Competition is one of the many inevitable things that occur in a workplace. Almost everybody has his or her eyes on some position and many will stop at nothing to get it. Luckily for me, the rivalry in our department was purely professional that when I finally got promoted, everybody was genuinely supportive.
So today, I will share with you the things that served as vehicles for me to arrive at one of the most important pit stops of my professional life—my promotion. Read on and see if you can incorporate my tips into your own journey up the career ladder.
1. Get to know your boss really well.
It has happened in many organizations and companies—the ones who get promoted are those who know their boss better than anybody else in the office. I used to think that getting acquainted with my boss was a normal thing for an employee to do until I got the promotion I worked so hard to get.
I paid close attention to my boss’ management style. I observed how he addresses certain situations our team encountered, especially the challenges. I read his pattern and adapted to them. Eventually, it helped me imbibe the values and working habits needed for the next level of my professional development.
2. Avoid clashing with your boss in public.
Stemming from the first tip, knowing your boss well doesn’t always guarantee that you will agree with his/her every decision. Worse, such disagreements could sometimes occur in front of other people—something that you must avoid at all cost.
Once, my boss offered a solution I didn’t particularly agree with. Instead of contesting his idea outright, I listened intently to what he had to say first. Should this happen to you, you can alleviate the tension by offering your own ideas in a non-confrontational manner. You can also offer your suggestions in private and allow your boss to pitch them himself/herself.
3. Sell yourself.
If you’re working for a good company, it’s highly likely that you’re good and deserving to be there—pretty much like everybody else. Thus, if you keep your skills and expertise to yourself, you will stay right where you are in the office, probably until you leave or retire.
Learn how to market yourself and the things you can do to pursue the company’s objectives. Based on my experience, it pays to be articulate to your boss on how you can help the company advance its goals. However, do it in moderation, as you wouldn’t want to sound like you think you can do better than your boss.
4. Know what ticks your boss off.
It may not be part of your job description to know the personal details of your boss, but keeping your eyes and ears open can earn you brownie points. For instance, knowing that your boss is allergic to flowers can help you avoid rather nasty situations when somebody brings or delivers daisies supposedly to make the office more pleasant to work in.
5. Associate yourself with the dependable guys.
Your boss expects his/her subordinates to perform as a team and to function as cordially as possible. Thus, make an effort to build good working relationships with your officemates.
rnThis is what I did to gain the trust of my colleagues, and eventually my boss. Doing this would not only gain you friends; it can also earn you recommendations when your boss finally considers you for a promotion.
6. Highlight your boss’s strengths.
Any accolade your boss gains would also work to your benefit, so it would help a lot if you help make your boss look good to others. Learn his/her goals and targets and assist him/her in achieving them.
My boss is keen on deadlines, so I made it a point not to miss any at all cost. This helped me earn his confidence when it comes to getting the work done, making my promotion all the more well-deserved.
7. Establish rapport with your boss.
If your boss is as compassionate to his subordinates as mine, you won’t find it difficult to form a bond with him. A good boss looks after the welfare of his team and is willing to do his part, so they too can climb up the professional ladder. What you can do is to find ways to have your boss on your team by making him a professional counselor. Ask for advice on how you can better your performance and have him evaluate you too.
8. Work with your team.
In the course of my employment, I realized that while the ability to undertake tasks singlehandedly is impressive, being a team player is beneficial not just for myself but for my colleagues as well. In effect, it makes your boss look great knowing that he manages such a great team. Hence, step out of your comfort zone and
build a reputation for being an efficient teammate.
Eliminating the Obstacles
It’s possible that you’ve already been doing the aforementioned tips, but for some strange reason, your boss still doesn’t seem to find you worthy to climb up another rung of the professional ladder. To help you figure out what could possibly be wrong, here are some areas you should check as they might be the blockades on your road to promotion.
1. Your skills are inadequate.
Your current skill set landed you your job. It gets your tasks done in a manner required of your position. What you might not realize, however, is that if you want to go up the ranks, you also need to be equipped with the skills that a higher position necessitates. Having said that, show your boss that you’re geared for a higher position by learning new competencies and working on becoming an expert in your field.
2. You lack professionalism.
Your behavior at work is as equally important as your adeptness at doing what your job requires. From the moment you get in the office, to how you perform your responsibilities, and up to the moment you punch time-out, you need to foster professionalism.
You need to turn this into a habit so that you will not have to worry whether someone, be it your boss or your colleague, is watching. Some of the simplest ways to show that you’re professional include punctuality, meeting your deadlines, and not participating in office gossip.
3. You don’t think like a manager.
When you’re an employee, it’s easy to think like one simply because it is your job. The real challenge comes when you need to think like a manager, since being one automatically places you in a demanding situation.
So before your boss thinks that you’re simply there to do what you’re asked, step up and be proactive in advancing the company’s concerns. Offer suggestions to help your system become more efficient, and pay close attention to how your boss addresses the challenges the company faces.
4. You don’t handle feedback well.
It’s easy to turn defensive when somebody criticizes you and your work, but if you don’t start opening yourself to constructive assessment, you could sabotage your own career. So the next time your boss or a colleague critiques your work, open your mind and listen to what they have to say. They will either give you the evaluation point-blank or at least clue you in to what it is that you need to improve.
rnInstead of just waiting for the annual or bi-annual office evaluation, don’t forget to regularly assess yourself as well, so you can proactively improve on the areas that will help you reach your goal. I hope these tips will greatly help you attain the position you have been aiming for.