How to Advance as a Senior TPM Faster

If your process wins aren’t getting noticed, you’re not a strategic TPM. And that’s exactly why you’re not getting promoted. As a TPM, streamlining process is part of the job. But to get promoted? It’s not enough to do the work. You need strategic visibility. Yesterday I shared a TPM playbook with 6 tactics to go from stagnant to promotion-ready. Today, I’m deep-diving into making your impact visible for Tactic 1: Stop over-rotating on process. Remember: Process is a tool, not the outcome. It should remove friction, not create more of it. Let’s say you did all the right things: ↳Diagnosed the problem via team input ↳Got stakeholder support early ↳Co-designed a pilot to reduce resistance ↳Iterated based on feedback ↳Tracked measurable business impact Now what? You don’t just want a better process. You want to be seen as a strategic operator who drives results that matter. You want to go From: You streamlined a process. To: You’re known for reducing friction, increasing velocity, & improving ROI. Here’s how I turn ops work into promotion-worthy visibility: 1. Tell the Business Story Internally ↳In 1:1s, retros, demos, reviews ↳Frame it: "After working with teams on [problem], we piloted a new process that saved [X hours / $Y / Z% cycle time]. Feedback’s been positive, & we’re seeing [impact tied to KPI]. I’m now documenting it for other teams.” Why it matters: Shows leadership, systems thinking, & cross-functional influence. Gives your manager something to champion when you’re not in the room. 2. Make It Easy for Others to Brag About You ↳Create artifacts that travel: - Summary doc: “What was broken, what we fixed, what we learned” - Slack/email update: “Cut onboarding time by 28%." Bonus: Add a quote from someone impacted Why it matters: Artifacts get reused in team meetings, promo packets, & exec convos. You’re making your impact portable & repeatable. 3. Turn It Into Thought Leadership ↳Post on LinkedIn: - Hook: A bold truth about process bloat - Story: What you saw, what you changed - Result: Metrics or direct quote - Insight: What others can learn or copy Why it matters: You’re not just building credibility inside your org. You’re building your personal leadership brand across the industry. 4. Track It. Package It. Reuse It. ↳Use every win 3x: - Promo packet: “Cut launch cycle by 25% across 4 teams” - Interview: “Tell me about a time you influenced without authority…” - Resume: “Rolled out async status updates, saving 300+ hours/quarter” ↳Keep a brag doc with: Key metrics, Quotes, Screenshots, Docs Why it matters: You’re creating a library of proof. One that speaks for you across teams, roles, and opportunities. Bottom line: Process work alone won’t get you promoted. Strategic storytelling about business impact will. DM me! I mentor stagnated TPMs to level up with tactics that earn influence, recognition, & comp growth. Follow for more like this.

I became an Amazon VP 20 years into my career. Meet Ryan Peterman, who became a Meta Staff Engineer in 3 years! He and I have each discovered and used the same process by different names: 1) He says "Exceed expectations at your level." I have called this "Do your job well." Whatever you call it, you cannot approach your manager about growth without first nailing your current job. 2) He says "Be direct with your managers about promotion." I have said, "Ask your manager how you can help the group that helps you grow." Both are conversations about your desire to do more and move up. 3) He says "Find next-level scope." I call my approach the Magic Loop and tell you to repeat asking for growth each time you finish a project or master a new responsibility. Both are about growing your scope to the next level. 4) He says "Maintain next-level behaviors and impact." Again, I say "repeat" the Magic Loop, which includes "Do your job well." Once you have expanded your responsibilities to new, harder challenges, then you must again demonstrate mastery. Ryan is today's Newsletter guest author, and he provides 12 pages of deep detail on how to "Speedrun" the promotion path from entry level to Staff Engineer. Read his article here: https://lnkd.in/g95v2SiW For the IC engineer track, it's hard to imagine going faster than Ryan did, so read his advice. For leaders, here is my actual career in summary: 1993: Engineer 1995: Lead Engineer / TPM 1996: Manager 1998: Director (midsize company) 2000: VP (startup, ~30 team members) 2001: VP (startup #2, ~15 team members) 2004: VP (startup #3, ~15 team members) 2005: Sr. Manager (Amazon, 6 team members) 2007: Director (Amazon, 22 team members) 2013: VP (Amazon, 500 team members) 2020: “Retired” to build my business, age 50 I made it to VP relatively young because I moved up quickly and consistently. Here is how you can move up as fast as possible: 1) Get recognized early. The first 30–180 days in a new role are crucial. Enter with a clear learning plan and work hard. First impressions last. 2) Understand what your manager needs. Do your job well. Ask what else your manager needs, then take care of it. As you get familiar, anticipate those needs without asking. Repeat this. 3) Get recognized. People who share their wins get promoted. Share your wins with your manager, skip-level, and others. 4) Take risks. Big wins require risk. Sometimes you’ll fail and need to recover--but no one builds a standout career by playing it safe. 5) Get specific guidance. This advice is general. To move faster, get targeted help: courses, coaching, and expert materials. For those aiming at executive leadership, enroll in one of my cohorts of Break Through to Executive: https://lnkd.in/gJ-HgWdk

How I Made the Leap from Project Manager to Senior PM Early in my career, I believed hard work would speak for itself. → I kept my head down. → I delivered on time. → I waited to be noticed. But here’s the truth that no one teaches you: You don’t get promoted for what you do. You get promoted for how you think. And senior-level roles aren’t given. They’re earned through strategic visibility. What changed everything: → I stopped acting like a task manager and started thinking like a business partner. → I stopped waiting to be invited and started taking up space. → I made sure my impact was seen, not just assumed. → I connected my projects to real outcomes. → I led conversations, not just meetings. → I learned to influence across teams, not just manage timelines. Fast forward to today: → I lead initiatives that drive executive-level goals. → I help teams align faster and deliver smarter. → I don’t just track progress—I shape it. For any project manager aiming for that next level: → Start thinking beyond the checklist. → Learn the language of value, not just velocity. → Stop hiding behind deliverables and start owning your leadership. Every uncomfortable decision. Every executive update. Every room I once felt too small to stand in. That’s what built my credibility. That’s how I positioned myself for senior leadership. What advice would you give PMs looking to move into a senior PM role?

Moving up the ladder in project management isn’t just about time served. It’s about how you grow in the role. I’ve seen people go from project coordinator to senior PM in a few short years. Not because they had all the answers, but because they showed leadership before they had the title. Here’s what I’ve learned about climbing the PM ladder: 🔹 Own the outcome; not just the tasks - Stop just checking boxes. Start thinking like the person responsible for delivery. 🔹 Learn to lead up, down, and across. Managing stakeholders well is just as important as managing timelines. 🔹 Speak the language of business. If you want to move into senior roles, talk about value, not just effort. 🔹 Keep building your people skills. The higher you go, the more it becomes about influence, not control. And most importantly: 🔹 Don’t wait for permission to lead. Step up, speak up, and show up as the next-level version of you...now. Because here’s the truth: 📈 You don’t level up and then start acting like a senior PM. You start acting like one and then you level up! #ProjectManagement #CareerGrowth #Leadership #TheGoodPMLife #PMCareers #LevelUp