There are all sorts of positive steps you can take to catch the eye of management without having to resort to serious groveling. For some employees, these steps can be a real stretch, but that does not sound like the case for you.
One of the best approaches is to seek out important additional responsibilities. For example, if there is a key committee that needs volunteers, you should seriously consider joining. When there are taxing or difficult projects, particularly those that will take additional time, commitment, and effort, you should pursue them. It will also be helpful for you to have some key areas of expertise that are particularly valuable to your department or the company at large.
If your company has a suggestion system, you should use it often. On a broader basis, you should always be looking for ways to improve operations or the company itself, and present your thoughts to management. If you try to think like a manager, you are more likely to engage in behaviors that will generate managerial attention.
You should also think about getting involved in some volunteer activities outside of work, such as helping in a school, hospital, shelter, or youth program. Many companies are placing increasing value on such work, and your involvement will be greatly appreciated as well as personally rewarding.
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