Promotion On Lock

I’m writing today to tell you a story about how I was told I could not have a promotion. It was a blunt conversation. It was a tough lesson. It was a huge growth moment. This is about lessons learned and lessons I hope to convey to you today. If you are gunning for a promotion in the near future this is for you. If you think that at some point in your career, you might like to be promoted this is for you. If you’re a manager who’s looking for a great analogy to use when discussing career advancement this is for you.

What am I telling you today?

If you want a promotion you must break out of the confines of your job description.

Why am I telling you this?

It all goes back to Syrup & Waffles….

‘You’re not ready for GM, Seth. When I think of a General Manager I see someone who fills more space in the organization than you currently fill. It’s like a waffle & syrup…’

In the food & beverage industry food analogies are commonplace. But even then I thought ‘Breakfast foods? You’re kidding me right? This guy is couching my rejection in terms of breakfast foods!?’ I thought I had this promotion on lock. Boy was I wrong.

Background: I was working as a Senior Manager in Food & Bev at the time. Myself along with the GM led the department as the only salaried members of a 60+ employee department & had worked together for several years. An opportunity opened up in another property for him to expand his career and he took the position, permanently. All the duties of that large department then fell on my shoulders. I threw myself at it best I could. I learned the additional skills, I delegated what I could to hourly superstars, I asked for assistance from other managers in other departments, I re-calibrated upper leadership’s expectations about deliverables… I was handling it well. I was showing them that I was capable of being a true department head. I had my eyes set on GM and I was not going to stop until it came true.

So, after about a month of running it solo, I reached out and set the meeting with the Director of Operations about moving up to GM. According to my mind I was deserving of the role. I had put in the time. No one was in the role currently… it was MY TURN. Right...? Back to the conversation:

‘Every position in this leadership team is like a square in the waffle. The individuals who fill those positions are like the syrup you pour onto the waffle. Every role is critical but certain roles in this team require more expertise or leadership skills than others. The GM is one of those roles that requires more. You fill the Senior Manager position well, but to promote you because you’re available, or because you’ve been here a long time doesn’t make sense. I’m going to promote you when I see you filling the current square and beyond. I want you to overflow the boundaries of your position and bring more value to the table than the job description calls for. When I see this you’ll get the promotion.’

Reality Checks aren’t always easy. But in my experience it’s these times of ‘confrontational coaching’ that result in the greatest growth. So why am I telling you this story that is still a little embarrassing? I’m willing to put myself out like this b/c I know my personal experience isn’t limited to me. There are many others who, like me, were expecting or hoping for a promotion based on reasons that to them seemed like qualifying criteria but in reality weren’t. This is for everyone who’s been confused about why they didn’t get that bump or for those who are hoping but haven’t made moves yet: Don’t be passive about your career. Break out of the Job Description box!

What do I want you to do about it?

1st - Solve Problems

Well ‘duh’ right? Actually it’s not very ‘duh’ at all. You were hired to solve a problem. I take pain pills to alleviate a headache. If the pain pills don’t work, I switch methods or brands. Are you solving your employer’s headaches? Notice I didn’t ask if you go to work and punch in. I didn’t ask if you do the tasks associated with your gig. You can do all that and not make a lick of difference on the company’s bottom line. What results do you bring to the company? What impact do you have? What’s their benefit derived from having you around. If you’re in or around Sales this is nothing new for you. You have to position the solution you sell not as a set of features but as a set of benefits the prospect will receive by using your solution. This is no different for you in your career.

PS: Everyone’s in Sales & most people suck at it. Don’t be like most people. Sell the solution, not the product.

2nd - Challenge The Status Quo

The status quo exists in every company. Even the companies that say they don’t accept it. How often do you consciously look for and identify the status quo around you? It’s like a light fog, if you’re not careful you’ll just get to driving around in it and get lost. Actively combat the status quo by asking why things are done a certain way. Ask why can’t it be done better. What does better look like? Odds are, when you start asking these questions you’ll get four types of responses:

-The Skeet Shooter: They view every suggestion or idea as a threat to shoot down. Just avoid these folks when you’re challenging the status quo b/c whether they realize it or not they have become bed-fellows with the status quo and you’re just not going to make any headway with them.

-The Blank Stare: You ask why and they can’t tell you a thing. They can’t tell you why we do what we do. They can’t give you the history behind the process. They might politely listen to what you have to say and nod their head while smiling but in the end they are clueless. These folks need to be coached up out of their stupor and are not ready to assist you in the innovative mentality department. Clearly not the droids you’re looking for….

-The Busy-Bee: I’m too busy for you! I’ve got all these tasks to do and functions to perform. Did I mention I’m too busy for you! These guys are so busy chopping at the tree with the axe they don’t have time to learn how the chainsaw works. You and your questions about how things can be done better are just not helping increase production! Don’t get into a fight with these people, it’s not worth it and you’ll not change a thing.

-The Change Agent: These folks are the ones you’ve been waiting for. When you ask ‘why?’ they have an answer followed by their own question: ‘why do you ask?’ They’re open to hearing new ideas, they understand the only thing that does not change about this world is that things will never not be changing. They recognize the need to be an early adopter. So…… what do you say when they ask your opinion?

My recommendation is to be plugged into the wider world of what your craft, company type & industry look like so as to be armed with insights to answer the question with. For instance: I’m a Sales Trainer at a SaaS company in the Ecommerce space. I need to know Sales Training (my craft), I need to know the basics and best practices of SaaS (company type) & I also need to know the trends in Ecommerce (industry). Think of these as languages to be fluent in. You’re not going to be fluent if you only practice once every 6 months. You’re not going to have insights to share if you only dive into your craft or industry once every 6 months either. Set aside time to absorb content from thought leadership. Always be taking in new information like a river takes in new water. Don’t be like a swamp, never taking in anything new. No one wants to swim in a swamp.

3rd - Don’t Just Set the Bar; Own the Bar

Robert Downey Jr. utterly defines Tony Stark/Iron Man. Hugh Jackman does the same with Logan/Wolverine. They have defined that role. Now think of your role within the organization…. Are you delivering a role-defining performance? While your hiring manager & recruiter might set the bar by creating the job description, you need to own the bar by doing those things so undeniably well that they can’t ignore you. Don’t let someone else set the bar for you, that’s amateur level.

4th - Right Hand Man

Caveat: This point assumes you have a great boss that is 1) not intimidated by the presence of another leader, 2) wants what’s best for you and 3) is willing to help get you there. If you don’t have that kind of boss, here’s some great advice from Liz Ryan

Further Reading: Your Road To Leadership Begins Today

If you’re solving problems, challenging the Status Quo & owning your bar you will be the leader within the department that your team lead will begin to look to as a trusted resource. This is a good thing. You’re the Ace up their sleeve! This is a little different than simply being the Problem Solver though. The problem solver can set aside their normal routine, start in on a project, complete the project, and then return back to their routine w/o really engaging the leader too much. The point of distinction comes when you begin to engage and consult with your leader on the reasons lying behind the issue (5 Whys). Get into your leader’s sphere. I’m not talking about bringing them coffee. I’m talking about really trying to put yourself in their perspective. It’s not an overnight thing either. It takes (for me at least) months of observation to understand patterns so you can get to the point of predicting their needs. When you can be there to provide a ‘just-in-time’ solution you’ll see the opportunities begin to follow.

5th - Skills Acquisition Plan

First, identify your dream position. Hint: It’s going to be something you’re passionate about and enjoy doing. Second, identify the gurus doing it currently. They could be at your company or at another company. Third, look at the roles they’ve held and the skills they list to spot some commonalities. While your route to your dream position will be unique to you, it’s naive to think you’ll be able attain to that level w/o hitting at least some of the common checkpoints these gurus have. The goal in all this is to build your own Skills Acquisition Plan.

Example: I love Sales. I love Training. I’ve found a job as Sales Trainer adding efficiency to the Sales Org at Kibo and accelerating the company’s profitability. It’s awesome. One day I want to own my own Sales Training consultant shop and work on a contract basis with small to medium sized companies who don’t have a dedicated resource for their sales reps and managers. I’m still working out what this will look like but I have identified several leaders in the space who are dominating the game. Jeb Blount. Anthony Iannarino. Keenan. Jill Konrath. These are just a few.

They all have experience in Sales as an individual contributor at the Mid-Market or Enterprise level, experience as a Sales Manager, a VP or Head of Sales & even some Sales Training experience. From there it’s easy to see some directional trends where my career experience will probably need to move. I’ve got Sales experience, but not at an Enterprise level. I’ve got Sales Training experience. I’ll be looking to gain Sales Management experience too. After that, we’ll see…. Boom. This is the skeleton of Seth Killian’s Skills Acquisition Plan.

It might seem like I’m being too strict here. I don’t think so though. In a world where many folks enter the workforce wanting little more than ‘a job’ and have no true career aspirations I think we could use a bit of career planning. As long as each individual has a compass they can plot their own way (a way unique to them complete with ups and downs and unexpected bumps) & a Skill Acquisition Plan is said compass. Thinking back to the GM position mentioned in the beginning, I never got it. Soon after that conversation it became clear that the hectic schedule of Food & Bev was not for me anymore. I wound up accepting a Biz Dev position in a 500+ person SaaS company & managed to find a huge piece of my passion along the way. I also earned 2 promotions within my first year at that company by applying the above lessons learned.

To bring it all back around: You’ll do the responsibilities above your pay grade well before anyone decides to pay you for it. When leadership looks to promote someone, they’re not looking for those who want the chance to do more –they’re looking for those who are already doing it. The sooner you break out of the job description box the better.

Get out there and do it!

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If you value this article, please hit the 'Like' button and/or 'Share' it to your network here on LinkedIn. I wholeheartedly encourage you to join the conversation, share your thoughts & add a comment to this post. These are my thoughts; I want to hear yours. What important lessons have you learned along the way in your career? Tell me your story like I’ve told you mine. Cheers!