I talk to so many women who are doing everything right:

  • Delivering results
  • Leading strong teams
  • Taking on more responsibility

And yet… they’re still not being seen as ready for the next level. I get it. I've been there myself!

And it’s so confusing. Because by every traditional measure, you should be getting that promotion. Maybe (like me) you're even doing the job that you're trying to get promoted into.

It can feel as though you're going crazy.

But what I learned after 5 years of frustration, and then working as a VP and EVP, is this: at a certain point in your career, you’re no longer being evaluated on what you do.

You’re being evaluated on the impression you make. The way people perceive you as a leader.

And that mismatch is exactly why you can do everything ‘right' and still end up in this situation.

So in today's newsletter, I want to dive into this topic a little more and explore what I've named “The Perception Problem”.

Let's do it…

What is “The Perception Problem”?

The perception problem happens when you’re operating at a high level, but you’re not being perceived at that level.

The interesting thing is that the perception problem has little to do with whether you're actually ready for that promotion. Maybe you are, and maybe you still have a few things to learn. But what's important is that you feel as though you're ready to take that step, and your manager (or the rest of senior leadership) doesn't agree.

And you may have heard me talk about this before, because this is exactly what happened to me.

I was doing the VP role and reporting to the CEO. I was running the whole commercial function, and doing it with a fair bit of autonomy, might I add. And still, the perception was that I was ‘not quite there yet'.

Here are some examples of what it can look like:

  • You’re strategic → but seen as tactical and detail-oriented
  • You’re capable → but seen as execution-focused
  • You’re reliable → but not seen as influential

In each of these cases, there is a key perception problem that is keeping you from that next-level role. And the hard truth is that you may be contributing to it, without even realizing it!

Why This Happens

Every time I meet a woman who has been stuck in middle management for years without being able to get that promotion, I immediately suspect that this is their problem.

And the reason why this happens is easy to see. Most high-performing women were rewarded early in their careers for:

  • working hard
  • being dependable
  • saying yes
  • delivering consistently
  • doing the extra

In fact, these behaviours are exactly what got you to where you are today! The challenge is that at the Director → VP level, the evaluation criteria change.

And no one explicitly tells you this! So you're stuck doing the same things that made you successful in the past, with no clue as to why they are no longer working.

Again, been there. Totally get it!

What Really Shapes Perception?

Perception is shaped by the way you show up:

  • How you communicate decisions
  • Whether you speak in trade-offs or tasks
  • How you show up in cross-functional conversations
  • Whether you drive directionally or wait for alignment

These might seem like small things… but they compound into a leadership narrative. The tiny ways you show up every day are exactly what create people's perception of you.

When I think back to my time as a director, I can now see all of the little ways I was contributing to my own perception problem. I was already thinking strategically and making a lot of the right calls, but I wasn't demonstrating that effectively to the people around me.

And it's interesting, because I did a lot of growing in those 5 years, and as a VP and EVP, the perception of me changed from ‘not strategic' and ‘not ready' to ‘highly strategic' and ‘insightful'. But here's what I want you to understand: my ideas were largely the same. Same me. Same brain. But showing up differently.

What To Take Away

If you’re not being seen as ready, it’s usually not random. And although we love to blame the external ceiling (your boss, the team structure, hiring freezes), these are rarely what's really keeping you stuck.

There’s typically one of three things at play, which I outlined in last week's newsletter:

  • A mindset gap
  • A perception gap or
  • A habit gap

The challenge is that when you don’t know which one it is, you often keep working harder in the wrong direction!

And that’s exactly what we’re going to break down in the upcoming masterclass.​

Monday is your last chance to join my free, live masterclass, where I'll help you figure out which one of these is holding you back today, AND what to do about it.

It's interactive, the energy is always amazing, and I stay on as long as it takes to answer any and all of your questions.

Seriously, don't miss this!

Until next time friends… ✌️💜

Katy