How To Be Memorable To Senior Executives

It's performance review season, and staying top of mind (in a good way) to senior leaders has unforeseen benefits. Here's three tips to try before the new year.

Happy Thanksgiving! As we approach the end of the year, companies are going through Annual planning and gearing up for the next year. Budget adjustments, new investments, reorgs, and hiring are top of mind for managers and executives. This time of review and planning is also one of the most critical times to get your name and accomplishments in front of executives.

Now, more so than other times of the year, managers and leaders are being asked:

“Who are your top performers we need to retain and invest in?”

“Who might not have what it takes for the next phase of growth?”

“Who is a good fit for this new role that we are creating? Do we hire externally or promote from within?”

“This team is underperforming. Who can we shift over to reinvigorate the team?”

We all have recency bias. So you want to be top of mind now. This is when all that work you’ve put into building relationships and crafting a narrative pays off. This week, I will share three actions to take in the next two weeks to set yourself up well to be top of mind for career-accelerating projects.

Why is the End of Year A Special Time?

Annual planning and performance reviews dovetail in this special time of the year for many organizations. Executives are reflecting on performance in 2025 and planning for 2026. In closed rooms and off-sites, leaders are implicitly and explicitly solidifying their perceptions of the growth potential of each team member.

Some assessments are explicit as part of official processes. Performance reviews and org planning require leaders to get together to draw org charts and defend their latest conclusions on individual performance. At Meta, managers get together to talk through what each person on their team has accomplished, and “calibrate” with each other on what is considered meeting expectations or not. At smaller companies, managers are asked to put a stake in the ground on who their high-potential high performers are, and who are simply solid but lack potential.

Some perception formations are implicit. Executives are asking who should lead new investments. Leaders are assessing how projects are going, and whether there needs to be people changes to accelerate progress. Senior leaders are creating new roles and looking for people to step up to a bigger scope. These questions implicitly prompt leaders to gauge a person’s cross-functional leadership potential, agency, and creativity.

This is the time of year I see the most instances of leaders whiteboarding org charts, fierce debates between leaders to get “their people” considered for growth roles, and doughling out of career-defining opportunities. Take the time to ensure your sponsors have the fuel they need to throw your name in the hat and pitch your case.

3 Actions To Get Top of Mind

Throughout the year, we are slowly shaping perception through our regular interactions with leaders. Some may be positive when you deliver on high-impact projects or stand up for your beliefs. Some may be more negative. However, it is this time of the year that they’re really putting it together and connecting the dots. Here’s how to influence it to your advantage:

1. Get on a positive note: go their extra mile to ensure their latest interaction with you is positive. Recency bias is very real. Don’t throw away a year of amazing work because the last thing they heard about you is a conflict with another coworker or a small mistake. While bringing gifts might feel cliché and too obvious, it is an example of an attempt to leave a positive impression. Other tactics include going for a coffee or walk, scheduling a time to review a launch or deliverable, or simply sending a “update email”.

2. Give them the highlight reel: Executives have a horrible memory. Most of the time, it is sufficient that they have a vague perception that “I feel like Yue is good and has high potential.” However, this is the time when they need specifics. They need to defend your performance ratings or pitch you for new projects with their managers and peers. Give them a highlight reel of your accomplishments and leadership strengths. Make them quick stories so that they are memorable. This way, when someone asks, “What’s Yue good at?”, they have quick examples on hand.

3. Say Thank You: We rarely express appreciation and gratitude for our leaders, and it goes a long way. They are human too, and seek validation. Find the opportunity to sincerely express your thanks for their support (and use it as a way to remind them of why they love working with you).

If there is one time to get out of your comfort zone to talk about your accomplishments, be helpful, and show appreciation, it is now. Make it a to-do in the next two weeks, and let serendipity to its magic for months to come.

That’s all folks! See you next week at 3:14 pm.

Yue

Connect with Yue

• My leadership course, Master Executive Presence & Communication with AI, is a best seller on Maven (woohoo)! The last cohort of the year starts next Monday, December 1st. Get 20% off as a paid subscriber to this newsletter!

• 1 spot left (!) for the Jan cohort of The Uncommon Executive Leadership Accelerator, an 8-week program that uplevels your core leadership skills: influence without authority, executive communication, advocating for your ideas, getting sponsorship, and more. Apply here!

• If you’re interested in working with me 1:1 as an executive coach, let’s connect over a free intro call here. 6 months minimum commitment. Prices will go up for new clients in January 2026.

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