You've been working hard, delivering results, and showing your potential. But somehow, you're always overlooked for a promotion. What are you doing wrong? In this article, we'll explore some common reasons why you might be stuck in your current role, and how you can overcome them with coaching and mentoring.
One of the biggest obstacles to getting promoted is not knowing what you need to improve. Maybe you're making mistakes that you're not aware of, or you're missing some skills that are essential for the next level. To find out, you need to ask for feedback from your manager, your peers, and your customers. Feedback is a gift that can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, and set goals for your development. Don't be afraid to ask for feedback regularly, and be open to constructive criticism.
Promotion is usually about 2 elements: 1) org. structure - is there actually a position to move into? If yes,then what competencies you already have and what do you need to work on? If no, is there is any plan to change that and what are the other areas of growth for you? 2) the second part is about you. What does promotion mean to you? Financial growth/status quo/recognition or anything else? If you know the reasons for not being promoted- how much is within your control? Are there skills/knowledge/experience to gain? If you have the answers, you probably know what the next step should be. And if you don't have the answers yet, then have the conversations.
Face career differently! The outdated "ladder" perspective for careers influences a lot of frustration such as the one related with "not getting a promotion". Let's face it, organisations are becoming leaner and flatter by the day, so "promotions" are also moves to other roles where you'll gain more expertise, be potentially happier and find a new "why".
Ask yourself a better question: "What am I doing right?" People get promoted because their actions and outcomes are "pro" in nature--they move us (and organizations) forward. Start by asking yourself, "What am I doing right that's worthy of a promotion based on the requirements of my role?" Identity the gaps. Use that to your advantage to take new action. Asking yourself this question instead, keeps you out of victim perspective and puts you at the cause of your career--not the effect of it. Sharing these insights with the manger might just set in motion a future promotion (with a much clearer roadmap with how to get there).
If you are not getting promoted: 1. You are not playing your game well 2. You do not have sponsor 3. You are not being visible 4. Your company is not expanding 5. There is no vacancy for your type of work 6. You are not aligned with organisational needs 7. You need a regular supervision..etc
I believe that people who want to get promoted need to assess and figure out what it means to excel in their chosen field, and then outwork and outhustle everyone else. To work at a high level, one has to find another gear they didn't know they had. A person gets promoted by producing strong results over time where they prove themself to be the best. Actions matter, not words. One must demonstrate results and a positive, kind attitude. They give their boss no choice but to find career growth for them or risk losing them to a competitor. Promotion also requires a high sense of urgency, follow-through, and both internal and external customer service. Treat every customer, co-worker, and supervisor with respect and urgency.
Another reason why you might not get promoted is that you're not visible enough. You might be doing a great job, but if no one knows about it, you won't get the recognition you deserve. Visibility is not about bragging or self-promotion, it's about sharing your achievements, your insights, and your value with the right people. To increase your visibility, you need to communicate effectively, network strategically, and showcase your expertise. You can also seek opportunities to take on more responsibility, lead projects, or mentor others.
It is essential to assess whether the right people have truly seen your work and had recognized the value and impact it brings. Sometimes, despite your efforts and contributions, visibility and advocacy to key people are crucial for advancement. One of the keys to visibility is to advocate for yourself
Branding yourself is an important aspect of getting seen or being visible to leadership as a potential candidate for an upcoming promotion. Branding is not bragging about yourself. But ensuring your contribution is seen by others around you, especially people up in hierarchy. There is a lot of talent around. Getting yours recognised is hard and hence talking about your skillset through projects you did wonderfully well with people helps to sail through the competition a bit.
My mother always said, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease." Some people are really great at voicing their contributions, for others it's much more difficult. There are a great number of reasons for this including personality, upbringing, and a myriad of points when we think about challenges around EDI. The bottom line is, we can hope that others will advocate for us, but we need to challenge ourselves to have our own backs more. If you're not used to speaking up for yourself, it can be hard to get started but with each act of self love and self celebration, this will get easier. If you're struggling to do so, a coach or even a trusted colleague friend can help you to keep accountable to self advocacy.
If you are stuck behind a selfish manager, who would sideline you and sabotage your growth due to their own insecurity, could make it awfully difficult for you to gain visibility.
Organizations are sometimes looking for people who can expand horizons as they take on larger responsibilities. This also entails cross-functional knowledge. Moving horizontally first and expanding your horizons is a great way to build visibility, and then be seen for senior leader roles, with the gained org understanding. Hence seek opportunities which can help you expand your skill set and horizons.
A third reason why you might not get promoted is that you lack confidence. You might doubt your abilities, fear failure, or avoid challenges. This can hold you back from pursuing your career goals, and make you appear less competent and credible. Confidence is not something you're born with, it's something you can build with practice and support. To boost your confidence, you need to acknowledge your achievements, embrace your strengths, and face your fears. You can also seek coaching and mentoring from someone who can inspire you, challenge you, and guide you.
Confidence is built by consistently delivering on small commitments, which snowballs into larger accomplishments. Neglecting these "little things" erodes confidence and shrinks one's potential. By following through on small tasks, individuals establish a foundation for growth, develop a sense of reliability, and cultivate the self-assurance needed to tackle bigger challenges. Conversely, neglecting these small tasks undermines confidence, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of doubt and limitation.
Believing that you deserve a promotion or being recognized is half the battle to getting there. I work with many clients who deep down don’t actually have the confidence that deserve or are worthy of reaching the next level in their careers, either for fear of a lack of the right skills or because they compare themselves others who they believe to be more able than they are. Although it’s harsh to hear, if you don’t believe in yourself why should others believe in you. When this is the case we start unpacking the limiting beliefs that lie under the surface, often related to assumptions around power, success and getting ahead.
We all have confidence that fluctuates from time to time. I think that is normal. However, the best way to boost confidence is to take imperfect action. You may not always succeed immediately, but you will figure it out by trial and error. This action will prove to yourself that you cannot only do it, but you will demonstrate to yourself that you are amazing. Pure grit, resilience in the face of adversity, and taking imperfect action will create confidence.
Ask - be clear in what you want and ask yourself what it means to have it. Keep asking until the feeling of motivation and excitement comes with the thoughts of achievement. Believe - the feelings of excitement come from believing you have what you ask for. To understand this, when you think of buying something online, once you order it you start to feel happy and excited about it arriving. This is the same about your goals, once you’ve asked and believe it’s coming it hard not think you have it. Receive - When you believe before you receive it is inevitable that you will receive what you want. That feeling of accomplishment excitement and satisfaction comes from knowing it is done.
A fourth reason why you might not get promoted is that you're not aligned with your organization's vision, values, and culture. You might have different expectations, preferences, or styles than your leaders, colleagues, or customers. This can create misunderstandings, conflicts, or gaps in your performance. Alignment is not about conforming or compromising, it's about understanding and adapting to your environment. To achieve alignment, you need to clarify your purpose, your goals, and your role. You can also seek feedback, guidance, and support from your manager, your mentor, or your coach.
Make sure you are working on the right things. People often get caught up in the tasks that not really a priority for the organization. Understanding and aligning your efforts to what's important to the business is a great way to show off your skills and talent. It seems like a little thing, but its not just about working hard. It's about working smart. I not long ago gave someone advice who was extremely driven and a hard worker. But often procrastinated on asks from senior leaders which was not received well. Digging deeper, this person saw firefighting issues as their primary job. So he didn't address any issue until it was a fire. Sometimes a shift in focus is required and it takes a mentor to help you see the big picture.
Searching your true purpose also helps you gain alignment. - Some of your behaviours may not be aligned to what the org leadership is looking for, and feedback from others can improve that - But what 'you' really want, is only known to you. How you associate with the company's vision, and bring about your alignment is up to you. Give some thought to this - it can help in aligning your personal goals to the company's vision, and how your leadership can help the company achieve their goals
In HR, I've noticed a common barrier to advancement is misalignment, not with the broad company ethos, but within the immediate team or department. This issue, often overlooked, is not about the big-picture values but about "fitting in" to the smaller, everyday dynamics of one's immediate working environment. After working with thousands of people across the globe from engineers to operations workers, I've seen many struggle to assimilate into their team's culture, affecting sense of belonging and connection with their team. Despite having confidence, a functioning feedback system, and visibility, misfit with team culture can stall career progression. This highlights need for well-aligned team environments to support individual growth.
One of the reasons people do not align with there employers mission and vision is because the employer isn’t clear on this and fails to deliver the message clearly. Make sure that the message is clear. A lot of employees don’t get the guidance they need because they don’t ask. Make sure you have the information to help you align with your company and the message is clear.
Alignment is also about your timing. To be truly in alignment with a new opportunity it needs to be the right time for you. So often we convince ourselves it’s the right time because the pay is better or perhaps there’s more kudos attached to a role. But craving fame and fortune aren’t going get you the job. You need to be brutally honest with yourself about the timing of the role and whether your moment aligns with your prospective employer. When they do align, they’ll be no stopping you!
A fifth reason why you might not get promoted is that you're not growing enough. You might be comfortable in your current role, or reluctant to learn new things. This can make you stagnant, complacent, or obsolete. Growth is not about being perfect or knowing everything, it's about being curious, agile, and resilient. To foster growth, you need to embrace change, seek challenges, and learn from your experiences. You can also seek mentoring and coaching from someone who can help you expand your knowledge, skills, and mindset.
In my experience growth is about reinventing yourself, and not having a closed mindset. Closed mindset is assuming growth only happens upwards, sometimes it could also happen vertically taking up additional tasks within the role that can help you grow into other roles. This is also a form of promotion. Sometimes people may reject this waiting for a title and miss out on an opportunity to grow. Secondly reinventing yourself is constantly reviewing your personal brand to see if you are adapting to current times and making your personal brand relevant to the business needs.
In my experience, both personally and observing others in the field, the comfort zone is often the biggest enemy of professional growth. It’s comfortable, yes, but it’s also a silent career killer. The dynamic nature of today’s business environment requires us to be agile, curious, and resilient. These traits are not just buzzwords but essential tools for climbing the corporate ladder. In short, it's time to get Comfortable being Uncomfortable!
I have found that your attitude towards the role is key here. You have to be willing to come out of your comfort zone and reach for the stars. You must be willing to achieve all your goals and unlock your true potential to show others you can be an asset as you grow and prosper into a reliable and effective employee.
To keep growing (e.g., in your career): set goals, take on challenges, and ask for feedback. Learn continuously by staying updated and attending training. See failures as chances to learn and get advice from mentors. Reflect on your progress and adjust your approach. Following these steps helps you avoid getting stuck and keeps you growing personally and professionally ... and do not forget: nobody is perfect ??.
Let me add a Part 4A Alignment with your own life vision and desires can keep you from doing any of the other things. It’s important to align your career goals with what you desire for your life. You are then more likely to be interested in getting feedback, gaining visibility, taking action, etc. I encourage everyone to take some time for self discovery so that you aren’t fighting so hard to get to somewhere you may not even want to be.
A sixth reason why you might not get promoted is that you're not taking action. You might have a clear vision, a solid plan, and a strong desire to get promoted. But if you don't act on them, you won't get anywhere. Action is not about being reckless or impulsive, it's about being proactive, strategic, and consistent. To take action, you need to set SMART goals, prioritize your tasks, and track your progress. You can also seek accountability, motivation, and feedback from your coach, your mentor, or your peers.
Not getting promoted doesn't necessarily mean that we are doing something wrong. Having a talk with a line manager or HR representative can help bring clarity or also a chat with an independent person, like a mentor for example. A mentor is a great way to get a neutral view on a situation and a person who can see things that we sometimes don't.
I have found 95% of people that don’t do enough, do so because they don’t have an action plan. Look at your daily tasks, write them down, prioritize them 1 2 & 3 and then work through them. 1 is priority and must be done today 3 not so urgent but needs doing. Any 3’s that are left over have to be a 1 the next day. Keep doing this until your actions are noticed.
Demonstrating initiative and taking on additional responsibilities can show your readiness for a promotion. Look for opportunities to go above and beyond in your current role and take on leadership tasks when possible.
If you want to move up (e.g., in your job) but are not doing anything about it: It is like having a plan but not doing anything with it. Taking action means making smart goals, doing tasks in the right order, and checking how you are doing. Getting support from mentors or friends can help you stay on track. Just remember, progress happens when you actually do something, not just think about it ... let's do it!
"You miss 100% of the shots not taken." Taking action has two degrees: 1. Small habitual things, like reading a book daily 2. Taking shots, like actually having the conversation you thought was a good idea. Let the daily habits build the person of knowledge who shows up during shot-taking. Keep aligned with your goal as much as possible, but leave room for adjacent opportunity. If you've cultivated a good habit of reflection, then lessons from adjacent opportunities reveal themselves to you.
You’ve invested too much in your skills as an individual contributor and not enough in your network as an influencer. What got you here won’t get you there.
I have helped so many with this question, and it can be quite sensitive. It also varies the level you are going for. However, if you are doing all the right fundamental things, and of course waiting your turn (the higher the position, the less there are), then it will be down to culture. Culture is a tricky piece to navigate, and sometimes things can shift and you can go from being well connected and next in line, to a pariah and being pushed out. And the majority of the time, it is better to go then fight a lost cause. This can be hard when a person has emotionally invested in a company. Also, not every culture enables every person to thrive. I have seen senior people who were not rated in one company, thrive in another.
Let us keep it simple, you are disappointed for sure . To move ahead why not 1 Talk to yourself and reflect on why you think you should be promoted - a self assessment about your readiness can help you to reassess your thoughts and will help you understand any gap you may have . 2 Instead of talking to others and discussing/analyzing “ why you got deprived “ - please talk to your manager - have a conversation about why you did not get that you wanted , I am sure you will receive a lot more clarity . Is it not better to talk straight and understand versus imagining what went wrong? 3 Once you are clear about the “why” , let’s plan for” what needs to be done “ and please ensure you monitor your progress towards your goal - every day.
The most important cog in the wheel of promotion is, sponsors. Who is your sponsor who will stand by and support you for this new promotion. These can your cross functional leaders your peers, or someone who had an influence over your boss who is it who will standby and promote you as the right candidate for this promotion. This is an important aspect and most people ignore this.
For me, you have to want that promotion like your life depends on it. All roads to success are challenging, and you have to be up for that challenge. So many people don’t achieve their goals because they give up, because something didn’t go right. If it was easy then everyone would be going for that promotion. If your road to success is easy then your no working hard enough, you have feel the pain to appreciate your journey to achieve your goal. Stand out from the crowd, don’t be a shrinking violet, tell your self time and time again that you are worthy of this promotion and back that up with actions within your workplace Keep feeding your brain with positive thoughts and actions and you will get that promotion Believe in yourself