I regularly speak with women whose roles have doubled in scope without them even realizing it. It sneaks up. You absorb another team or take on a new project. Why wouldn't you?

When you finally stop and take stock, you now have:

  • A bigger team
  • More responsibility
  • Broader influence

But… the same title. And the same compensation.

Or you've had the promotion conversation with your manager and have been told to “be patient” because they're “working on it.”

This may have been three or six months ago. Sometimes a year ago. And you're still waiting.

Here's what you may not be realizing in both of these situations:

Chances are, this has nothing to do with your capability and everything to do with expectations not being clearly agreed upon.

So in today's newsletter, I'm going to dive into these two scenarios and how you can ensure that you know how to manage either one. Let's dive in…

The Two Scenarios

First, let's unpack what each of these scenarios looks like:

Scenario A: Scope Expanded Quietly

Organizations often expand scope incrementally because:

  • Urgent needs arise
  • Strong performers step up (that's you)
  • Leaders trust reliability

Overall, this is a good thing! You're being trusted to take on more responsibility because you've proven your competence. But unless your scope is explicitly redefined, HR systems don't change. Ie. You end up doing a new role with your old title and pay.

Scenario B: Promotion Promised but Delayed

This one is tough, and many of you are stuck in this situation. Do you bring it back up? Do you give them time? What's the right thing?

But the reality when it comes to your manager is that there is likely more happening behind the scenes that they haven't shared with you. Things like:

  • Competing priorities
  • Budget uncertainty
  • Unclear advocacy
  • Promotion not yet socialized upward

The key here is that “I’m working on it” is not a plan.

Executives operate on defined milestones, so your job is to help create this shift.

The Executive Shift: Stop Asking and Start Aligning

Here's where I see you getting stuck, and where you can start to differentiate yourself.

Directors ask: “What do I need to do?”

If this is you, you're probably hearing vague answers like, “Just keep doing what you're doing.” And then nothing moves.

VP-ready leaders ask:

“What specifically needs to happen for this promotion to move forward?”

You need to get clarity on:

  • Decision makers
  • Criteria
  • Timelines
  • Evidence required

Maybe you're doing the job, but you need to create better advocacy with key stakeholders involved in this decision. Or perhaps there are certain initiatives they need to see completed before the promotion can move forward. The goal is to uncover these criteria and get a commitment to the promotion once they are met.

Reopening the Conversation

So, how do you start the conversation if your scope has increased, or reopen it if it's been 6 months since you were promised that promotion? These conversations can feel awkward at best, and many of you have told me you're not sure how to approach them.

Let's work through some language that's effective.

Scenario 1:

This is where your scope has evolved, and you want to bring it to your manager's attention and request a promotion and/or pay raise.

You may say something like:

“Given how my scope has evolved, I’d like to align on whether my role definition and title still reflect expectations. Can we set up a call to talk through this?“

This gives your manager time to prepare for the conversation, which they will appreciate. With that said, they may be willing to talk about it on the spot, so I always recommend being prepared with a copy of the job description you were hired with and a description of the job you're doing today. Be able to clearly point out how and where the scope is different.

Scenario 2:

In this scenario, you've already had the promotion conversation (possibly many months ago) and haven't heard anything since.

You might say something like:

“We spoke about a promoted title last year, and I'd love to revisit this conversation. Can we clarify what milestones or outcomes would need to happen for this promotion to move forward?”

In both of these cases, notice that the language is:

  • Calm
  • Strategic
  • Non-emotional
  • Has an executive tone

Here's the Hard Truth

At senior levels, careers don’t advance through patience. They advance through clarity and clear agreements.

Working hard with your head down and waiting for the day to come is unlikely to get you the result you want.

In this case, visibility isn’t just about showing your work or sharing your ideas. It’s about ensuring your contribution is formally recognized. And if you need some help in this area, come to my workshop on Monday!

This is your last chance to sign up for Monday's workshop: From Invisible to Influential: The 4-step recognition framework. I promise, it's going to change the game for you when it comes to getting the recognition you deserve!

Monday, March 9th: From Invisible to Influential – The 4-step recognition framework.

Until next time friends… ✌️💜

Katy