Skills to Get Promoted

I was promoted 3x in five years at Microsoft. That led to ~$200k+ of additional comp. Here are 6 principles I used to make it happen: First, some context: Promotions at Microsoft happen in two ways: 1. Internal level bumps 2. Traditional role changes Two of my promotions were level bumps and one was a role change. All three came with increased responsibility and compensation. On to the principles. 1/ Get Clear On Where You're Going I spent my first six months figuring out exactly where I wanted to go. That way I could quadruple down on my goal. The relationships I built and projects I took on all happened with that goal in mind. Compounding applies to careers too. 2/ Be Vocal About Your Goals! I told everyone about my plan: "I want to be a Director of Partner Development." I brought it up in my 1:1s. In my performance reviews. And in convos with colleagues. People can't help you if they don't know your goals. 3/ Build Up Your Social Capital I identified people who could impact my ability to get promoted. I'd talk to them about their challenges and goals. Then I'd work to help solve that problem or support their initiatives. When you show up for others, they show up for you. 4/ Create A Specific Plan With Management Every quarter, I'd ask my manager 3 questions: 1. What skill gaps do I need to fill to get this promo? 2. What results do you need to see as evidence? 3. What projects can I join / start to get those results? Then I'd get started. 5/ Overdeliver On Value And Results I consistently came in over quota. I helped my teammates level up. I helped colleagues on other teams solve problems. Asking for a raise is a lot easier when you generate 10-100x+ what you're asking for. 6/ Ask For The Promotion Finally, make the ask! When the job becomes available, let everyone know two things: 1. You want it. 2. How they can help you (putting in a good word, etc.) Too many people don't get promos simply because they don't ask or ask at the wrong time.

Want a Promotion? Stop Hiding Behind “My Work Speaks for Itself.” It doesn’t. (If it did, you wouldn’t be reading this.) A few months ago, Sameer, a business head I coach, was stunned. He’d hit every target, led a turnaround, mentored two VPs, and still didn’t get promoted. His boss said: “We need to see more cross-company impact.” Sameer thought, “Wait, what? Isn’t that what I’ve been doing?” Meanwhile, Ananya got promoted. Why? She made her work visible, invited leaders to demos, led cross-functional projects, and owned her narrative. Sameer worked hard. Ananya worked smart and ensured it was seen. The Real Promotion Equation Performance × Visibility × Sponsorship = Growth. Miss any one of these, and you’re left wondering why your brilliant work went unnoticed. Here’s what data (and a few thousand real careers) teach us 1.    Promotion rates are cooling down. Managerial promotions hover around 7.3% (ADP, 2024). Translation: being good isn’t enough; being known for being good is. 2.    Great work needs an audience. Harvard research proves it: visibility and sponsorship matter as much as performance. 3.    Networking ≠ LinkedIn collecting. It’s about building strategic relationships and sponsors who can speak your name in the right rooms. 4.    Promotion = Visibility 2.0. Get promoted, and the market suddenly knows your name. It’s not just a raise, it’s a spotlight. What to Do Before Appraisal Season 1.    Turn wins into impact statements. Quantify what changed because of you. 2.    Build a visibility map. Who needs to see your work? Show them. 3.    Create a sponsorship shortlist. Find 2–3 senior advocates. 4.    Have the career presenting talk: “What will make me promotable in 6 months?” 5.    Upskill on purpose. Align learning with your next role. 6.    Document everything. Don’t let great work die in your inbox. Real Talk You can be brilliant and still invisible. Your work doesn’t speak unless you give it a microphone. So, before appraisal season, don’t just do great work Package it. Amplify it. Get it seen. That’s how results turn into promotions. #Leadership #CareerGrowth #PromotionStrategy #Visibility #PersonalBranding

The Unwritten Rules of Career Advancement After working with a number of executives and scaling a few companies, I've observed a clear pattern: the most talented people aren't always the ones who get promoted. The harsh truth? Merit only accounts for about 30% of advancement decisions. The rest comes down to understanding the invisible game being played around you. Here are 12 promotion principles most managers won't explicitly tell you: 1. Visibility trumps effort. Hard work in silence gets you nowhere. Document accomplishments and strategically communicate them in one-on-ones without appearing boastful. 2. Problem-solving creates more value than task completion. Anyone can follow instructions. Look for systemic issues that need addressing and proactively present solutions. 3. Act the part before you have it. Take on responsibilities slightly beyond your current role. This creates a natural path for your manager to formalize what you're already doing. 4. Perception management is critical. How others see you often matters more than your actual performance. Regularly ask for informal feedback to understand and shape your workplace reputation. 5. Strategic networking opens doors. Career advancement happens through relationships. Find authentic ways to connect with leaders by showing genuine interest in their challenges. 6. Make your manager successful. When your boss looks good, opportunities flow downward. Identify what keeps them up at night and solve those problems first. 7. Working on the right things beats working hard. Ask directly which projects will move the needle for company objectives, then focus your energy there. 8. Voice creates visibility. Silence is often misinterpreted as disengagement. Prepare thoughtful contributions for meetings, even when you're nervous. 9. Emotional intelligence becomes more valuable as you rise. Technical skills get you hired; people skills get you promoted. Invest in developing self-awareness and relationship management capabilities. 10. Direct asking accelerates advancement. Clearly express your career aspirations. Most managers aren't mind readers and won't offer what you don't request. 11. External options create internal leverage. Maintain market awareness even when satisfied. Sometimes the fastest path to advancement is having alternatives. 12. Learning from others shortcuts growth. Find recently promoted colleagues and ask specific questions about their journey. Most will gladly share insights. The promotion game isn't always fair, but it is learnable. What invisible advancement rules have you observed in your workplace? ------------------------------------------------- Follow me Dan Murray🧠 for more on habits and leadership. ♻️ Repost this if you think it can help someone in your network! 🖐️ P.S Join my newsletter The Science Of Success where I break down stories and studies of success to teach you how to turn it from probability to predictability here: https://lnkd.in/ecuRJtrr

If you want to get promoted next year, read this: Most people wait for the title to start leading. They want permission and a promotion. The top 1% know better. They know most companies don't like risk. And the best way to make your promotion low risk? Show them you can do it.  And show them before they give it to you. Here's the uncomfortable truth about getting promoted: Your company isn't promoting potential. Hope is not a qualification. They're promoting performance.  The performance they've already seen. While most people focus on doing their job well,  Future leaders focus on something completely different: JUDGMENT | Start Acting Like an Owner ↳ Take ownership of outcomes, not just tasks ↳ Make decisions as if the company's success depends on you ↳ Solve problems proactively without waiting for permission RELIABILITY | Make Your Manager's Job Easier ↳ Anticipate their needs before they ask ↳ Keep every commitment or escalate early ↳ Deliver work with recommendations, not just reports LEADERSHIP | Develop People Around You ↳ Share knowledge freely instead of hoarding it ↳ Help new team members succeed faster ↳ Create documentation that makes everyone better CREDIBILITY | Communicate with Clarity ↳ Write things down—documentation builds trust ↳ Follow up conversations with clear next steps ↳ Use active listening to show you truly understand PERSPECTIVE | Think Beyond Your Role ↳ Understand how your work connects to bigger goals ↳ Offer ideas that benefit the entire team ↳ Ask questions about the larger business context GROWTH | Give and Receive Feedback Well ↳ Practice giving constructive input to peers ↳ Actively seek feedback on your own performance ↳ Handle criticism without becoming defensive SYSTEMS | Solve Problems at the Root ↳ Ask "why" until you find actionable solutions ↳ Address causes, not just symptoms ↳ Create solutions that prevent problems from recurring The promotion paradox: Companies promote based on performance, not potential. But most people perform at their current level, not their next one. The breakthrough insight: Start doing the job before you get the job. The title will follow the behavior, not the other way around. What helped you get promoted?  Drop it in the comments if I missed one. And before you go... ♻️ Share to help others earn their next promotion 🔖 Save this so you can check back on your progress 🔔 And follow Dave Kline for more leadership insights

7 unspoken skills that get you promoted to the corner office According to Harvard University: 85% of job success comes from soft skills. Frustrated watching less qualified colleagues rise? Promotions don't always go to the hardest workers. Here's the uncomfortable truth: As you perfect your technical skills... Decision-makers are watching for something else. These 7 unspoken skills determine who moves up the ladder. Master these, and you'll unlock new opportunities: 1/ Invisible Leadership ↳ Lead without authority ↳ Make others look good ↳ Build coalitions before you need them Why it matters: Influence isn't about your title—it's about your support. 2/ Problem Anticipation ↳ Spot issues before they escalate ↳ Present solutions, not just problems ↳ Take initiative without overstepping Why it matters: Leaders don't want firefighters—they want fire preventers. 3/ Strategic Disagreement ↳ Know when to challenge ideas ↳ Frame objections as opportunities ↳ Focus on business impact Why it matters: Yes-people get stuck, strategic challengers get promoted. 4/ Emotional Regulation ↳ Stay composed under pressure ↳ Convert stress into focus ↳ Manage others' emotions, not just your own Why it matters: Crisis moments reveal true leaders. 5/ Social Intelligence ↳ Read the room before speaking ↳ Understand unwritten rules ↳ Navigate office politics ethically Why it matters: Top performers know how to play without losing integrity. 6/ Adaptive Communication ↳ Switch styles for different stakeholders ↳ Make complex ideas simple ↳ Know when to listen vs. speak Why it matters: Your ideas are as valuable as your ability to sell them. 7/ Recovery Resilience ↳ Bounce back from setbacks quickly ↳ Turn failures into learning moments ↳ Maintain relationships through tough times Why it matters: Your response to setbacks defines your leadership potential. The reality? These skills rarely appear on job descriptions. Here's the good news: You can master them through conscious practise. 💭 Which skill do you see as the most crucial? Share your thoughts in the comments. ♻️ Repost to help your network. ➕ Follow Meera Remani for leadership insights you don't want to miss.

I've managed 500+ people teams across multiple continents. Here's what I’ve learned can get you promoted 3x faster: Find the job description of the role above you → start doing it Identify the thing you do that makes the biggest impact → focus on that Find common problems senior managers face → voluntarily resolve them Look at the metrics your boss measures for success by → raise KPIs by 10% more Track your own results for the next performance review → promote your wins You don’t have to wait for an opportunity to arrive before you seize it. Exercising autonomy in your career path is wildly empowering! Take initiative. Create opportunities. Maximise their impact. You control your future.

In 2013, I struggled to become a Director. But I was promoted 3 times in the following 3 years. Here's how I did it: (step-by-step guide to start using today). 1) Develop Mental Fitness You can have all the strategy in the world, but if you feel fear, anxiety or imposter syndrome, you won’t take action. To level up, you need to go beyond hard skills and develop: - Confidence & Self esteem - Emotional resilience - Assertivness - Decisiveness But most importantly you need to learn how to manage your own doubts. Not by ignoring your fears or pretending to be strong. But by learning to manage your own thoughts. Example: My client didn't believe she could jump two levels. "It would take me 5-10 years". We worked on her confidence and 5 months later she leveled up from Director to CHRO. 2) Develop Executive Skills Those skills no one teaches you, but you are expected to master on your own. - Executive communication - Strategic thinking - Influence & buy in - Networking These are the skills that create that 'it' factor we call executive presence. Practicing these skills every day will shape your reputation. It will take you from being seen as the "get sh*t done" person, to "executive material". Example: My client joined a new team. 6 months later she was asked to become the team leader. She wan't the most senior and haven't been there the longest. The rationale? They could "feel" she was leadership material. 3) Win the promotion process You don't become an executive by mistake. There's a strategy behind it. - Understanding the decision criteria - Increased scope+ self promotion - Strong network of advocates - Killer business case Waiting and hoping to get noticed won't cut it. So instead, you need to project manage your own promotion and MAKE it inevitable. Example: My client built a strong relationship with his skip level and put together a compelling business case. The result? Director promotion despite a promotion freeze. Promotions can feel like an uphill battle when you don't know what you're doing. But when you have the blueprint? Every day gets you closer to the next level. I broke down 3 real promotions to show you how it's done: https://lnkd.in/eTafX_-p - Maya

Remember when we thought being amazing at coding was enough? Yeah... I learned the hard way that wasn't true. If you're wondering why your Python skills aren't getting you promoted, let me share what I wish someone had told me earlier. Being great at tech stuff is just step 1. Here's what actually got me promoted 3 times in one year: 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭 – 𝗕𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 • Finish projects on time • Learn how your team's "hidden rules" • Be known as someone who gets stuff done 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮 – 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 • Figure out what's needed before your boss asks • Understand why you're doing each project • Say yes to tasks that stretch your skills 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯 – 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 • Connect your work to saving money or making money • Learn how your company actually makes a profit • Explain your results so anyone can understand 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰 – 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗼 • Make friends with people in other teams • Share what you know with others • Help new people learn the ropes Here's what I figured out: Most smart data people stay stuck because they think better code = better career. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀. To move up, you need: Good tech skills + Business impact + People skills. Work on all three at the same time? You'll get promoted while others wonder what they're missing. Stop being the smartest person who never gets ahead. Start building the complete skill set that actually gets you promoted. Follow me, Jaret André for real, practical career advice that actually works.

Want a promotion? It takes more than just “working hard” (though that helps). It takes strategy, visibility, and growth. Here are 9 practical tips that can actually move the needle: Think like your boss’s boss – Start aligning your work with bigger goals, not just your job description. Document your wins – Keep a running list of impact metrics and success stories. You’ll need them. Ask for more responsibility – Don’t wait for permission. Step up before the title shows up. Speak the language of business – Know how your work affects revenue, customers, efficiency, or reputation. Make yourself replaceable – Train others. Systems > heroics. Leaders create leverage. Build cross-team relationships – Promotions often come from people outside your immediate circle. Give your manager a success story – Help them justify your promotion. Make their job easier. Ask directly – “What would it take for me to get promoted this year?” is a power move, not a risky one. Act like you already have the job – Show up like a leader before you're called one. No shortcuts. No politics. Just clear moves that build trust, influence, and value. Which one do you think is most important? #CareerGrowth #PromotionTips #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkplaceSuccess #ProfessionalGrowth

If you haven’t been promoted in the last 12–18 months, here’s why. Promotions don’t happen because you’ve “done your time.” They happen when you show, day to day, that you’re already operating one level up. Here’s the difference: • Waiting to be told what’s next → Anticipating problems and suggesting fixes • Talking about how busy you are → Focusing on impact and outcomes • Playing it safe in meetings → Adding perspective, even if it’s uncomfortable • Asking “what should I do?” → Recommending a solution, not just asking • Only delivering what was asked → Delivering what was asked plus context your boss didn’t see • Keeping your head down and hoping someone notices → Making impact visible and linking it to goals Bottom line: Your boss won’t promote you for potential. They promote you when they already see you thinking and acting one level up. 👉 What’s one shift you’ve made that helped you get noticed for the next role? Follow me Karin Fourie for more practical playbooks on how to free up time, get promoted, and finally step into the role you’ve been chasing.