“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
— Matthew 5:16 (ESV)
There’s a subtle but powerful truth tucked into this familiar verse from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Notice that Jesus doesn’t say, “Let your light shine so people will think you’re amazing.” Nor does He say, “Hide your light under a basket because humility means staying invisible.”
Instead, we are told: “Let it shine.”
Why? So that others might see — not to boast about us, but to glorify the God who gave us that light in the first place.
Now, friend, here’s where I think many of us struggle — especially if you’re someone who values humility, quiet service, or simply getting the job done without fanfare.
You may think:
“If my work is good enough, people will notice on their own.”
Or:
“I don’t want to be seen as self-promoting. I’ll just keep my head down.”
But here’s the catch: if others don’t see your good works — if they don’t even know they happened — how can they glorify the One who enabled them? How can they grow because of them?
And in a professional context: if clients, employers, or collaborators don’t see your contributions, how can they value what you bring or entrust you with more?
That’s why today, I want to talk about something we’ve come to value deeply at The Plenipotent Company: learning to communicate and capture the value you’re creating — not for ego, but for growth, for service, and for stewardship.
Growth isn’t always loud. Sometimes it looks like quiet reflection, consistent work, and the courage to give voice to the value you’ve already created. Share on XLet me start with a scene you may recognize.
Imagine you’ve worked tirelessly on a project. You stayed late. You solved problems no one else saw. You added value beyond the brief.
Finally, the project is delivered — on time, polished, better than anyone expected. You feel a quiet sense of satisfaction. You hope someone noticed.
A few days later… nothing.
No feedback. No recognition. No next opportunity.
You overhear someone in leadership say, “I didn’t realize so-and-so worked on that.”
Sound familiar?
Friend, if this has ever happened to you, take heart. You’re not alone.
But here’s the truth: if you don’t communicate your value, others may not see it — not because they don’t want to, but because they simply don’t know.
Everyone is busy. Everyone’s attention is divided. No one sees everything — not even the best managers.
Which is why one of the most important professional habits you can develop is learning how to reflect on, document, and communicate what you bring to the table — with humility, clarity, and purpose.
At The Plenipotent Company, we practice this through something we call reflective reporting.
Now, before you yawn and think “reports? really?” — stay with me. I used to feel the same way. Who wants to write reports when you could be doing more exciting work?
But what we’ve discovered is this: reporting is a powerful personal development tool when done thoughtfully.
When you pause to reflect, write, and steward your work with intention, you begin to see progress that busyness often hides. It’s a powerful way to increase your self-awareness. And that’s where transformation begins. Share on XIt helps you:
- Track your progress (and notice just how much you’ve grown)
- Build discipline in thinking clearly about your work
- Enable better guidance from mentors and leaders (because now they can truly see where you are)
- Create a personal archive of experiences (which can later become blog posts, training material, or even a book!)
I often remind my colleagues of Pearson’s Law: “When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported back, the rate of improvement accelerates.”
When you pause to reflect — What did I accomplish? What did I learn? What would I do differently? — that is when growth really happens.
And when you take the time to document your insights clearly, you not only help yourself — you also help others understand and value what you’ve done.
Let me illustrate this with a story I told in a previous post.
On June 16, 2025, we completed a major client project — a book publishing effort with several moving parts. The scope? Simple: prepare the book for two online platforms.
We could have stopped there.
But the team chose ownership. They went beyond:
- Multiple professional book formats
- Audience-tested cover designs
- Book launch guide and marketing assets
- Lead generation tools
- A polished, detailed project report
Now here’s what’s remarkable: it was that project report that got the client’s attention the most.
He told us: “Without flattery it is the best document l have seen in a long while. Not just because of the depth of thought in the contents but because l finally found a critical thinker who naturally resonates on the frequency of value addition (not just money).”
Why? Because now he could clearly see everything that had been done — and the value created — in one place.
If we had just quietly sent him the deliverables, much of that value would have remained invisible. But by documenting and communicating it, we gave the work a voice.
And guess what? That one report has opened the door to more opportunities — not because we asked, but because value speaks when you let it.
Scripture speaks to this principle, too:
“Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.”
— Habakkuk 2:2 (ESV)
Notice that? Make it plain — not just for yourself, but for others.
When your vision, your work, your contribution is made plain — clear, accessible, visible — others can respond to it. They can “run” with it.
In professional terms: they can trust you with more. They can recommend you to others. They can grow because of what you’ve shared.
But if you hide it — or assume others will magically “see” — you miss that opportunity.
So how do you begin communicating and capturing your value?
Here are four simple steps — things we practice every week:
1. Reflect regularly.
Don’t wait for your annual review. Build the habit of weekly reflection:
- What did I accomplish this week?
- What value did I create?
- What problems did I help solve?
- What did I learn?
This helps you stay aware of your progress — and sharpens your thinking.
2. Distinguish learning from delivery.
In your reflections, separate what you learned (internal growth) from what you delivered (external value).
Both matter — but they are different kinds of contribution. Clarity here helps others see both your development and your results.
3. Structure your insights.
Don’t ramble. Use clear headings, bullet points, summaries.
If your reports or reflections are well-organized, others can engage with them easily — and appreciate your professionalism.
4. Share appropriately.
Depending on your role or audience, share your reflections in ways that serve others — whether in team meetings, project wrap-ups, blog posts, or coaching conversations.
The goal isn’t to boast — it’s to steward your story so it can help others grow.
Stewardship means not just doing good work, but making sure the value created can be seen, shared, and multiplied. Share on XNow, maybe you’re thinking: “But isn’t this self-promotion?”
That’s a fair question — one I wrestled with early on.
But here’s what changed my perspective: Jesus said, “Let your light shine.”
Not hide. Not shrink. Not pretend.
And Paul reminds us:
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”
— 1 Peter 4:10 (ESV)
Stewardship — that’s the key.
Your skills, your work, your contributions — they are not yours to hide. They are gifts to be stewarded — so others can be blessed by them.
When you document and communicate your value:
- You help others see what’s possible
- You invite new opportunities to serve
- You build trust that opens doors for greater impact
That’s not pride. That’s stewardship.
And as long as your heart is oriented toward serving — not self-glorifying — you can communicate your value with freedom, humility, and joy.
Don’t wait for someone to notice your light. Shine it, share it, and let God be glorified through your work. Share on XLet me close with some encouragement.
I know that for many of us — especially those wired for quiet diligence — this doesn’t come naturally.
You might feel awkward writing about your work.
You might feel uncomfortable highlighting your wins.
That’s okay. Be patient with yourself.
But don’t let false humility rob the world of what you have to offer.
Your story matters. Your work matters. Your voice matters.
So start small:
- One reflection at a time
- One thoughtful report
- One clear update to your team or client
As you practice, you’ll find your voice. You’ll grow in confidence. And you’ll begin to see how — when communicated well — your contributions can bless, inspire, and open new doors.
Because here’s the beautiful truth:
When your light shines clearly, others can see. And when they see, God is glorified — and lives are changed.