What are the most common mistakes people make when seeking a promotion in Strategy?

Ofcourse having clear goals can help employee to stay in line with organization's staregy. But what I want to add here is considering feedbacks dynamicaly. It means that as a manager,you need to care abou feedbacks at any situation and make change to goals if required and I think that means understanding the dynamic.

I have been involved in - strategy (business accelerator), - planning (Global team of MNC), - end-to-end program execution (Startup accelerators: Corporate) The strategy requires a very good understanding of business drivers. To develop this understanding, people need hands-on experience in at least two roles: one strategy execution (operations) and two customer-facing. Without both of these experiences, they are not ready to think about strategy. So the first step is developing experience in both of these. The second step is to value through strategic thinking during the development of strategy. This is when we know if we are ready to take on the role of strategy creation.

A busca por uma promo??o na área de estratégia envolve um alinhamento entre a gest?o imediata e a alta gest?o (board ou acionistas), bem como suas respectivas a??es. Frequentemente, é desafiador alinhar todas essas expectativas e transformá-las em execu??o e entrega efetiva. Portanto, pedir feedback e opini?es à gest?o imediata e estar atento a todos os sinais emitidos pela alta gest?o é crucial para enfrentar esse desafio. Ao fazer isso, será possível estabelecer objetivos claros a seguir e concentrar energia no que é essencial para alcan?ar a promo??o desejada.

Um erro crucial é a falta de clareza nos objetivos profissionais. A ausência de metas definidas e uma vis?o nítida do caminho desejado pode resultar em a??es dispersas e em uma abordagem menos estratégica para o desenvolvimento profissional. A ausência de autoconhecimento também é um obstáculo. Profissionais que n?o compreendem completamente suas fortalezas, áreas de desenvolvimento e preferências de carreira podem ter dificuldades em criar um plano estratégico personalizado para avan?ar na hierarquia.

I'd rephrase this rather as you need to have a clear end goal and a roadmap to get there. It's not only important that you have a clear definition of what your end goal is (in terms of title, scope of responsibility, size of team, etc.) but that you also have a path of how you could potentially get to your end goal. The path should include a few steps that you believe you have to take or are willing to take. And it should also include some "alternative routes" to get there. The combination of the goal and the path will allow you to make decisions on next steps.

You can avoid being seen as not showing initiative by implementing the following actionable items: - Lead project: Proactively identify a gap or opportunity in the organization and propose a project. Lead the project from start to finish, showcasing your ability to take initiative. - Engage in learning: Enroll in strategy-related courses. The commitment to learning demonstrates a proactive approach. - Contribute in strategic meetings: Proactively participate in strategic planning meetings with well-researched insights and constructive critiques. - Mentor team members: Offer to mentor junior coworkers in strategic analysis and planning, showing leadership and the ability to disseminate strategic thinking across the team.

As I mentioned in segment #1 of this article. Operational and Customer-facing roles require leadership. Closely related to strategy is the leadership ability of the individual. Leadership is translating vision into reality through teams. The ability to bring change is another way to look at initiative (too often, it is seen as positional power, but it is personal influence). An effective strategy implementation also requires good leadership and the ability to bring change.

Profissionais que esperam que as oportunidades se apresentem sem uma abordagem proativa muitas vezes cometem um erro significativo. Ter iniciativa é uma qualidade inestimável em cargos estratégicos, onde a capacidade de antecipar, agir proativamente e buscar constantemente desafios é essencial. Esperar passivamente por oportunidades de promo??o pode resultar em estagna??o profissional, pois organiza??es valorizam indivíduos que demonstram iniciativa na identifica??o e resolu??o de problemas.

I learned this a long time ago, but it was true 2 decades ago and it's still true today: the only person that cares about your career is you. It's nothing personal, but at the end of the day most managers, mentors, sponsors and collegues do not care enough about your career and your development. This is for different reasons, but it's mostly because they are also focused on their own careers, trying to reach their own goals. Of course, there might be exceptions to this but it's best to think about it as being the only person interested in your promotion. Once you take this attitude, then you can motivate yourself to push forward.

We need to be careful when it states things like "do more" "show more initiative." The whole focus on strategy is about being strategic in decision making to get as close as possible to the desired outcome. I would challenge that you need to show enough competency and experience to know what to do in situations and be able to have a broad perspective and outlook on adapting challenges. I think the core skills around showing initiative is being able to listen, understand and resolve in a shorter timeframe. Doing this collaboratively as well will help demonstrate skills.

Building relationships is essential at all levels. Building influence is even more important for those aspiring to get into strategy.

Disrupt the promotion trajectory by neglecting the strategic importance of relationship-building within the organization, overlooking the fact that strong alliances often catalyze career advancements in the dynamic field of strategy. Commonly mistaken is the belief that merit alone suffices for promotion, ignoring the strategic reality that a lack of interpersonal connections may hinder the visibility needed to showcase one's contributions and potential. In the pursuit of strategic advancement, it's crucial to disrupt the misconception that networking is secondary, recognizing that relationships are not just bridges but essential pillars supporting a successful ascent in a strategy-focused career.

In my experience, in all organizations, it takes a village to get things done. Sometimes it's a small village, sometimes it's a large village, but it's rare to find a situation where the individual can succeed without any support. If you agree with this, then you have to build your network and nurture your relationships. This will help you meet your goals today but it will also help you in the future career development.

Relacionamentos sólidos fornecem a base para influenciar decis?es e obter apoio para suas propostas. A capacidade de persuas?o muitas vezes depende da confian?a e do respeito já estabelecidos. Construir uma rede sólida dentro da organiza??o aumenta sua visibilidade. Isso pode levar a oportunidades estratégicas, como a participa??o em projetos importantes ou a inclus?o em iniciativas-chave.

Strategy work is inherently cross-functional. Your success as a strategy leader is contingent on your ability to build and foster relationships. There is no vertically isolated strategy so make sure you're taking the time to build business relationships. This doesn't necessarily mean take all of your company's leaders out to lunch but it does mean you should utilize a consistent, friendly approach with everyone you work alongside. Smile. Tell a joke. Ask about the vacation. Ask for advice. Remember birthdays. Be on time. Use cordial but professional tones. Make sure everyone has something nice to say when your promotion comes up in leadership discussions.

Be your own PR agent. Translate your strategic wins into compelling stories that resonate with your audience. Think beyond numbers and data; narrate the journey, the challenges overcome, and the innovative approaches you employed. Let your achievements not just speak, but sing your praises.

It's critical that you think of yourself as a product that requires a strong marketing campaign so that your customers (in this case, the internal stakeholders) understand your unique value proposition and then desire to have you in their teams. This is very hard in certain cultures, but without some level of self promotion, it's nearly impossible to get a promotion later on.

Se você liderou iniciativas que resultaram em melhorias tangíveis, como redu??o de custos, aumento da satisfa??o do cliente ou otimiza??o de processos, destaque esses números e conquistas. Crie estudos de caso que destaquem seus sucessos. Mostre os desafios que você enfrentou, as solu??es que implementou e os resultados alcan?ados. Isso fornece uma narrativa convincente sobre sua contribui??o.

I think when it comes to strategy and showcasing achievements it is a numbers game yes. It is wise to be aware of where you are at and where you want to be... it is the how to get the goals and vision. The reality is it presents the SWOT of a business too all of which is pivotal for growth. Having reviews and regular metrics will enable the response to adversity and success.

Not showcasing achievements can hinder promotion by depriving decision-makers of evidence showcasing one's value and contributions. Promotion decisions often rely on a demonstrated impact on projects, goals, or the overall success of the organization. Failure to highlight accomplishments may lead to a perception of underperformance or a lack of significant contributions. Clearly presenting achievements not only provides tangible proof of capabilities but also communicates ambition and dedication. It helps decision-makers recognize the positive impact an individual has had, making them more likely to consider the person for higher responsibilities and career progression.

Strategy is also about self-advocacy. Articulate your value proposition clearly. Align your achievements with the organization’s strategic goals. Make it evident that promoting you is not just good for you, but great for the company. It’s not just asking; it’s presenting a win-win scenario. Fractional CSO. DM. :)

This is tied to thinking of yourself as a product and requiring a marketing campaign to promote your unique value proposition. The other important aspect of most marketing activities is that there's a clear call to action that tells the consumer (or internal stakeholders in this case) exactly what you need them to do next. As a sales person would say, you have to close the deal.

Manifeste de maneira clara e assertiva seu interesse em progredir na carreira. Isso mostra ao seu gestor que você está comprometido e motivado para assumir responsabilidades adicionais. Antes de pedir uma promo??o, prepare um caso sólido destacando suas realiza??es, contribui??es significativas e como você agregou valor à organiza??o. Use dados e resultados tangíveis para respaldar seu pedido.

To address the mistake of not asking for a promotion, individuals should proactively initiate conversations about career progression with their supervisors. Clearly articulate achievements, showcasing the value brought to the organization. Express genuine interest in taking on additional responsibilities and contributing to higher-level tasks. Seek feedback on areas for improvement and create a development plan. Timing is crucial; choose moments when accomplishments are evident. Be confident, demonstrating a readiness for the next career step. Regularly communicate aspirations and achievements to ensure one's desire for advancement is known, increasing the likelihood of being considered for promotion.

Be a trendsetter in strategic thinking. Embrace unconventional methodologies – like reverse mentoring or adopting principles from different industries. Especially in strategy, sometimes the most unconventional path leads to the most rewarding destinations, when you can prove it. And always, always be open to learning and evolving. Talk. With others. Can you imagine!

A comunica??o é uma habilidade central em estratégia. Subestimar sua importancia, seja na apresenta??o de ideias, negocia??o ou na articula??o de planos estratégicos, pode impactar negativamente as chances de promo??o. Subestimar a importancia do networking estratégico é também um erro recorrente. O sucesso em estratégia muitas vezes depende de conex?es sólidas e alian?as estratégicas. N?o cultivar uma rede profissional pode limitar as oportunidades de promo??o.

Independentemente do resultado, mantenha uma atitude profissional. Se receber a promo??o, agrade?a e mostre seu compromisso contínuo. Se n?o, pe?a feedback adicional para orientar seu desenvolvimento futuro.

I think when people are "strategic" they think it means process, policies and tangible steps. Never negate the importance of strategies around people who support driving results and over outcomes. People need to feel heard, listened to and valued and there are some metrics that are less tangible but as important.