PROMOTED: The Proven Path to Career Advancement

I was at a crossroads in my career.

In seven short years, I had reached the top in sales in two different industries. I'd won multiple President's Club awards, been inducted into my first company's Hall of Fame, and was making a really good living.

Life was good.

...but I wasn't happy.

Despite the large amount of sales success I'd achieved in a very short period of time, I knew I could contribute in a much larger way than I was. Although my territory was producing significant revenue for the company, I knew my impact could be much greater if I could influence more people.

Although I always helped other sales reps and volunteered on company projects, I wanted to help people more than that. My understanding of the business, ability to break down complex challenges into simple actions, passion for helping others, and willingness to go above and beyond were intangibles that would allow me to help many more people than I was at that time.

I'd succeeded as an individual contributor. I thought I was ready. I'd built solid relationships. I was all in and ready to move into leadership.

There was one problem.

No one above me agreed with any of that.

Transitioning into leadership was going to require additional skills I had not yet built. It was also going to require me to change my approach and how I presented myself to others.

Fortunately, the leaders above me saw enough promise and leadership potential that they invested in me. They supported me along the way, but they also made me do the work.

I had to prove it.

Over the next several years, I dedicated immense effort to learning the skills it takes to be a great leader, and also in proving it to those above me in the organization. It wasn't easy, I made several missteps along the way, and it took me far longer than it should have.

Eventually, I was promoted into my first leadership role. It's been everything I expected and then some.

There have certainly been challenges and sticky situations to work through. There have also been huge wins to celebrate.

Many of them.

In leading others, it's changed my life. It's also changed the lives of others. Aside from having an amazing wife and family, it's been the next most rewarding thing for me.

Over the last several years, I've had the opportunity to lead several very successful teams in multiple industries. As I've ascended in my career, several of the individuals on those teams have also moved into leadership positions.

To me, that's what you should be shooting for as a leader. To develop other leaders.

It's been important that I help others avoid the same mistakes I made early in my career. Most of those who reported to me were smarter and quicker learners than me, so they didn't.

They knew their why, followed the plan we created together, asked for advice along the way, and when opportunities opened up for them to lead, they were ready.

That's not always the case, and that's why I wrote my newest book.

If you're a top performer and considering the move into leadership, this book is for you. Within the pages, you'll learn how to:

• Clarify why you want to pursue leadership roles
• Frame the discussions with those above you to gain their support
• Create a roadmap to gain the skills and experience needed
• Solidify an accountability plan to see it through

The steps in this book are simple, straightforward, and proven to work. If you read this book and implement the practices immediately, you’ll be on your way to your next promotion!

If you're a sales leader responsible for developing others, you will also gain immense value from this book. It will help you keep your top employees engaged, moving forward, and staying with your company.

It's available for Kindle pre-order?by clicking here. It will automatically drop into your Kindle on the launch date of March 14, 2023. Paperback and hardcover versions will be available for order that day!

Bret Barrie was a Hall-of-Fame and President's Club-winning sales rep and has been a top-producing sales leader in multiple industries. He is also the author of?The Selling Edge: How to Reach the Top in any Sales Industry. His newest book, Promoted: The Proven Path to Career Advancement, is available for pre-order now. A baseball enthusiast and fitness junkie, he is happily married with three children and lives in the greater Sacramento area. For more information, visit?