This is a question I get over and over, and it sounds something like this,
“I've been struggling to get promoted at my current company. How do I know whether to keep trying or when to look outside?”
Or I get the more direct version of:
“I’ve been stuck as a director (or senior manager etc..) for X years at my current company. Do I need to leave to get promoted?”
This is a tough question to answer, because it’s not a simple yes or no. For example, when I was working as a director, I realized that if I ever wanted to be a VP, I would need to go somewhere else to make it happen.
In that case, it was a “yes”.
On the other hand, I’ve helped many clients who were ‘stuck’ at their level to finally land the promotions to director, senior director or VP they had been trying to land for years, sometimes within just a few months.
In their case, it was a ‘no’.
So, how do you know which situation applies to you?
In today’s newsletter I’ll share three steps to figuring this out.
Before I do that, I will say that if you’re a director today and you’re serious about getting to the next level, my group program is designed to get you there. We kick off next week so there’s still time to join us!
Okay, let’s dive in…
Get curious about how you're showing up today
The first step is to assess whether you’re truly ready to step into that next role. If you’re not, it doesn’t matter whether you stay or go; you’ll struggle to end up in the role you want.
So how do you know? If you didn’t check out my free masterclass this past week, you can catch the replay until 5pm today. I highly recommend checking it out to see where your blindspots may be.
Otherwise, here are 5 clues that you have work to do:
- You’re not speaking up in meetings or advocating for yourself
- You ruminate on constructive feedback and let it throw you off
- You get vague feedback like, “You need to be more strategic” or “You need better executive presence”
- You struggle to influence colleagues who don’t report to you
- Your calendar owns you—you’re in back-to-back meetings all day
If any of these apply to you, you have work to do before you’re ready for the next level. Okay, now what?
Do the work, because it pays off regardless
If you recognize yourself in any of the statements above, it’s time to level up. Awareness comes first, and now it’s time to do the work!
This is where I got stuck, because I was trying to do the work and didn’t know what the work was! It’s also where I see a lot of my clients get stuck, which is what leads them to me.
In my case, I learned through a whole lot of trial and error. But it took me 5 long, painful years.
The best hacks for speeding this up are:
- Consuming as much content in this area as possible and getting really great at observing and reflecting on what works
- Learning from a mentor or sponsor who’s willing to share some hard truths with you about what needs to change
- Finding a program or community (like mine) designed to get you there. This is especially good if you don’t have a mentor who’s done the thing you are trying to do.
If you can do all three, that’s even better! And if you decide to work with me, you basically get a 3-in-1.
The best thing about investing in your growth is that regardless of whether you decide to stay where you are or look externally, you’ll be well positioned to land the role you want. Investing in your skills is probably the best investment you can make.
Be honest about whether things will change
Let’s say you’ve done all of the things. You’ve leveled up. You’re self-aware, and you know you’re showing up as the leader you want to be.
But you’re still not getting promoted.
Now it’s time to get honest with yourself in a different way. If you look at your organization and tap into your gut, are things likely to change?
Because if you’re not getting promoted and you truly are ready, there are only 2 reasons why:
1. There’s no role available right now
In this case, you need to consider whether that may change based on the company’s growth plans, the likelihood that someone above you will move on to a different role, and whether you can look at moving to a different function.
(Too much to unpack here for one newsletter, but make sure you’re building cross-functional relationships to increase the likelihood of success)
2. Your manager or leadership has a perception of you that hasn’t changed
This is where it gets really specific to your manager and leadership team and their openness to seeing you in a different way. This was the key reason I knew I had to leave to be a VP. I knew at my core that I would never be able to change my boss' (the CEO) perception that I was not VP material.
That may seem extreme, but in my case, I was 100% certain. I knew this person’s personality along with our history, and I observed his language and body language. Regardless of how much I grew and changed, his perception stayed the same.
Some clients I’ve worked with were able to change this perception, partly because their leadership team was open to seeing them in a new light.
In fact, I’ve noticed that when people sign up for my program and are fully transparent with their leadership team about investing in an executive coaching group for senior leaders, their leadership team is primed to start noticing the positive changes.
Many of them received comments like,
“I don’t know what this leadership thing that you’re doing is, but keep doing it. I’m really impressed with how you’ve been showing up lately.”
Or
“I wanted to let you know that I’ve seen a real difference in the value you’re bringing to meetings and how you’re contributing.”
You know your leadership and your company's growth trajectory, so you probably already know what you need to do! Not everyone is focused on a promotion or title change, so this part is going to be a personal choice.
How important is the title change to you?
Are you showing up as the leader you want to be today?
Are you willing to do the work to get there?
If you’ve done all of this, is the situation likely to change?
Based on these questions, you have your answer 🙂
If you're ready to do the work and start showing up as the senior leader you want to be, my group program kicks off THIS WEEK and there are a few spots left.
Until next time friends… ✌️💜
Katy
