I see your faces in front of me at every conference I have spoken at this year. I know you. Your heart is full of wanting to be the best leader possible. Your mind is sharp and you’re a very skilled individual. You’re seeking to stand out in that sea of mediocrity and make your mark. It’s time to strategize for the coming year how you will increase your visibility, reports Forbes.

While oftentimes I discuss the dynamics of communications and leadership skills, sometimes, we can overlook taking actions that will get you noticed. In order to build momentum toward your end goal, it can’t all be about the words, the motivation or the planning. While these are essential tools in your arsenal, at a certain point we all must stand on our own two feet and take real, measurable action, in our leadership role.

One of the best ways to put some visibility on your skills and momentum on your career is to take action beyond normal everyday tasks. One example is to create a project. It must be meaningful to you and valuable to your company. Otherwise it’s just plain fluff. Your team, and peers, will be pretty annoyed with you if you waste their time doing something just to prop yourself up in the eyes of your superiors.

There is a strategy around creating projects that give you momentum. It means going through an assessment process before you do anything or request anything.

Step 1: Assess the Need

• What does your company actually need right now?

• What is a void in the marketplace?

Step 2: Decide On the Skills Set Required

• Which of your skills and talents will be required?

• Where will you need to stretch or learn?

Step 3: Collaborators Coalition

• What players can help you with the process?

• How can this help you build your networking reach?

• How much time and resources will you need to commit? Are you willing?

Step 4: Do It For the Right Reasons

• Will this project help the company and/or others?

• Are you willing to put in the time, effort and energy?

• Will this project excite and delight you despite the hurdles?

As you go through the assessment process you can glean what you need before presenting it up the line. Hopefully at the end of the assessment you will be able to discern if this is not only worth your time and energy but the resources of others who may be involved. The most important fact, being that it must benefit the company and/or help others. Those items are not negotiable otherwise you’ll just look like a self-serving person.

Driving a project that means something to the organization easily places you in the spotlight. It highlights your ability to get something done, work with others and bring a positive result that helps others in the organization or the organization itself. There’s nothing wrong with that kind of visibility!