By Patrina Pellett, PhD

We've all experienced this person in trainings:

→ Combative from the first moment
→ Shooting down every exercise
→ Challenging every suggestion
→ Insisting, “We did this better at my last company.”

I bring a lot of energy to every training I deliver, but even I start to feel it drain away when these folks are around. By mid-afternoon, the room’s energy flat-lines and even the most engaged participants are losing steam.

That kind of "I’m unteachable" attitude doesn’t just stall learning, it deflates the whole room. I’m often curious whether these folks realize just how detrimental this behavior is. And not just for us trainers, but for their bosses. When your resistance undermines training ROI and derails projects, you’re making your manager look bad. And if you’re making your boss look bad, you’re quietly sabotaging your own career.

That “unteachable” vibe might feel like you’re protecting yourself, but it’s actually hiding you from the opportunities you really want. Enter strategic visibility: the art of showing up in a way that makes leaders think, “She’s exactly who we need on that next big project.”

In this article, we’re going to flip the script on “visibility” so you stand out for all the right reasons. You’ll learn:

1. What strategic visibility really means (and why it’s more than just being seen)
2. How to swap “know-it-all” energy for “let’s solve this together” mojo

Think of it like upgrading from background noise to headline act without losing your edge or expertise. Ready to get noticed (in a good way)? Let’s go.

How You Are Quietly Sabotaging Your Career

Showing Up the Right Way

That "I've got nothing to learn" posture might feel like confidence, but it’s actually camouflaging you from opportunities you probably want:

→ Landing the promotion
→ Being the name whispered behind closed doors
→ Getting tapped for that really cool internal project

Strategic visibility is about more than just “being seen.” It’s the art of showing up as the person leadership can’t wait to champion:

• Someone who brings fresh ideas
• Who lifts the team
• Who makes collaboration feel effortless.

When you master this, you move from spotlight distraction to spotlight magnet. Your name is on everyone’s lips whenever a high-profile assignment comes up.

How You Are Quietly Sabotaging Your Career

We’ve run 12 multi-month training programs so far this year. That means:

→ A dozen kick-off calls with leadership teams
→ Dozens of needs-analysis meetings
→ Countless conversations about what will make the training successful or not

One recurring theme always comes up:

There are experienced MSLs who think they know it all: How are we going to handle it during training?

 

The leadership team asks it more delicately, but the underlying issue is there: experienced MSLs will refuse to learn and participate in this program.

Part of me wonders if these seasoned pros know they’re seen as roadblocks. The other part wonders if they realize they’re quietly sabotaging the next promotion, the high-profile project invite, or the name whispered behind closed doors.

Your “know-it-all” stance might feel like protecting your expertise, but it’s actually hiding you from the opportunities you crave.

The Wrong Kind of Visibility

When you:

• Lean back, arms crossed, and sniff at new frameworks
• Bulldoze projects with “back at my old job...” anecdotes

You’re sending a crystal-clear message: I’m not here to grow but to prove I don’t need to.

That message doesn’t just reflect on you. It makes your boss look like they backed the wrong horse. Leadership stakes their reputation on the ROI of every initiative. When senior team members underdeliver, derail, or resist, managers hesitate to recommend them for the next big opportunity.

What Genuine Strategic Visibility Feels Like

True strategic visibility isn’t about elbowing for airtime or broadcasting your resume. It’s about becoming the teammate everyone wants in their corner. It looks like:

• Bringing Solutions, Not Just Questions. Instead of pointing out what won’t work, you land with “Here’s an idea…” that shows you’ve thought 3 steps ahead.
• Making Others Shine. You frame your contributions as team wins: “When Sarah rolled out that new project management tool, it changed everything for us.” so leadership sees you as a multiplier, not a lone wolf.
• Showing Up Curious. You ask smart, open-ended questions that draw out fresh ideas, positioning yourself as both expert and eager learner.

When you do this consistently, you become the front-runner for stretch assignments, big launches, and that next promotion because leaders know you’ll deliver and lift everyone around you.

How to Stop Quietly Sabotaging Your Career

Ready to flip the script? Here are three paths to kick your “unteachable” habits to the curb and build real strategic visibility:

1. The Influence Lab (Team Training)
   Our Influence Lab team program has a dedicated Strategic Visibility pillar with super tactical ways to transform how you show up.
2. RISE Community
   Hit the ground running with our small group coaching program for new MSLs
   (0-36 months experience).
3. LEAP Community
   Small group coaching designed to help mid-career Medical Affairs professionals thrive in their careers.

Each option is built to shift you from “hard to work with” to can’t-live-without so your name is the first one whispered behind closed doors. And you never want to leave your career growth in someone else's hands.

One Last Story About Sabotaging Your Career

Last summer, I worked with a senior MSL on a training project. She was sharp and very experienced. Definitely one of the smartest people in the room. Her ideas? Brilliant. Her insights? Truly next-level. But working with her was hard. She was defensive, dismissive, and quick to criticize others. Honestly, a little mean.

The training went well. I can manage difficult people. It’s part of the job. But what sticks with me isn’t the ideas she delivered. It’s how she made the work feel. And that’s the part I don’t think she realizes.

Because when someone later asks me, “Who would you recommend her for this amazing MSL job or for this super cool project?” I won't say her name. Not because she wasn’t qualified. But because she was hard to work with.

And that’s the cost of showing up with the wrong kind of visibility.

You don’t always know when those moments are happening, when your name could have been mentioned but wasn’t. When you almost got the opportunity. But trust me, these conversations are happening all the time. Strategic visibility is how you make sure your name makes the list and stays there.

You’ve worked too hard to let your attitude hold you back now. So if any of this feels uncomfortably familiar, take it as a sign: it’s time to do the work. We’ve got the support systems ready when you’re ready to stop flying solo.

The Influence Lab. RISE. LEAP.

You don’t need to change who you are, just how you show up. And when you get that part right, the right people will say your name.