Getting a promotion is not only a matter of doing your job well, but also of communicating your value to your boss and your organization. You need to show them how you contribute to their goals, solve their problems, and bring positive changes. In this article, you will learn some of the most effective ways to communicate your value and get a promotion.
Your unique value proposition (UVP) is the statement that summarizes what you do, how you do it, and why you do it better than others. It should highlight your skills, achievements, and impact in a clear and concise way. To craft your UVP, you need to understand your boss's and your organization's needs, expectations, and challenges. Then, you need to align your UVP with those needs and show how you can help them achieve their desired outcomes.
1. Use measurable achievements to highlight your contributions. 2. Document Your Successes. 3. Highlight Skills and Development 4. Align with Company Goals 4. Demonstrate Leadership and Initiative 5. Prepare for the Promotion Conversation
Your unique value is your ability to enable success in your team with your colleagues and manager. The more tools and practices at your disposal, the more influential you are and with unique value. Ask your self what are your main strengths that will help you and your team to achieve your objectives. This is your starting point and from here you need to have the appropriate communication and collaboration skills to make a significant impact.
From my point of view, your value proposition is close to what can be your contribution to company/business. There is no other way to value it than to measure the contribution in the beginning and current, evolution and connected always with external environment. On the other side other things like customer/development in more focus on the quality of the job developed, it cannot be measured but has to be valued.
Unique value is how you contribute to the organization's success and how they measure success. Remember, you are hired (and promoted) on the basis of contributing more than what you are paid. If you can't find a path to that equation, then it will be hard to show your worth.
Numbers speak louder than words when it comes to communicating your value. You need to measure and showcase your results and achievements in terms of key performance indicators (KPIs), such as revenue, profit, customer satisfaction, productivity, quality, or innovation. You also need to demonstrate how your results and achievements compare to your peers, your industry standards, or your previous performance. By quantifying your value, you can show your boss and your organization that you are not only doing your job, but also exceeding expectations and adding value.
Having clear, measurable KPIs agreed upon with your manager is needed to assess your contribution. Sometimes it can be as simple as setting a $$$ target for sale, and sometimes, it is more challenging, for example, when automating a process with the objective to save manual effort. Being proactive and striving to measure yourself means relying on more than just your manager to give you feedback. You can monitor yourself, adjust when needed, and know you are on the right track,
Feedback and recognition are essential for communicating your value and getting a promotion. You need to seek feedback from your boss, your colleagues, your customers, and other stakeholders on a regular basis. You need to ask them what they think of your work, how you can improve, and what they appreciate about you. You also need to share your feedback with them and thank them for their support and collaboration. By seeking feedback and recognition, you can show your boss and your organization that you are open to learning, growing, and improving, and that you value their opinions and contributions.
Your network and influence are also important for communicating your value and getting a promotion. You need to build and maintain relationships with people who can vouch for your work, advocate for your interests, and support your career growth. You also need to expand your network and influence beyond your immediate circle and reach out to people who can offer you new opportunities, insights, and resources. By building your network and influence , you can show your boss and your organization that you are well-connected, respected, and trusted, and that you can leverage your relationships for mutual benefit.
Your potential and aspirations are also crucial for communicating your value and getting a promotion. You need to showcase your potential by taking on new challenges, learning new skills, and exploring new areas of interest. You also need to express your aspirations by communicating your career goals, your vision, and your values. You need to show your boss and your organization that you are not only good at what you do, but also eager to do more, learn more, and achieve more. By showcasing your potential and aspirations, you can show your boss and your organization that you are ready for the next level and that you have a lot to offer.
People can be high performers in their organization and still need to realize their full potential. This is where supportive and energized managers can recognize additional skills and "raise the bar" for the employee to excel and take on new challenges. However, not all managers are mindful of their employees' potential. I encourage employees to keep their eyes open when performing their tasks, to identify additional opportunities. Then, consult with colleagues and managers to introduce new ideas. Don't be shy about it. You may get a "NO" answer and, at the same time, be guided in a new direction to fulfill your aspirations. Sometimes, finding a good match between your skills and the value you can deliver takes time and a few attempts.
Keep track of all your accomplishments: projects you led, results you had, even if negatives, the learnings and next steps you took. Also keep track of peer feedback. Some companies do formal 360 feedback reviews. If yours doesn't , create a form and send it out to peers. Keep the responses so you can then show what others say about you, how you contribute to their work. Data is your best friend here :)
The only way to show potential and aspirations is to do more and do it better. When you live out as a leader, your boss will identify you as a leader. Think from a leader's perspective, think from a boss' perspective, what are they trying to achieve in the activity. Do what you can to enable it. In that, you show that you are not just follower, but a leader they can trust to enable their work and ease their burden.
Finally, you need to communicate your value with confidence and clarity. You need to use clear, concise, and positive language that highlights your strengths, your accomplishments, and your contributions. You also need to use confident, assertive, and respectful tone that expresses your self-esteem, your professionalism, and your enthusiasm. You need to avoid using vague, weak, or negative words that undermine your value, your credibility, or your motivation. By communicating with confidence and clarity, you can show your boss and your organization that you are confident in your value and that you deserve a promotion.
Everything here is true, but there is one additional aspect: Perspective. The very best communicators are those that are able to tune their communications to the perspective of their audience. It makes it easier for the audience to understand and accept.
When I have been asked about hiring and/or promotion criteria, I always have one that trumps all others: Everyone on my team has to get a gold star on "works well with others". I can help with skills, training, and experience, but if you can't work well with others there is little I can do to help you.