Factors Influencing Career Advancement Opportunities

70% of career-defining decisions about you happen when you're not even in the room. Are you certain your name is being spoken in these pivotal conversations? Promotions, high-profile assignments, strategic projects—all these critical decisions often unfold behind closed doors. The harsh truth: Your career depends on advocacy, not just performance. Stats that’ll jolt you awake: -A recent Harvard Business Review study confirms promotions depend 65% on reputation and only 35% on actual performance. -LinkedIn research reveals 92% of senior executives consider advocacy crucial for career advancement. -According to Forbes, employees with powerful internal advocates are 23% more likely to receive high-profile assignments and promotions. Here’s exactly how you ensure your name echoes loudly in critical rooms: ✅ Advocacy starts with genuine connections. Identify influential stakeholders and nurture relationships. It’s not about forced networking—it's about creating authentic trust. ✅ Advocates can’t champion your strengths if they’re unclear about them. Make your contributions visible and quantifiable. Clearly articulate your impact and ensure others can easily repeat your narrative. ✅When you advocate for others, you model leadership. Reciprocity is powerful. Speak up for your team’s talent, celebrate peers, and they’ll naturally amplify your voice too. ✅ Strategically Position Your Brand Consistently align your actions with the future role you desire. People advocate for leaders who clearly fit into opportunities that emerge—be that obvious fit. ✅ Create a Legacy of Reliability and Trust Your word and reputation are your biggest assets. If you consistently deliver excellence and integrity, people feel confident representing you even when you're not there. Your career won’t flourish from performance alone. It grows exponentially when powerful advocates champion you in spaces you don’t occupy. Want to cultivate advocacy, amplify your influence, and ensure your name gets mentioned positively and frequently? If you’re committed to being influential—even in the rooms you're not in—let’s have a conversation. 📩 Message me directly to explore an exclusive executive coaching partnership. ps: Infographic by Justin Wright #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipDevelopment #CareerAdvice #PersonalBranding #Leadership #Influence

🚀 The Hidden Barrier to Promotions: It's Not Just About Skills Ever wondered why high performers get stuck at the same level? My Harvard Business Review article reveals three critical dimensions that determine who gets promoted—and most people only focus on one. 📊 The Reality Check: • WHAT they do (technical skills) - the traditional focus area • WHO they know (relationships & networks) - often overlooked • HOW they get work done (executive presence, strategic thinking, influence) - the secret differentiator The most common feedback? "You're just not ready." But what does that really mean? 🎯 For CHROs & L&D Leaders: Your high-potential employees might excel at delivery but struggle with the strategic thinking and cross-functional influence that define senior roles. Are they having "the meeting before the meeting"? Do they understand organizational dynamics beyond their silo? 💡 The Framework: Through my Promotability Index®, I've identified 5 key elements organizations assess: self-awareness, external awareness, strategic thinking, executive presence, and thought leadership. Your next leaders need all three dimensions, not just technical excellence. 🔑 Key Insight: "Skills get you noticed, relationships get you considered, but HOW you operate gets you promoted." This comprehensive approach applies whether you're developing emerging leaders or preparing for C-suite transitions. Ready to unlock your organization's leadership potential? I offer both individual executive coaching, team, and organizational workshops (customizable from 1-8 hours) on the Promotability Index® framework. 💬 DM me to discuss how we can elevate your talent development strategy 📖 See the full HBR article in the comments below 🤔 What's your experience? Have you seen talented people get stuck despite strong performance? #Leadership #TalentDevelopment #Coaching #CareerAdvancement #CHRO #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutivePresence #OrganizationalDevelopment #TalentStrategy #OrganizationalCulture

📌 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗧𝗠 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 Are you frustrated that you can’t get to the next career level faster? Maybe it seems like the goal posts keep moving. You're not the only one facing this. Many high-achievers grapple with feeling undervalued, dealing with fears, and a lack of recognition for their potential. 💥 It's a complex gameboard where your career progression and status are continuously tested. The cost of not actively seeking that promotion? Career stagnation, untapped potential, and a drop in job satisfaction. This is where the concept of GameboardingTM comes into play. GameboardingTM is about recognizing and leveraging the unseen patterns and dynamics in your professional environment. It's understanding the hidden rules and strategic moves that dictate outcomes in your career. 📈 Only when you can read these hidden patterns can you master the game and ascend to the next level or get that coveted promotion, faster. To effectively apply GameboardingTM in your pursuit of advancement: ✔️ Pedigree: What is the word that comes to mind when the decision-makers think of you? Impact, Complainer, Disruptor? Your brand matters, at an immediate unconscious level. What to do? Craft and showcase your unique professional identity, aligning it with your career aspirations. ✔️ Performance: A CEO I coached said he makes promotions based upon the person already doing the job at the new level. Adapt, and make strategic moves that align with your promotion goals. ✔️ Political Savvy: It’s required. Your gameboard often requires more than merit to accelerate your career. Build a powerful network with key influencers and decision-makers, focusing on creating meaningful, reciprocal relationships. Remember, promotions are significantly influenced by how well you play the game of perception regarding pedigree, performance, and political savvy. Seek mentorship or coaching to provide valuable insights into navigating these dynamics, faster. Have you ever felt like you were playing an unseen game on your path to promotion? It’s Game On.👊🏻 #management #motivation #personaldevelopment #strategy #leadership #seniorexecutives

Throughout my career placing professionals across organizational levels, I've observed a counterintuitive pattern: the most productive employees often experience slower advancement than their more strategically visible counterparts.   This disconnect occurs because organizations promote based on perceived value rather than task completion volume.   The Visibility Gap: Most daily work remains invisible to decision-makers who determine advancement opportunities. Being exceptionally busy often signals poor prioritization rather than exceptional value.   Strategic Positioning Over Task Execution: Advancement requires demonstrating impact on organizational priorities rather than individual productivity metrics.   Cross-Functional Relationship Building: Promotion decisions often involve input from multiple stakeholders beyond immediate supervisors, making broader organizational visibility crucial.   Solution-Oriented Communication: Contributing meaningfully to strategic discussions and problem-solving initiatives creates more advancement opportunities than silent execution of assigned tasks.   The professionals who advance most rapidly understand that career growth requires intentional visibility management alongside excellent performance.   This doesn't diminish the importance of quality work, but recognizes that career advancement operates on different metrics than productivity optimization.   For those feeling stuck despite strong performance, the solution often lies in shifting focus from task completion to strategic contribution and ensuring that value creation is visible to advancement decision-makers.   What strategies have you found most effective for translating excellent work into career advancement opportunities?   Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://lnkd.in/ei_uQjju   #deepalivyas #eliterecruiter #recruiter #recruitment #jobsearch #corporate #promotion #promotions #careeradvancement #careerstrategist

How a Senior Manager was promoted to Senior Director in 4 Months. Let's break down this rapid career acceleration with a 5-step analysis. 1. Starting Position Senior Engineering Manager at a Fortune 500. Strong foundation but missing key elements: - Limited strategic influence - Tactical vs strategic focus - Invisible to key leaders 2. Leadership Assessment Quick benchmark of critical gaps: - Technical Excellence: A+ - Strategic Impact: C - Executive Presence: C- - Leadership Brand: D But Senior Director roles require A's across the board. 3. Growth Investment Strategy Realigned priorities: - Core role excellence: 25% - Strategic relationships: 35% - Leadership development: 20% - Brand building: 20% Key New Skill: - Uncovering decision-makers' needs - Positioning themselves as the answer. Career coaching revealed the invisible gaps and gave a step-by-step roadmap to close them. 4. Power Moves Critical elements that accelerated growth: - Uncovered executive stakeholder needs - Positioned themself as solutions to key problems - Built relationships with decision-makers - Generated strategic wins 5. Results & Impact Key transformations: - From tactical to strategic leader - From invisible to influential - From executor to multiplier - From manager to leader This rapid progression showcases 3 key principles: - Identify invisible gaps early - Get expert guidance to close them - Attract opportunities through growth Key distinction most people miss: Most people chase opportunities... -> And they always seem just out of reach. Instead, By closing key gaps And leveling up in the areas that matter... -> Opportunities start coming to you. (Pushing vs Creating Pull) But don't forget - being a high performer was the foundation. PS: This case study reflects repeatable patterns I've seen coaching hundreds of leaders. While timelines vary, the formula works: - Identify gaps, - Get guidance, - Solve real problems. - Close your gaps & level up - Attract opportunities by the leader you become. DM me to accelerate your leadership journey. #LeadershipGrowth #CareerAcceleration #ExecutiveSuccess

Are you doing the right things at work for a pay raise or promotion? One of the most important things you should do is think like the business. Too often employees do all the right things to get themselves ahead at work, when opportunities simply don't exist. Doing all the right things is great, but if the company doesn't have the open opportunities, employees can become frustrated. To make more money (get a raise), here are a four things to consider: 1. How much do you make today? Are you honestly underpaid or overpaid for what you do? Really be honest. 2. What's the typical pay range for your job? Some companies publish these ranges, while many times this requires outside research. 3. Is the company making more money? If they're not growing, expecting for you to grow, means you're going to outgrow them. You have to ask yourself, "Can the business afford to give me a raise?" 4. Last, even if they're business is making more money, what has been your role in that? Just because there is growth, doesn't automatically mean all boats rise. To get ahead (get a promotion), here also are two things to consider: 1. Are there currently (or soon to be) any openings in the company? Doing all the right things to get promoted could just make you overqualified. If there aren't any openings, a company typically won't create a job to promote someone into. 2. Time is not justification for promotion. Saying, "I've been here the longest," doesn't earn you a seat at the next level. You need to personally do everything required to fill that next job -- otherwise, they'll hire someone who will. Do you want to get ahead in your career, here are two things to do: 1. Know how the company makes money, and know how you and your job influences revenue growth. Know how you impact expenses. Revenue minus expense, equals profit. Promotions and pay raises come from profits. 2. Identify and implement ways to increase revenue and reduce expenses in your position. Every job influences these two metrics through operational effectiveness and efficiency. Just expecting to get a promotion or pay raise because you breathe doesn't work. But doing what's required, might not be enough either. If you want to climb, you need to think like the business. ….. Follow me if you enjoy discussing business and success daily. Click on the double notification bell 🔔 to be informed when I post. #betheeagle

The skills that get you to director won't get you to VP. Technical expertise builds careers.  Soft skills accelerate them. I've watched countless professionals hit plateaus  Not because they lacked expertise, But because they underinvested in the fundamental skills that amplify impact. 8 Soft Skills That Drive Career Advancement: 1. Adaptability: Update your work habits regularly to match changing conditions instead of protecting comfortable routines. 2. Communication: Ask for specific feedback on how you come across rather than assuming your message lands as intended. 3. Emotional Intelligence: Use personality assessments as tools for understanding, not labeling yourself or others. 4. Continuous Learning: Join study groups to learn collectively rather than trying to master everything independently. 5. Time Management: Apply the Eisenhower Matrix to distinguish between urgent and important rather than treating everything as critical. 6. Teamwork: Learn to navigate disagreements productively instead of avoiding necessary conflict. 7. Strategic Thinking: Develop frameworks and analyses to make decisions based on data and logic rather than gut feelings alone. 8. Influence: Learn from leaders you admire by studying their approach, not just their achievements. The difference between good and exceptional often comes down to these foundational capabilities. What soft skill gap is holding back your next career move?

How do you differentiate when everybody knows everybody? We live in a network-based ecosystem with LinkedIn, conferences, circles, and groups. Crossing paths with former colleagues or business partners within a particular industry is common. However, I also meet with individuals who state that their network is small and that it's hard for them to land their next role. The reality is that you don't have to be friends with those in decision-making roles. But you must be able to differentiate yourself from the masses. After all, when someone is looking to hire you, they are looking for results more than familiarity. Their choice of candidate or vendor also impacts the hiring manager's career success. Whether you are an individual looking for your next role or a company seeking clients, your differentiation will increase your chances of being selected. Four factors are at play - credibility, believability, trust, and value. 1. Credibility: How well do you showcase your credibility? Having the right expertise is only a start. Your brand must show that you have been around the block, learned from successes and failures, and know how to work around gray areas. A deeper understanding of the nuances of the role you are applying to or the project you pitch dramatically helps. Generic resumes, LinkedIn profiles, or company pitch decks will not help much. 2. Believability: Is your brand believable? If you have only 8 years of experience as a doer or expert and are applying for a position that demands 15+ years of well-rounded leadership experience, how much is that believable? Look at it from the hiring manager's perspective. There is little alignment if you claim big swings in savings and work for companies whose total revenue is a fraction of the hiring manager's annual budget. 3. Trustability Trust generally takes time to build. However, it's highly misunderstood. You don't have to work with a person for many years before you gain their trust. Trust building happens in stages through small, consistent, disciplined actions. While I may trust someone I have worked with for many years with something, I am willing to trust an unknown candidate with a much bigger budget and responsibility based on the interview process, their career trajectory, references, their homework through the interview preparation, and how they respond to my questions. 4. Value: It is of little value. Another highly misunderstood term is value. Although one may be an expert in a particular field or technology, there is still no clear and direct mapping between that experience and the company's points or opportunities. Also, given shifts in the company's priorities and focus, what is of high value will continue to change. Are we observant and proactively adapting our approach to those changes? This is one reason why someone considered highly valuable at the time of hire can sometimes find their value to the organization diminish. #datapreneursdaily

𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗺𝗼𝗸𝗲, 𝗡𝗼 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱.   Many leaders believe that performance alone will secure a senior executive promotion. Long hours, heroic saves, and deep technical chops must lead to career growth… right? Not quite. According to Harvey Coleman’s P.I.E. Theory of Success: • 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 = 10% of your career success • 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 = 30% • 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 = 60% If you’re relying on performance alone, you’re leaving 90% of your success opportunity on the table. 𝗔 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 One Director of Application Development I worked with was exceptional at fixing outages and solving urgent system failures. Every time chaos hit, he stepped in. But because he was always in the weeds: • He never built influence beyond his tactics • He missed strategic planning meetings • He wasn’t visible to execs    Meanwhile, a less experienced manager began attending VP-level conversations. She built relationships, contributed insights, and made herself known. At the next promotion cycle, she got the nod. He stayed behind. Not because he wasn’t good enough, but because he wasn’t 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 as strategic enough. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 Great leaders don’t just 𝘥𝘰 the work, they build 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 that can do the work without them. Here’s how to start: ✅ Delegate what you’ve mastered ✅ Coach your team to take the lead ✅ Get into strategic rooms and speak up ✅ Make offers to help your boss win 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 game You’re not being paid to be the hero. You’re being paid to build the system that doesn’t 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 one. 📣 Repost this to help someone stop being “too valuable to promote.” 👥 Follow me for more tools to grow into your next leadership role. #ExecutivePresence  #LeadershipDevelopment  #PromotionTips  #CareerGrowth

Bangaly Kaba was head of growth at Instagram, an early growth PM at Facebook, VP of Product at Instacart, and is currently Director of Product at YouTube overseeing a global team working on creator monetization. Bangaly is on multiple boards, has been a growth advisor to dozens of consumer companies, (including Twitter), and rarely talks publicly. In our conversation, Bangaly shares: 🔸 A framework for choosing where to work and what to work on 🔸 Why you need time for “understand work” 🔸 The “adjacent users” theory 🔸 Advice for coaching product managers 🔸 Invaluable lessons and wild stories from his time at Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube 🔸 Much more Listen now 👇 - YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gh_vhnaX - Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gEK3cgQy - Apple: https://lnkd.in/gHxaaTgR Some key takeaways: 1. To advance your career, focus on creating impact: impact = skills x environment. a. Environment is everything that enables you to do great work that is outside of your direct control, including: manager, resources, team, scope, compensation, and culture. b. Skills are things that are within your direct control that enable your success: communication (the most impactful), influence/leadership, strategic thinking, and execution. 2. Understanding “adjacent users” can be a key to unlocking new stages of growth. Adjacent users are the next segment of people who can benefit from your product and are showing interest but are not quite converting and retaining how you’d hope. You can identify these users by looking for cohorts showing signals that your product is almost a fit (e.g. signing up) but not quite working (e.g. churning at high rates). For example, at one point, Instacart’s core user base may have been office admins ordering food for their staff, but the adjacent user was a mom of four ordering groceries. The mom of four has very different needs, so it would be important for Instacart to build for those in order to grow into the new segment. 3. Bangaly says to view product management as analogous to coaching a sports team. Just like in sports, not everyone needs to be a star player, but everyone plays a crucial role in achieving success. Similarly, the success of individual team members reflects back on the leader. Investing time and effort into coaching and developing team members not only benefits them but also enhances the leader’s effectiveness in their role. 4. Before executing on a product idea, do “understand work” to truly understand pain points, alternatives, and, ultimately, the best opportunities. Too often, teams have an idea, find some data to justify it, and then start executing. And too often, this leads to failed experiments. Instead, invest time up front in understanding what is happening through things like data instrumentation, data analysis, or talking to users.