Fifteen years back, I stepped into the world of Human Resources. It’s a realm teeming with challenges, ripe with chances to grow. I was eager, fresh-faced, and determined to leave a mark.

In those early days as a fledgling HR professional, a hard realization struck me: Could I climb the corporate ladder by blending into the background? Not an option. I saw it’s not just about your skill set. It’s about making sure the higher-ups take notice.

I embraced a guiding mantra: "Be seen, be heard, be remembered." Not just shouting from the rooftops about my achievements, no. It was subtler, more nuanced. It was about positioning myself smartly and contributing in ways that made the top brass sit up and take notice.

I dove into high-visibility projects. I networked, forging bonds with leaders, turning them into advocates. It's not a simple tale of climbing rungs on a ladder. It's about making yourself so vital, so indispensable, that your career path transforms itself.

As a junior in management, what do you do when you realize that you have the ideas, the work ethic, and the commit- ment to the company that you need to handle greater responsibility than you're being given? If your manager won't trust you with the new challenges that you seek, it might occur to you to directly appeal to senior leadership. How do you do that, however, without making it look like you're going over your boss's head?

What follows are strategic steps to take that helped me and can help you gain re- cognition from senior leadership without risking offending your direct manager.

Prove that you're committed to both your own growth and the company's growth

At the beginning of my HR career, I recognized the importance of aligning my growth with the company's objectives. I initiated a major onboarding project, revolutionizing how we integrate new hires. This drew upper management's attention and affirmed I could contribute to the company's progress and efficiency.