Episode 35 How to Fast Track Your Next Promotion

Speaker: 00:00:04

Welcome to Unstuck and Unstoppable,

the podcast for ambitious female

2

: 00:00:09

leaders who want to create more impact,

income, and influence in their careers.

3

: 00:00:14

feel connected to their passion

and purpose, but without

4

: 00:00:17

selling out or burning out.

5

: 00:00:19

I'm Sarah Archer, a leadership coach

and career strategist, helping women

6

: 00:00:23

like you thrive in leadership roles

while staying true to your values.

7

: 00:00:28

I'm the founder of CareerTree

Coaching and have over 15 years of

8

: 00:00:32

coaching experience and significant HR

leadership experience to share with you.

9

: 00:00:38

I know as a female leader it can

be hard to find time to focus

10

: 00:00:42

on your career aspirations.

11

: 00:00:44

The day job can be all consuming.

12

: 00:00:47

Plus, no matter how senior you are,

there are always going to be times

13

: 00:00:51

when you feel stuck, when you have

self doubt, or feel like an imposter.

14

: 00:00:56

And that's where unstuck

and unstoppable comes in.

15

: 00:01:00

Each week I'll be sharing practical

strategies, insightful interviews and

16

: 00:01:05

inspiring stories to help you boost

your confidence, lead with purpose

17

: 00:01:10

and achieve sustainable success.

18

: 00:01:13

If you're ready to stop playing

small and unlock the incredible

19

: 00:01:16

potential you have within you and feel

unstoppable, you're in the right place.

20

: 00:01:22

Let's get started.

21

: 00:01:27

Let's dive into today's topic.

22

: 00:01:31

So today's topic is how to

fast track your promotion.

23

: 00:01:34

I chose this topic because it's

something that has been on some of my

24

: 00:01:38

clients' minds recently that I've been

working with, and I thought it would

25

: 00:01:42

be useful to have a think about how you

could intentionally move your career

26

: 00:01:48

forward in the way that you want to.

27

: 00:01:51

How might you know that you are ready for

promotion for that next leadership role?

28

: 00:01:56

It could be that you are seeing

your peers move past you, that

29

: 00:02:00

they're getting promotion.

30

: 00:02:01

That could be your peers in the

organization or it might be in

31

: 00:02:04

people that you've worked with over

the years in other organizations.

32

: 00:02:07

That just seems to be flying past

you and you are stuck where you are.

33

: 00:02:12

That could be something

that's going on for you.

34

: 00:02:14

Or it might be that you are feeling bored

and you know that you are plateauing

35

: 00:02:19

or you are ready for a new challenge.

36

: 00:02:21

Something that's gonna stretch you more.

37

: 00:02:23

It could also be that you are

bumping up against your boss, so you

38

: 00:02:27

might be thinking, yeah, I wouldn't

have done that like that, or, I'd

39

: 00:02:30

have approached that differently,

or I could have done that better.

40

: 00:02:33

That's giving you information that you're

ready to take on that next level role.

41

: 00:02:37

Or you are being asked to step

up or act up on a regular basis.

42

: 00:02:42

And, this could be something that

you're not getting fully recognized for,

43

: 00:02:46

but you're definitely taking on more

responsibility or maybe you find yourself

44

: 00:02:50

thinking about organizational challenges.

45

: 00:02:53

Rather than just thinking about the

problems in your own department or team,

46

: 00:02:57

you're starting to think about the wider

picture, the bigger picture, and wanting

47

: 00:03:02

to be involved in solving some of those

bigger, organizational challenges.

48

: 00:03:08

Or it could be something else, but

you definitely will know when you're

49

: 00:03:10

starting to think I've got that itch.

50

: 00:03:12

I think I need to be, taking on

something a bit more challenging.

51

: 00:03:16

But you might experience

that sense of self-doubt.

52

: 00:03:20

Am I really ready for this?

53

: 00:03:22

Could I do it?

54

: 00:03:23

Could I do the next level

strategic piece is often something

55

: 00:03:27

that comes up for my clients.

56

: 00:03:30

Am I strategic enough?

57

: 00:03:31

Could I do that?

58

: 00:03:32

What is strategy anyway?

59

: 00:03:34

Or the question around is it right for me?

60

: 00:03:37

Because sometimes we feel like

we should go for that next level.

61

: 00:03:42

Role, but actually we need to be asking

ourself, is it really what I want?

62

: 00:03:46

And I was working with a client last

year who her director was leaving

63

: 00:03:50

and she was being encouraged to go

for that next level director role.

64

: 00:03:55

And it would've been an

easy move for her into it.

65

: 00:03:59

Her boss and her boss's boss were

definitely encouraging her to go for it,

66

: 00:04:03

but when we worked through it together.

67

: 00:04:05

What she realized was actually, although

she was interested in being a director,

68

: 00:04:09

she didn't want to be a director in that

organization because of the leadership

69

: 00:04:13

culture, the impact on work-life

balance in terms of the expectations.

70

: 00:04:19

And so she made a conscious decision

that she was going to move into

71

: 00:04:22

that role when she was ready and.

72

: 00:04:25

Finding the right organization . It is

good to be questioning yourself about

73

: 00:04:30

moving to that next level going for

that promotion because you do wanna

74

: 00:04:33

checklist that it's what you really want.

75

: 00:04:36

It's good to go back to your

why, your values and, what

76

: 00:04:39

drives you, what motivates you.

77

: 00:04:42

if you are experiencing that self-doubt,

you do want to engage your inner

78

: 00:04:46

coach and remind yourself of all the

reasons why you are ready for it.

79

: 00:04:51

Because it's so easy for us

to talk ourselves out of it.

80

: 00:04:54

And particularly my female clients

tend to be more prone to thinking

81

: 00:04:59

I just need to get something else.

82

: 00:05:00

Some more experience, some more

knowledge something that's gonna.

83

: 00:05:03

Move me to that next level when

actually they're ready for it now.

84

: 00:05:06

So don't let yourself, if you are wanting

to go for it, talk yourself out of it.

85

: 00:05:12

What I want to take you through

today is around, I think it's seven,

86

: 00:05:16

seven or eight things you can be

thinking about to get yourself ready

87

: 00:05:21

for fast tracking that promotion.

88

: 00:05:22

And we wanna be thinking about

within the next three to six

89

: 00:05:25

months that we are moving the dial

on that promotion opportunity.

90

: 00:05:30

And we can be thinking internally for

promotion, but we can also be thinking

91

: 00:05:33

externally in terms of getting up to that

next level as well if there's no room

92

: 00:05:38

to move in your current organization,

which sometimes can happen if it's a very

93

: 00:05:41

flat structure or people tend to stay.

94

: 00:05:45

In their roles.

95

: 00:05:46

The first thing I want to say to you

is you have to be intentional about it.

96

: 00:05:49

So it would be lovely if we were still in

a world where people were just recognized

97

: 00:05:54

for their contribution and automatically

promoted, but we do have to be

98

: 00:05:59

intentional about making it happen for us.

99

: 00:06:03

Everybody is so busy.

100

: 00:06:05

Your boss.

101

: 00:06:07

Even the best bosses in the world are

not necessarily gonna be thinking about

102

: 00:06:10

you and your wants, your promotion needs.

103

: 00:06:13

So you do have to be taking matters into

your own hands and being proactive at

104

: 00:06:17

creating the right environment and how

you're gonna operate in it for yourself.

105

: 00:06:23

The first thing I would say

to do is do a gap analysis.

106

: 00:06:26

This would be a gap analysis around.

107

: 00:06:29

That next level role, what does it require

and what are my gaps that I might have?

108

: 00:06:35

There might not be any, but if there

are any gaps, how could I plug them

109

: 00:06:39

in the next three to six months?

110

: 00:06:42

Okay, so keeping that timeframe in focus,

how could I get what I need in that

111

: 00:06:48

timeframe to plug that potential gap?

112

: 00:06:51

And that's looking at the job

requirements, but there's also a

113

: 00:06:54

gap analysis around your visibility.

114

: 00:06:57

Am I visible in the organization?

115

: 00:07:00

What's my reputation?

116

: 00:07:02

Am I seen as somebody who delivers?

117

: 00:07:03

Am I seen as somebody who's proactive?

118

: 00:07:05

Am I seen as somebody

who's a problem solver?

119

: 00:07:08

And what is my leadership?

120

: 00:07:09

Brand.

121

: 00:07:11

What am I promoting in terms of my

unique selling points that makes me

122

: 00:07:15

a great leader that they will want to

have at that next level leadership.

123

: 00:07:21

And if you're not sure about the

answers to some of those questions,

124

: 00:07:25

you could obviously work with

a coach to help you understand.

125

: 00:07:29

Internally, okay, what is going on?

126

: 00:07:32

What am I projecting

out there to the world?

127

: 00:07:35

Or you could ask for people

to give you feedback.

128

: 00:07:38

You could ask trusted people to tell

you what they see as your strengths,

129

: 00:07:42

what they see as what you're good at.

130

: 00:07:44

That can feed into you.

131

: 00:07:46

Then developing an understanding

of what your brand might be, what

132

: 00:07:49

your reputation might be in the

business, and how visible you are.

133

: 00:07:54

I did this recently with a client in my

ambition plan program where we looked at

134

: 00:07:58

her brand components of her leadership

brand and it was a real light bulb

135

: 00:08:03

moment for her because she was able

to see that one of her real strengths

136

: 00:08:07

was in her operational efficiency.

137

: 00:08:11

So drilling down into how to improve

things to make them better, to

138

: 00:08:14

increase the operational impact.

139

: 00:08:17

And previously she'd felt this was not

a strength for her, that actually she

140

: 00:08:23

was a bit of a blocker because she was

always challenging her peers around this.

141

: 00:08:27

And they weren't always responsive to it.

142

: 00:08:30

But when we looked at it in terms of

what she added value to the business, we

143

: 00:08:33

could see, she could see it was a real

strength and it transformed then how she.

144

: 00:08:38

Thought about herself as a leader because

she identified that key brand component.

145

: 00:08:43

It can be transformative just

doing that piece of work.

146

: 00:08:47

Then what we want to do, having

done that gap analysis, is start

147

: 00:08:50

scanning for opportunities.

148

: 00:08:52

For you to lead and to stretch

yourself and to show that you are

149

: 00:08:57

already operating at that next level.

150

: 00:09:00

That's easier if you are

being asked to, to act up.

151

: 00:09:03

Or to take on more responsibility.

152

: 00:09:05

But if you're not, then you have to look

for those opportunities and, put your

153

: 00:09:09

hand up to say, I'd like to do that.

154

: 00:09:11

I'd like to take that on board.

155

: 00:09:13

That could be , particularly around

strategy, looking for opportunities where

156

: 00:09:17

you can be more strategic, where you

can take on developing a new strategy

157

: 00:09:21

around a particular client group.

158

: 00:09:23

Or it might be about solving a particular

problem from a strategic point of view.

159

: 00:09:29

Or it could be about

taking on a scary project.

160

: 00:09:33

Now, what I see sometimes

with , my clients is that they

161

: 00:09:36

won't volunteer for things if

they don't necessarily feel right.

162

: 00:09:41

They might think, oh, I'm

not ready for that yet.

163

: 00:09:43

I can't put my hand up

and say, I'll lead that.

164

: 00:09:46

But actually.

165

: 00:09:47

By stepping up, putting yourself outta

your comfort zone, you are going to,

166

: 00:09:52

you're going to be ready and you're

going to be able to do it even if

167

: 00:09:55

it feels scary because you know deep

down that you have that capability

168

: 00:10:01

and you could step up and do it.

169

: 00:10:02

It's looking for those scary projects and

going, yes, I'm going to do that because

170

: 00:10:06

it's going to be a great platform for me.

171

: 00:10:08

It's gonna give me opportunities

to showcase what I'm

172

: 00:10:11

capable of, my strategic.

173

: 00:10:14

Leadership ability and also create

visibility within the organization for

174

: 00:10:18

other people to see what I'm capable of.

175

: 00:10:21

So start scanning for those opportunities.

176

: 00:10:24

Then building on the brand bit

is increasing that self-awareness

177

: 00:10:28

piece and understanding what your

strengths are and the value that

178

: 00:10:31

you are adding to the business,

because that's going to be important

179

: 00:10:35

in terms of articulating to people.

180

: 00:10:38

What you're doing and how you're doing it.

181

: 00:10:40

Doing that inner work around,

okay, what are my key strengths

182

: 00:10:44

aligned to my leadership brand?

183

: 00:10:46

What's the real value that I bring to the

business, aligned to my leadership brand?

184

: 00:10:51

And then the fourth

area is to be proactive.

185

: 00:10:56

So to really be seen as a

problem solver in the business.

186

: 00:10:58

Not just problems in your sphere, but

also wider projects, wider problems,

187

: 00:11:05

being a voice in different meetings

that could be around solving particular

188

: 00:11:09

problems or encouraging people to have

discussions around how to solve problems,

189

: 00:11:15

but also being seen as a positive

influence in the business as well.

190

: 00:11:19

That if people start to.

191

: 00:11:20

Get sucked into a bit of a moan fest

about something that you are the one that

192

: 00:11:24

might be helping people lift themselves

outta that and think positively.

193

: 00:11:29

Being proactive and being able to be seen

as a proactive force in the organization.

194

: 00:11:33

I.

195

: 00:11:34

The fifth area is to build

relationships and be really intentional

196

: 00:11:39

about building relationships.

197

: 00:11:41

The first relationship that's

gonna be really key is the one

198

: 00:11:44

that you have with your boss.

199

: 00:11:46

Hopefully you will have built a

positive relationship with them.

200

: 00:11:49

Through the work that you've done, and

then you are ready to have that career

201

: 00:11:52

conversation with them about what you are

looking for so that they really know that

202

: 00:11:57

in the next three to six months you are

looking for a proportional opportunity.

203

: 00:12:03

Because they obviously are gonna be a

champion for you, a cheerleader for you.

204

: 00:12:06

They're gonna be involved in the decision

around those promotion conversations.

205

: 00:12:11

So they need to know what you're looking

for and they can be really helpful.

206

: 00:12:14

Some of those areas I've

just mentioned around.

207

: 00:12:17

Gap analysis, your brand, your

visibility opportunities for

208

: 00:12:21

you to lead and to stretch.

209

: 00:12:23

If though you can't have that kind

of conversation with your boss for

210

: 00:12:26

whatever reason, you don't have a

great relationship with them, then

211

: 00:12:30

it might be a proactively looking

for a mentor in the organization.

212

: 00:12:33

So someone in the senior leadership

team who can be a mentor.

213

: 00:12:37

Who can also then be a champion for

you and who can be instrumental in

214

: 00:12:42

those conversations and that you can

then have that relationship with them

215

: 00:12:46

around, this is what I'm looking for.

216

: 00:12:48

Can you see ways that I can,

enhance my leadership brand.

217

: 00:12:54

Can you give me a steer on where I need

to be more visible so you could have those

218

: 00:12:59

conversations with a mentor if you can't

happen with your boss, and you may choose

219

: 00:13:03

to find a mentor in your organization

anyway, because it can be really

220

: 00:13:06

helpful , in your career advancement.

221

: 00:13:09

You also want to be intentional

about building your relationships

222

: 00:13:12

with your manager's manager and with

other key people in the organization.

223

: 00:13:16

So there could be decision makers

around promotions, but they could

224

: 00:13:19

also just be people who will feed

in and talk about you in terms of.

225

: 00:13:24

Oh yeah, that person was really

helpful on this particular project

226

: 00:13:28

and they really bought a proactive

or a positive or a strategic view to

227

: 00:13:31

that piece of work that we were doing.

228

: 00:13:33

Being really clear about who you

want to develop relationships with.

229

: 00:13:38

And obviously, this takes time and

you've got a busy job, but it is about.

230

: 00:13:43

Being strategic about who are the three

key relationships I need to build in

231

: 00:13:47

this period of time when I'm looking

to enhance my promotional prospects.

232

: 00:13:51

Then the sixth point is to get

comfortable with self-promotion.

233

: 00:13:57

I.

234

: 00:13:58

Because you need to be an advocate for

yourself, and you need to be able to talk

235

: 00:14:02

about your achievements in a way that

enables people to really understand what

236

: 00:14:07

you are doing and how you're doing it.

237

: 00:14:10

So there's a temptation when

your boss or your boss's boss

238

: 00:14:14

says, oh, how are things going?

239

: 00:14:16

You might go, yeah, really great.

240

: 00:14:18

I nailed that project with that client.

241

: 00:14:21

Okay, so you're telling them that

you've, you've had a success, but

242

: 00:14:25

if your peer is saying to them when

they ask the same question, oh yeah.

243

: 00:14:30

I nailed that problem with a

client and the way I went about

244

: 00:14:34

it was to do X, Y, and Z, and it

was quite challenging because of.

245

: 00:14:39

A, B, C and , there was an extra

layer of complexity because of DEF.

246

: 00:14:44

Then they're getting this really full

picture of how your peer is managing

247

: 00:14:50

challenge, managing complexity, and

really being a problem solver within

248

: 00:14:54

the organization and adding value.

249

: 00:14:57

But if you've just said I just

nailed that problem with the client,

250

: 00:15:01

they might be thinking, oh, yeah,

you just had an easy time of it.

251

: 00:15:03

You just nailed that problem.

252

: 00:15:05

It's thinking about how do I let

them know, actually what I've been

253

: 00:15:11

having to face that shows how much

value I bring to the business.

254

: 00:15:16

I.

255

: 00:15:17

Then the seventh point

is to do your research.

256

: 00:15:20

You do want to be thinking, okay, outside

of the organization, what's my value?

257

: 00:15:24

Within the industry that I work in,

where am I positioned in terms of my job?

258

: 00:15:30

What's the market like around, recruitment

out there, what's my salary benchmarking

259

: 00:15:36

and what do I want to be thinking about?

260

: 00:15:37

So you are ready for that promotional

conversation around what you

261

: 00:15:41

want, and also knowing if you

don't get it in your organization,

262

: 00:15:45

what the options are for you.

263

: 00:15:47

Then outside of the organization, And

my final point for you is to think about

264

: 00:15:53

your timings because we're talking about

a three to six month window to get you

265

: 00:15:59

ready and positioning and fast tracking

your promotion, but it's also looking for.

266

: 00:16:04

Potential opportunities.

267

: 00:16:05

For example, if you've just

delivered a really great project,

268

: 00:16:09

then you can capitalize on that.

269

: 00:16:11

It's a great time to be having

a conversation about promotion.

270

: 00:16:14

Or if you've had an amazing piece of

client feedback or you've , landed

271

: 00:16:17

a big client, or there's something

really positive that you've achieved

272

: 00:16:20

in the business, then you do

want to be capitalizing on that.

273

: 00:16:24

So the business then thinks,

we don't wanna lose you because

274

: 00:16:27

you're doing all this great work.

275

: 00:16:29

But also thinking about what's

happening in the business.

276

: 00:16:31

So if it's very buoyant or they've

just had a big success, they're

277

: 00:16:35

gonna be more open to having

those promotional conversations.

278

: 00:16:39

Obviously there's contraction going on,

then it might be not such a great time to

279

: 00:16:44

be having those promotional conversations.

280

: 00:16:46

But again, if you've got a good

relationship with your boss,

281

: 00:16:48

you can get a steer from them.

282

: 00:16:49

'cause obviously in contraction, they

also don't want to lose good people

283

: 00:16:52

because they're key to business growth.

284

: 00:16:55

I hope that's been food for thought

about how you might want to fast

285

: 00:16:58

track your promotional prospects.

286

: 00:17:01

This is something I do a

lot of work with clients.

287

: 00:17:03

So if it's something you want some

help with, please do get in touch,

288

: 00:17:06

send me a message, DM me, we can

have a conversation about it.

289

: 00:17:10

But I really hope.

290

: 00:17:11

That you take some of these areas

on board and you can create some

291

: 00:17:14

space for yourself to be thinking

intentionally about what you need

292

: 00:17:19

to do to fast track your promotion.

293

: 00:17:22

And if it happens in the next three to

six months, you've got to let me know.

294

: 00:17:25

So send me a message, let me know.

295

: 00:17:27

What happened and how you did it.

296

: 00:17:34

Thank you so much for listening

to this episode of the Unstuck

297

: 00:17:38

and Unstoppable podcast.

298

: 00:17:40

I have lots of free resources you

can access on my website, ww.career

299

: 00:17:45

tree coaching.co

300

: 00:17:46

uk, and I'll also put

links in the show notes.

301

: 00:17:50

If you found this episode

helpful, then please subscribe

302

: 00:17:53

so you don't miss the next one.

303

: 00:17:55

And please do share it with a

friend and leave me a review

304

: 00:17:58

and I will personally thank you.

305

: 00:18:01

Remember, you're capable of more

than you know, shine brightly.

306

: 00:18:06

Lead boldly and unlock the

extraordinary potential within you.

307

: 00:18:10

Be unstoppable.