5 Tips For Showcasing Work Wins Before Holiday Breaks

As the year winds down, calendars fill with out-of-office notices and teams begin shifting their focus toward the new year. For many women professionals, this quieter stretch can feel like a pause. But behind the scenes, it is often a critical moment. Performance reviews, budget decisions, promotions, and strategic planning happen before or immediately after holiday breaks. If your contributions are not visible by then, they risk being overlooked.

Sharing your work wins before stepping away is all about self-advocacy. I am early in my career, so I struggle with this too. But each year is an opportunity to gain more confidence in your work and the results you bring in, as well as the expectations you’ve met, and sometimes, even surpassed. 

A large study from the Quarterly Journal of Economics found that “women are less likely to report being “proficient” or “skilled” in programming languages on their résumés, are less likely to use “positive” words in their titles and abstracts for papers on clinical research, and are more likely to use narrow topic-specific, rather than broad, words in their research grant proposals.”  

While many women assume their work will speak for itself, silence often leads to invisibility. According to Harvard Business School, “women rated themselves lower than men, and women of color gave themselves the lowest self-ratings of all. This aligns with prior evidence that social norms and anticipated backlash can dampen self-promotion among women. ” 

The cost of this gap becomes especially clear at year-end, when decisions about raises, promotions, and leadership opportunities are made. Visibility during this period helps ensure your work remains part of those conversations, too!

Many women hesitate to speak up because they anticipate negative social consequences. In a research experiment published in Psychological Reports, a group of 123 female college students composed essays for a scholarship application, with ownership of the essays manipulated as part of the experiment. Both the authors and external judges assessed the essays. The findings supported a backlash avoidance mechanism, indicating that women may feel uneasy about self-promotion because of anticipated social repercussions. 

Imposter feelings also play a role. “People experiencing Imposter Phenomenon (IP) can struggle to internalise their successes and often attribute their achievements to external factors, such as luck or good fortune, and individuals who score high on questionnaire measures of IP are also more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem,” as stated by Current Psychology.

However, even these barriers are systemic, not personal, which helps reframe visibility as a necessary professional skill rather than a personality flaw.

• 1. Focus on impact, not effort: Describe what changed because of your work. For example, “This campaign increased engagement by 30 percent” communicates value without self-focus. 
• 2. Use written communication (intentionally): Before holiday breaks, send a short recap email or message summarizing key milestones you contributed to. Written updates create documentation and reduce reliance on memory. 
• 3. Align wins with team or company goals: By explicitly connecting your successes to key performance indicators, strategic initiatives, or company missions, you provide context that highlights the value of your contributions. 
• 4. Keep your tone neutral and factual: Avoid excessive enthusiasm or subjective qualifiers, and instead, use calm and direct language that conveys confidence and clarity. 
• 5. Maintain a private wins list: This personal record can serve as a valuable tool for reflection and self-assessment. Writing down your successes provides a reminder of your capabilities, helping to counteract feelings of impostor syndrome. 

Advocating for your work does not intend to diminish others. As you prepare to step away for the holidays, think of visibility as part of your professional care routine. You deserve recognition that reflects the full scope of what you accomplished this year!