Promotion, But Make It Strategic

“Doing Great Work” Is Not a Career Plan, It’s a Visibility Trap

That sounds noble, but let’s translate:

“If you’re excellent enough, someone will eventually notice and reward you.”

Sometimes they will.
More often:

• You’ll be taken for granted
• Your reliability will mask your innovation
• The louder voices will get credited for your groundwork
• You’ll teach the new hires, redesign the systems, fix the vibes, and remain under-titled

So yes, do excellent work.
But make sure someone besides your conscience knows about it.

Not Just This	But Also This
Delivering results	Communicating impact clearly
Being dependable	Being seen as irreplaceable
Taking initiative	Tying your ideas to organisational priorities
Getting things done	Helping others see what couldn’t have happened without you
Being liked	Being respected, and sometimes feared (strategically)

Promotion isn’t just about merit.
It’s about narrative control.

• Showing your manager how your work ladders into company goals
• Naming what success looks like, and documenting when you reach it
• Building alliances across departments so more people can vouch for your brilliance
• Coaching quietly behind the scenes, then naming it without false modesty
• Asking for career development, not just more tasks
• Saying, “I’d like to explore a new scope. Can we co-design that?”

None of these require becoming a corporate influencer.
They require strategic clarity with a sprinkle of charisma.

☐ Who’s advocating for you in closed-door conversations
☐ Whether your work solves problems for people with influence
☐ Whether you’re building trust that translates into permission
☐ How replaceable they think you are
☐ Whether your tone matches the cultural appetite (louder, quieter, more polished, more entrepreneurial)

You don’t have to be someone you’re not.
But you do have to help them see the version of you that fits where they think the org is going.

“I’ve taken note of the impact I’ve had this year. Can we explore growth opportunities?”
“I’ve been operating beyond my scope. I’d love to talk about how to formally reflect that.”
“Here’s a summary of initiatives I’ve led. I’d appreciate your thoughts on positioning for advancement.”
“I’ve been thinking about the next layer of value I can bring, and I’d love to co-design what that looks like.”
“I’m not looking for a title. I’m looking for alignment and recognition. Can we talk about options?”

Not demanding.
Not desperate.
Just direct, with dignity.

Promotion conversations can feel risky.
Especially if:

• You’re conflict-averse
• You’ve experienced retaliation before
• You fear being seen as “ungrateful” or “ambitious”
• You’re socialised to underplay your strengths
• You’re not sure you’ll stay if this doesn’t shift

So ground yourself:

• Reframe “asking” as “sharing readiness”
• Prepare with examples, not over-apologies
• Practice out loud: “I’ve earned this growth. I’m naming it because it matters.”
• Let someone hype you first
• Remember: they’re allowed to say no. You’re allowed to re-ask later, or leave.

Getting promoted isn’t just climbing a ladder.
It’s shifting the way people see you, and how you see yourself.

It’s asking:

• Am I visible?
• Am I growing where I’m planted, or withering?
• Is this title reflecting my contribution, or erasing it?
• What would change, for them and for me, if I stepped up?

You deserve recognition.
Not as a favour.
As a reflection of the impact already made.

So don’t just work harder.
Work louder.
Work clearer.
Work with the unflinching belief that you’ve already arrived.

For deeper dives, shared tools, and future rituals, visit us.