You want to get promoted, but are you making these common mistakes? If you aspire to advance your career in executive management, you need to avoid some pitfalls that can hold you back or damage your reputation. Here are six common mistakes that you should be aware of and how to overcome them.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not having a clear and realistic goal for your career progression. Without a goal, you will lack direction, motivation, and focus. You will also miss opportunities to demonstrate your value and potential to your superiors and peers. To avoid this mistake, you need to define what you want to achieve, why you want it, and how you will get there. You also need to align your goal with your organization's vision, mission, and values. Having a clear goal will help you plan your actions, measure your progress, and communicate your aspirations.
As you progress in your career and meet with success in your current role, senior leaders may take notice and may offer you opportunities for advancement in areas they need assistance in. These may not be areas which advance your career in a desired direction - so it's important to be prepared. To know whether these are the right opportunities for you, there should be a clear strategy as to what you want in your career for responsibility, stability, work function, etc. Once this strategy has been mapped out and WRITTEN DOWN (I am a huge fan of memorializing this type of information) you will be able to assess more clearly whether the opportunity advances your career in a positive direction.
View your career as if it was a business - it is the business of you in a lot of ways. In this context, you'll need a strategy before you formulate a plan and once you have a strategy, you can take effective action while positioning yourself in alignment with that longer-term vision. This way you can accelerate yourself to becoming front of mind in your organisation, industry or area of expertise - resulting in inbound promotions and opportunities finding to you, rather than you simply 'wanting' to get promoted.
Another common mistake is not seeking feedback from others, especially from your boss and your team. Feedback is essential for your professional growth, as it helps you identify your strengths and weaknesses, improve your performance, and learn from your mistakes. Feedback also shows that you are open to learning, willing to change, and respectful of other perspectives. To avoid this mistake, you need to ask for feedback regularly, listen to it attentively, and act on it accordingly. You also need to give feedback to others, as it builds trust, rapport, and collaboration.
A third common mistake is not networking with people inside and outside your organization. Networking is not only about exchanging business cards or attending events. It is about building meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships with people who can support your career development, share insights and opportunities, and advocate for you. Networking also helps you expand your knowledge, skills, and perspectives, as well as your influence and visibility. To avoid this mistake, you need to network strategically, proactively, and authentically. You also need to maintain and nurture your existing contacts, as well as seek new ones.
A fourth common mistake is not delegating tasks and responsibilities to others, especially to your team. Delegating is not a sign of weakness or laziness. It is a sign of trust, empowerment, and leadership. Delegating helps you free up your time and energy for more strategic and high-value activities, as well as develop your team's capabilities and confidence. Delegating also helps you avoid burnout, stress, and micromanagement. To avoid this mistake, you need to delegate effectively, clearly, and fairly. You also need to monitor and support the delegated tasks, as well as recognize and reward the outcomes.
A fifth common mistake is not learning new things or updating your existing knowledge and skills. Learning is not only about taking courses or reading books. It is about being curious, adaptable, and innovative. Learning helps you keep up with the changing trends, challenges, and opportunities in your field, as well as enhance your competence and credibility. Learning also helps you discover new possibilities, solutions, and ideas, as well as your own potential. To avoid this mistake, you need to learn continuously, actively, and diversely. You also need to apply and share what you learn, as well as seek feedback and improvement.
Es gibt grunds?tzlich drei gro?e Ebenen von Lernen: ?? Ebene 1: Neue F?higkeit (new skill), sog. assimilatives Lernen. Ich gleiche mich irgendwie an. ?? Ebene 2: Neues Denken (new learning), sog. akkomodatives Lernen. Ich lege das Neue an; lebe es! ?? Ebene 3: Neues Bewusstsein (awareness shift), sog. transformatives Lernen. Ich erlange ein neues Mindset/neue Haltung. Egal, ich neue F?higkeit, neue Fertigkeit oder neue Haltung gewinne, es wird Dir zeitversetzt wieder helfen.
A sixth common mistake is not celebrating your achievements and successes, as well as those of others. Celebrating is not only about throwing parties or giving awards. It is about acknowledging, appreciating, and expressing gratitude for the efforts, results, and impacts that you and others have made. Celebrating helps you boost your morale, confidence, and motivation, as well as reinforce your values and vision. Celebrating also helps you strengthen your relationships, culture, and reputation, as well as inspire others to do the same. To avoid this mistake, you need to celebrate regularly, sincerely, and inclusively. You also need to celebrate the process, not just the outcome, as well as the failures, not just the successes.
H?ufige Fehler die bzgl einer Bef?rderung gemacht werden sind: - Du glaubst ?Gute Leistung spricht für sich“ arbeitest flei?ig, machst einen super Job, deine Kunden und Kollegen sehen das AU?ER Deine Chefs. Und gerade bei denen muss Du Dich klar positionieren, sonst gehst Du unter. - Du wartest, dass man Dir Aufstiegsm?glichkeiten aufzeigt, statt selbst das Zepter in die Hand zu nehmen. - Du sprichst mehr von dem was noch gemacht werden muss, statt das was Du bereits erfolgreich abgeschlossen hast zu betonen - Du glaubst, dass es nur auf Fachkompetenz ankommt. Autsch! Diese spielt gerade in hohen Positionen eine geringere Rolle. Je h?her Du aufsteigst, desto strategischer wird es. - Du untersch?tzt Sichtbarkeit & Netzwerk
Aiming for a promotion but hitting a wall? You might be making some common mistakes without realising it. One big error is not speaking up about your achievements. Think of it like this: if you don't share your wins, how will others know? A study by LinkedIn found that employees who regularly communicate their successes are more likely to get promoted. Also, focusing only on your tasks and not on how you can help your boss and the company can slow you down. Remember, leaders look for team players who also shine individually. Start showcasing your value and how you lift others, and you might just see that promotion on the horizon!