In the previous article, we delved into three crucial factors for seeking a promotion: accomplishments, vision, and passion. This article will expand on these aspects and explore additional valuable tips.
1. Seek Endorsements from Allies. Harness the power of endorsements from colleagues who can vouch for your leadership potential. Approach them in advance to gauge their support and ask how they would describe your qualifications for a promotion. This not only strengthens your case but also provides insights for improvement.
2. Identify Decision Makers. Promotions often involve a committee, especially at the higher levels. Discover their criteria and seek opportunities to collaborate with key decisionmakers on projects to showcase your capabilities and gain their support.
3. Have a Plan B. If a promotion is not immediately available, consider alternative benefits. Request support for professional development, executive or leadership coaching, training opportunities, tuition reimbursement, or membership into professional organizations. Maybe they can connect you with a mentor so you can learn another part of the business, or you can ask to attend key executive meetings so you can gain greater visibility to the broader part of how the company operates, or push for a flexible schedule so you can enhance your skills and value.
If they say no to your promotion because of promotion freezes by the company and not because you are not ready, you can ask if you would have their support next time and get that verbal agreement in advance.
If they say no because they feel you are not ready, try not to leave the conversation unless you are clear on the 2-3 things to focus on to get promoted in the next cycle. You can ask what are two skills that people in that position demonstrate so you can start working on them. Or, is there something you should stop doing that would help you advance in your career?
4. Cultivate and Leverage Authentic Relationships. Before vying for a promotion, you should build a reputation as somebody who builds good relationships and is a team player. Be willing to jump in for others, offer support, build on their ideas, and celebrate them. When you realize that somebody is having trouble with a new program, volunteer to jump in and share so you can fast-track their learning; those gestures go a long way. Maybe you hear another leader having trouble finding certain information, and that’s your area of expertise; you can email the information even without being asked to do so.
Also, it is okay to leverage relationships which are at the heart of building many successful careers. Madeline Albright got to know Bill Clinton and wrote him a recommendation, and then he returned the favor and nominated her to a critical political position; of course, she was qualified, but many other people were as well. Men are good at exchanging favors, whereas women tend to give their time to help without expecting something in return. This is what a typical exchange can look like for many women, your coworker John says, “Can you fill in the meeting for me tomorrow?” You respond, “I don’t think so, I have a lot going on.” He pushes and says, “I have another meeting where a key decision needs to be made and if I don’t show, that project will be delayed by weeks. You relent and say, ok and he says thanks. That should not be the end of the exchange. It would help if you then signaled reciprocity. “Sure, I’ll fill in, but I need your help on Thurs. morning to get this part of the work done.” If you have no upcoming work that needs to get done, you can say, “You owe me one if I need coverage later on. Sound good?”
5. Speak confidentially. Don’t be tentative in describing your skills and experience. For example, “I’ve never held a position like this before so I’m not sure if my skills are an exact match.” It seems like more of an issue for women because less qualified men are much bolder. They may say, “I have exactly the skills you seek and easily meet the requirements because I’m excellent in x, y, and z.” Replace your tentative language: “I think I can contribute,” with stronger language: “Here is how I plan to contribute;” “My track record shows that I’ll be able to…”
6. Define Your Desired Role. You should know the role you are going for to make your case. If the organization has created a new role, it is an excellent opportunity to define it as you cocreate the details. If you suggest a new position, map out a job description while leaving space for them to add their thoughts, generating greater buy-in. You are trying to make it easy for the other person to say yes, and if they have yet to learn the specifics of the role, they are more likely to say no because there are too many factors to consider.
7. Increase Market Rate Awareness. Research market rates for similar roles at other companies to understand your value. Internally, research on compensation packages of peers in comparable positions with similar team sizes should be gathered to negotiate effectively.
8. Demonstrate Competencies. Showcase how you already possess the competencies required for the next level. If there are some that you are not doing, you can offer your plan to fill those gaps.
9. Address Concerns. Proactively address any concerns or reservations that decisionmakers may have. Offer practical solutions and share your vision for overcoming potential challenges. For example, they may be worried that you have never run a team more than 10 so 30 is too big of a stretch. You can walk through your vision of how you would manage that challenge. Or, if you now have to start a partnership with the engineering team but have little exposure, you can talk about your plan to build relationships and collaborate efficiently.
10. Be Tactful in Disclosing Weaknesses. Sharing your development gaps can be helpful, especially when you have an environment of trust and support. When somebody has power over your pay and promotion, you can also be cautious, especially if you are unsure about the trust and depths of your relationship. Instead of saying, “I have imposter syndrome running this team that are more experienced and older than me.” I would frame it in seeking advice. “You have always been so helpful; I would love to learn your approach to running teams that have more experience than you?”
11. Correcting Misconceptions. If you encounter misinterpretations or inaccuracies in feedback, address them promptly. I was working with a leader once who was asking questions about a new vision that was rolled out. The HRBP, who was in the meeting, labeled him as not quick to get on board. There were no other data points to support that statement, yet feedback followed him for a long time. When that happens, be sure to correct the record. Schedule time with the person who gave the feedback to try to understand it better. See if there are examples they can provide. Share what you have been doing to bring people along. Provide context for your approach. e.g., “At the beginning of a new initiative, I tend to ask many questions to gain greater understanding. It is so I am better prepared to answer questions that I will get from my team. The number of questions is more related to deeply understanding it than questioning your vision.”
12. Interview Elsewhere. This is helpful because you learn about other opportunities, better understand your worth, and refine your self-presentation. If you get an offer, you can take it to your boss as a powerful negotiating tool. Sometimes, companies are reluctant to promote from within too quickly, but when faced with losing you, they magically find money because letting you go is more expensive than paying the extra money you want. In fact, it can cost companies up to 100k or more to bring somebody in and onboard them.
13. Avoid Bluffing. Honestly is essential. Never claim to have another offer unless you genuinely intend to accept it. Bluffing can damage your credibility and future promotion prospects.
By incorporating these additional strategies into your promotion request process, you can effectively enhance your chances of success and navigate the complexities of career advancement.
Quote of the day: "If you don't ask, you don't get." - Mahatma Gandhi
Question. Who do you know that is great at asking for a promotion? What was their approach and why were they effective? Comment and share below; we’d love to hear from you!
The next blog in this series 6/7 will focus on ways to showcase your growth to shift perspectives.
As a leadership development and executive coach, I work with leaders to communicate effectively including strategically self-promoting, contact me to explore this topic further.
How do you gain allies before you ask for a promotion?