When you’re hired in an organization, it’s because of your skills and experience. They hire you so you can implement a role and its responsibilities. Although implementors are extremely useful in a company, as they are the people that move things forward and get things done, quite often they get stuck at this level. And in order to position themselves as ‘eligible’ for a promotion, they start assessing extra education options or they work long hours in order to get noticed. Or they do these anyway and just because of them, they expect to get promoted as a reward for their efforts.
As we know, this is never the case. What usually happens is that other people, newer in the organization or less educated or even less experienced, manage to get promoted. Quite frustrating, right? This happens because in the majority of the cases, what’s truly valued in a promotion scenario is mindset, attitude and soft skills, with communication skill being the Queen in the process.
So, how can you earn your promotion?
How can you act in a way that’s promotable?
What qualities you should display to be seriously considered for a promotion?
Keep reading…
Growth mindset
What’s the difference between a high-performing and a high-potential employee?
A high-performing employee will do their job well, but increased performance doesn’t guarantee a promotion. It could guarantee a performance bonus; but it could have no effect in the employee’s portfolio of strengths and weaknesses. If these remain fixed, the performance reviews will look the same year-after-year and the person could stay in their role forever.
In the contrary, a high-potential employee will show great interest in continuous improvement. This means they take on new and different tasks and responsibilities. It means they are aren’t afraid of moves and transitions, or start learning new things and mastering new skills. This kind of employees prove that have a growth mindset, not a fixed one and increase their opportunities to get promoted.
Interpersonal skills
We don’t usually work in isolation. We cooperate with other people and other teams. It’s very important how we show up in our collaborations, how we communicate with each other, and how we show trust and respect to others. And since a promotion is a multi-level approval, it does make a huge impact how different people will perceive and be aware of your interpersonal skills.
Big picture thinker
You can get higher chances to get promoted if you go past your executional responsibilities and adopt a more strategic focus on your work. Being promoted means getting a bigger role within the organization; and the best way to prove that you are worthy of that bigger role is by understanding the business you are in, how your role/team/division can contribute to the strategic vision of the company and how your day-to-day experience can provide valuable insights and suggestions for corporate success.
‘Can do’ attitude
A ‘can do’ attitude doesn’t mean to keep saying ‘yes’ to everything. It’s oriented to how open and positive you are towards new challenges and opportunities to expand your role. By taking on new tasks, you show to your manager that you can obviously manage a bigger job. However, be smart in prioritization and avoid neglecting your current job.
Active listening
If you want to show your leadership skills, don’t make the mistake to dominate every conversation and meeting. Active listening is such an important skill if you want to truly improve yourself, your understanding for every matter and your relationship with others.
Communication skills
Communication is the highest value in the marketplace. People that communicate effectively, express themselves clearly, are confident in the way they talk and can have an efficient conversation with different types of people, are the people that will be prioritized in a promotion process.
Consequently, if you’re ready for the next step in your career, invest on mastering the above skills. Making use of business coaching sessions can help you:
- Set clear goals.
- Overcome personal obstacles.
- Build confidence.
- Identify strengths and weaknesses.
- Work on blind spots.
- Develop required skills.
- Stay focused and motivated.
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