Annual reports are a great way to remind people how amazing the work myself and my team complete is. I know the title "annual report" sounds...well... not thrilling, so think I think of it as my greatest hits for the year. What chart topping singles do I want to share with the business? Is there anything I want them to walk away humming all year? The annual report is the time to share it. 

I plan to keep it brief, though. The people these reports go to are likely getting reports from all over the business. The shorter and more digestible mine is, the better the chance they'll remember it.

I must market my team and what I've done through out the year. Instructional designers design and build things all year every year and you don't need to wait until the annual report comes out to brag about it.

Is something going well? I let my manager know. I highlight the obstacles (there are always obstacles) myself and the team overcame to make things run smoothly. 

Is a plan for a course completed? The group it's for would likely love to see it. I can set realistic expectations for the finished product and showcase the work already done. I don't need to wait until everything is done to showcase the work I've already completed.

Budgets aren't the most exciting thing when it comes to advocating for myself or a group, but they are one of the most important. Stick around in a job long enough and a budget will face cuts. 

So how do would I advocate during that tough time? When building a budget, I would prioritize the items and know what I can cut first so I'm prepared for when it happens. I must know the core of what my unit needs to function and protect it. That way, a painful process is a little less painful and the team can keep doing what it does best.