This is the second in a series of posts where I will show you the ins and outs of getting promoted. Missed the first one – you can learn Where Do I Start to Get Promoted here.
Why? Because my new course, GET PROMOTED is open and I want you to see how much juicy information will be packed into this four-week adventure. I hope you’ll join us!
What Can I Do to Get Promoted?
Getting promoted doesn’t just happen by accident. I’m sure by now you’ve figured that out. There is a formula to increase your odds of getting promoted. And here’s a hint – it’s not just putting in long hours.
Luckily for you, you can control many of your own actions and activities to leverage the different components of the formula. So here’s what you can do to GET PROMOTED.
You must over-deliver
Delivering at a high level is not the same as working hard or long hours. This is where many people, or outside influences, tend to get it wrong.
It’s not important how many hours you are putting in at work, what’s important is your output. Obviously you still need to show up and be a part of the team, but outside of those “in-person or presence” expectations, you need to consistently deliver above expectations.
This means hitting a homerun at every opportunity. It’s not enough to just get the job done. It has to be done faster, better, or more impressive than what you promised.
Start by evaluating your last five projects or so – refer back to your most recent performance review if you need some ideas. Did you meet expectations or exceed them? How did you “wow” your boss?
What did you deliver that is uniquely you. In other words, what value-add did you provide that makes it above expectations?
Begin there. Look at the projects and activities on your plate and break them down into smaller milestones so you are able to “win” or exceed expectations at every step.
You’ll find that it’s not as difficult as you think it is, to provide more. You’re already a high-performer, right? So take that energy and knowledge and deliver it in small and big increments to over-deliver.
Find solutions, not problems
You know I’m a big fan of deliver solutions, never coming to the table with only problems. Take that guidance and apply it to new projects and situations that aren’t already on your radar.
If you’re a big fan of efficiency, what process or procedure is irking you every time you have to go through it? That should be your next side project. If you can’t stand how awful your coffee options are in the kitchen, try to work on improving it.
Small examples here, but I think you get the drift. Find new pain points for your direct customers, internal or external, and start figuring out and delivering solutions.
You don’t want to be known as the problem-finder, you want to be known as the troubleshooter and solution deliverer. Find the problem, but present it always with a potential solution.
Self-awareness is King
You probably think you’re already incredibly self-aware. Let me be clear with you, you still have some work to do here (we all do).
Being self-aware is about knowing how you impact and influence others around you (in it’s super condensed definition). In a work setting, this means understanding how to communicate to different styles and personalities, as well as reining in some of your own quirks when it’s not benefiting you in the long run.
Be cognizant of what you do and know that will help you, and what will hurt you. It’s a hard conversation to have with yourself, trust me, but being truly self-aware will make getting promoted a whole lot easier.
So, that’s what you can and where you can start. Next week I’m going to talk about Dealing with Unique/Weird Work Situations. For now, go check out GET PROMOTED. Go on, it’s worth a look.
