Workplace Multiplier by Tola Akinsulire

July 22, 2025

Welcome to the Workplace Multiplier newsletter. Published Monday to Friday, equipping you to achieve your professional goals faster and without burnout or overwhelm by leveraging The Triple Win Method.

Working in a New Country? Don't Stay Invisible, Trust me.

Howdy ,

I like your courage.

You decided to take the adventure of moving to a new country and start a new life. You got a new job.

It’s paying the bills, but it’s not moving you along as fast as you would want.

And don’t start with the cop out excuse, “It’s because I am different that they don’t notice me.”

It’s because you are different that they should notice you. And I will show you why.

Your technical excellence is your foundation, not your ceiling. In today's hyper-competitive global workplace, being exceptionally good at your job is just the entry ticket. What separates those who advance from those who plateau isn't talent - it's strategic visibility.

Think about it: If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, did it really make a sound? If you deliver outstanding results but no one sees the full scope of your impact, did it really matter for your career advancement?

The Cultural Conditioning Trap

Growing up, most of us learned that good work speaks for itself. Keep your head down. Focus on performance. Wait to be discovered.

These aren't bad values – they are foundational values. But if that's ALL you do in today's workplace, you're playing by yesterday's rules in tomorrow's game.

Here's the harsh reality: While you're waiting for your work to speak for itself, someone else is speaking for their work - and they're getting the opportunities you deserve.

The Authority Gap International Professionals Face

As international professionals, we face a unique challenge. We bring perspectives, insights, and capabilities that others don't have. We can navigate cultural differences, translate between worldviews, and solve problems with a global lens.

But here's the paradox: The very diversity of thought that makes us valuable can also make us less visible if we don't know how to articulate our unique value proposition.

When I got the gig to work in Spain, it was meant to be for about 2 years. Fast forward a few months, the deputy CEO said, “We would like to keep Tola here for as long as possible.” I ended up working there for almost 5 years before moving to another country.

There is a way your work can position you as the authority. This is what you need to do in a new country.

The Three-Layer Problem

Most international professionals struggle with what I call the Three-Layer Problem:

Layer 1: The Performance Layer - You excel at your core responsibilities, but so do others. Excellence alone doesn't create differentiation.

Layer 2: The Visibility Layer - Your achievements stay within your immediate team or department. Senior leadership doesn't know the full scope of your impact.

Layer 3: The Authority Layer - Even when people see your work, they don't position you as the go-to expert for your area of unique strength.

The professionals who advance rapidly learn to excel at all three layers simultaneously. But most people get stuck trying to figure out how.

The Hard Truth About Recognition

Let me share this with you. Recognition isn't automatic. It's strategic.

The same skills that make you excellent at your job - attention to detail, cultural sensitivity, collaborative approach - can actually work against you when it comes to visibility. While you're perfecting the work, someone else is perfecting the narrative about their work.

This isn't about becoming inauthentic or abandoning your values. It's about learning to communicate your unique value in ways that resonate with decision-makers.

The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything

Here's the mindset shift that transformed my career - and the careers of the professionals I mentor:

Stop thinking about self-promotion. Start thinking about value articulation.

You're not bragging when you clearly communicate the impact you're having. You're helping your organization understand the resources it has available. You're making it easier for leadership to match the right expertise to the right opportunities.

What I Wish Someone Had Told Me Earlier

I was fortunate to have learned this before I made the move to Spain. In my earlier years, I thought the solution was working harder. I thought if I just delivered more exceptional results, people would automatically notice.

I was wrong.

The breakthrough came. And when the time came, it helped me realize that my international perspective wasn't just nice to have - it was strategically valuable. But I had to learn how to position it that way. I had to learn how to build what I now call "strategic authority."

I became the person they came to when they needed someone who could navigate complex cultural dynamics and people dynamics while delivering business results.

The Framework Exists (But Most People Don't Know It)

There is a systematic approach to building strategic visibility as an international professional. There's a way to transform your diverse background from something you have to overcome into something that makes you indispensable.

I've spent the past years refining this framework. The results have been extraordinary - recognition, leadership roles, strategic assignments, and most importantly, the confidence that comes from knowing your unique value is recognized and rewarded.

Your Immediate Next Steps

Before you do anything else today, answer this question: "I want to be known as the person who..."

Complete that sentence. Write it down. That's your North Star.

Then, identify one insight you've gained in the past month that others in your organization might not have. What did you learn from your international perspective that could help a colleague, team, or project?

That’s the first step to where you want to get to.

The Bottom Line

Your international background isn't a limitation to overcome - it's your competitive advantage to leverage. But advantages only matter if people know you have them, and more importantly, if they understand how those advantages solve their problems.

This Saturday, I'm hosting a masterclass where I'll share the complete system for transforming your international experience into career advancement.

During the “Winning Beyond Borders: Your Global Career Advantage” Masterclass, expect the strategies I'll share not to be theory - they're battle-tested approaches that have helped professionals just like you in a new country go from invisible to indispensable.

July 26th, 2025 | 6 pm WAT | 1 pm EST | 5 pm GMT | 7 pm WEST

But you don't have to wait until Saturday to start. Begin today by completing that one sentence: "I want to be known as the person who..."

Because once you're clear on that, everything else becomes easy to build on.

Keep winning at work and in life.

Tola Akinsulire

Your Strategic Workplace Mentor

Sign up for "Winning Beyond Borders" Masterclass

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Want to get in on some of the lessons I have picked up in my career? Get my eBook "21 Lessons I Learned in My Career - A Primer to Help You Become Better at Work". Get it here

Do you work in a new country, or does your work involve working with people outside your country? Get my acclaimed book "Winning Beyond Borders: Achieving Success at Work in a New Country". Get it here

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