-Henderson — Investigation Specialist, Amazon (Finalist)

Laura’s path has been shaped by resilience and determination. As a mother and Investigation Specialist at Amazon, she balances family life while advancing a career in digital forensics and cybersecurity. She completed the WIT Single Mothers Program in the top half of her cohort and earned her bachelor’s degree after ten years of starting and stopping due to life circumstances.

“I want my children to see that staying committed to your goals, even when life gets hard, can lead to real achievement.”

Sports Technology and Leadership: Insights from Our Virtual Forum

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On January 21, 2026, WIT hosted a virtual forum exploring how technology is transforming women’s sports and how female leaders are shaping the future of athletics. The discussion was moderated by Marie Mouchet and brought together three accomplished panelists:

  • Joni Taylor, Texas A&M basketball coach and five-time USA Basketball gold medalist
  • Tiffany Daniels, SEC Associate Commissioner for Competition and former University of Georgia player
  • Danielle Donehew, Executive Director of the WBCA, trained engineer, former Pat Summitt staffer, and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee

Leadership, Representation, and the Future of Sports Tech

Each speaker shared experiences of being “the only woman in the room,” especially early in their careers. Over time, their approach shifted from trying to fit in to confidently asserting expertise and leadership. Women must not only use technology in sports, but lead its development and application.

Technology in Athlete Performance

The panel highlighted how wearables and data are revolutionizing training and player safety. Joni Taylor shared how tools like the KINEXON track player movements, workloads, and recovery. Transparent sharing of this data allows athletes to monitor progress and learn from their performance.

AI and Smarter Competition Management

Tiffany Daniels discussed how AI systems such as Fastbreak.ai have streamlined complex scheduling for conferences. These tools consider factors like home/away balance, rest periods, travel distances, and television requests to optimize schedules while reducing human error.

Visibility and Growth of Women’s Basketball

The conversation explored the growing audience and commercial value of women’s basketball. From a single televised NCAA final in 1982 to hundreds of games today, viewership continues to rise. Danielle Donehew stressed that fan engagement is critical to sustaining the sport’s growth.