At the start of last year Sophie Hares – International Journalist for Financial Magazine – asked me to contribute to an article about promotion.
The timing was perfect, given that on average, only about 24% of professionals are promoted on an annual basis.
So, if you had a disappointing year end appraisal, that didn’t meet your expectations or if it’s going to be the “same old, same old“ next year, read some of the extracts from the article below which might help you.
Please avoid booking a meeting with your boss, turning up with all your shiny medals and having a cold conversation where you are using the phrase, “This is what I’ve done and I deserve promotion”. This push approach hardly ever works.
Promotion is not about the past, it’s recognition of how your skills, capabilities and influence are needed to develop a future successful organisation. Salary increases, bonuses and enriched work are generally rewards for past achievements.
Promotion is a different ball game!
Firstly, see your manager as your champion. Do they see the value you really bring? Do they just mark off the goals or tasks you deliver, or do they understand how you collaborate and contribute with the rest of the organisation?
Show don’t tell – Demonstrate that you can make a difference on a bigger platform. Talk through ideas you have and solutions to those bigger on-going business challenges that you could resolve, given more responsibility.
Build advocacy through your peer network – All those projects, briefings and meetings where you educate, support and keep everyone focused on tangible results. Is the value you bring visible outside the room? How can you channel your peers positive feedback through the organisation?
Take a sideways move to develop yourself – Sometimes if you’ve reached the ceiling, don’t get frustrated, go sidewards. The principle is that it must take you out of your comfort zone, so you challenge yourself and enhance your capabilities through a different experience.
Don’t be attracted by those fancy titles – Experiences will develop you and people will be influenced by what you bring, not a fancy title on your business card. Besides, if you are like me, the title was something that categorised me in HR, I was more attracted to making a difference, always going beyond any title on my badge.
Now for some word play, change the word “Promotion” to “Advancement” and don’t discuss job titles with your boss. Talk about having a higher level of responsibility where you can be more influential in building and growing a sustainable business.
The full article is available in the April 2022 edition of Financial Magazine.
I hope this helps any of you who needed a few pointers for 2023.