189: Accelerate Promotion by Avoiding a Common Phase 2 Trap

[00:00:25] I just had a chat this week with an engineering leader, senior manager named Daniel. And Daniel wanted to chat about accelerating his next promotion. As he gets ready for this promotion cycle, he’s thinking about director. He wants to be a director. He’s not there yet. And he’s frustrated by that, especially, and just the way he said it, you could tell this really was getting under his skin looking around at his peers from college. [00:00:50] How those other leaders are already at director, senior director, some in VP and C suite roles. And he remembers being in college, working on his master’s side by side with those other leaders and just staying in touch with them over the years. He knows. He’s just as good as they are in the technical acumen. [00:01:10] He’s just as good as they are in the communication acumen. But here he is still at senior manager and they’re already past him. Now let’s pause there one second. You don’t want to drive your career just by the need to keep up with the Joneses to match someone else’s performance in their career. It’s not about comparison, but the growth mindset. [00:01:33] A growth mindset is not afraid to look honestly at where you stand in your career versus benchmarks, versus your own goals, versus whatever external measure you want to use to assess success. There’s nothing wrong with doing that. We want to know the truth about where we stand. And I told that to Daniel too. [00:01:56] I said, look, We don’t want to create an unhealthy drive for performance and success in your career based on so and so is already a VP and I’m not. However, it’s useful to know that so and so is a VP and you’re not because we can learn from that. We can be honest about that. What have they done that you have not done? [00:02:17] And what came out for Daniel was a really common place where he was stuck. This is something that comes up all the time. He has been. Stuck in phase two of the three phases of promotion. He’s stuck in phase two because of a behavior that shows up all the time. And we don’t realize that we are creating the very stuckness that frustrates us in our career. [00:02:45] And you may be doing this same thing. I want to share this little insight. Where we create a slowdown in our own career velocity. And as you go into performance review season, it’s critical that you make this shift if you want to get into phase three and ready for promotion. Now, maybe you don’t know about the three phases of promotion. [00:03:06] I’m not going to go back through that entire framework on this podcast, but I did create a totally free. It’s like six minutes, just a really quick training video, walking through all three phases of promotion. It’s a six minute video. I’m going to put the link to that framework and that training in the show notes, if you want to get the whole understanding of all three phases, how they connect and where people get stuck, go check that out. [00:03:33] It’s super quick and that will create more context around this. You don’t have to submit your email address or give me anything. It’s just a link directly to a video. Where you can learn about the three phases of promotion. So go check that out. But phase two of your career in any given role, phase two of your current position is that point where you’re closing gaps to be ready for the next level. [00:03:59] So for Daniel, as a senior manager, phase two was the phase of preparation for director, getting himself to the point as a leader and in his reputation to where he is seen as ready. For director roles, phase three is when his boss, those decision makers in the organization and Daniel himself are all in alignment that he is ready. [00:04:28] And now you’re simply looking for, or waiting for that right opportunity to open up within the organization. And you can get stuck in phase three as well, but at least there, everybody is saying you’re ready to go. We’re just looking for the right fit. Daniel was stuck in phase two and it’s because of one thing that he was doing over and over and over with his boss. [00:04:53] And I don’t want you to make the same mistake going into your performance reviews. Daniel was asking his leader this question, Hey boss, what else? Do I need to be working on in my personal development, in my leadership development, and in my results here in the organization, the performance that I deliver, the results I bring, what else do I need to do to be ready for director? [00:05:22] Daniel had been asking that question for years. What else do I need to focus on? Which trainings, which certifications, which results, which projects, which meetings do I need to be in? What else do I need to bring? What gaps do I need to close to show you that I am ready for promotion to director? Now you’re probably thinking, Zach, isn’t that a good question? [00:05:53] Don’t you want to know what other gaps you need to close? Because obviously Daniel’s not getting that promotion. So there must be a gap, right? a reasonable question or a reasonable perspective. Doesn’t this make sense to ask that question? Well, let’s back up. [00:06:13] There’s a really important principle about what drives results in any area of your life. It’s the principle of focus, where your focus goes. Energy flows. Let me repeat that where your focus goes. Energy flows. My clients hear me say this all the time, and I want you to hear it because this is such an important principle. [00:06:38] Where your focus goes, your energy flows. So if I focus my attention on a project, At work, my energy flows into that project. I’m putting in time. I’m putting in energy and that energy is the force of creation. It’s the thing that makes the project go forward. It’s what creates growth and results and outcomes in that area. [00:07:07] Focus is the starting point where your focus goes. Energy flows. Now, why is this principle relevant? Here’s what happens when you focus on gaps, when you focus on gaps, Hey boss. What else do I need to work on to get to the next level? What you’re doing there is focusing on gaps. if you’re focusing your leader on gaps, every time you talk about your career development, then all your leader can see are your gaps. [00:07:48] And if I ask you what else I need to work on, what am I going to do? I’m going to create an answer to that question because that’s what the brain does. When you ask someone a question, the brain starts working on an answer automatically. That’s just how we operate. That’s how our psychology is set up. [00:08:08] That’s why questions are so powerful. A couple of episodes ago, I talked about the power of questions and we had a freebie there. Go grab a copy of that. If you missed it, questions, direct focus. That’s why they’re powerful. This question of what else do I need to work on to be ready for director was causing Daniel’s boss to see more gaps. [00:08:29] So every year when Daniel got into his performance review and he shared all of his great results, And then he asked his boss, what other gaps do I need to show you are closed before I’ll get my promotion? And every year when he didn’t get the promotion, guess what? His boss came back with the news. Hey, you did great. [00:08:51] You’re going to get a bonus, you’re going to get a merit increase because of your great work. No promotion this year because we still need to work on this gap, this gap, and this gap. You know, now Daniel’s so frustrated, so he’s going to go work on closing those gaps all year long. And then the next year he says, boss, I closed the gaps. [00:09:11] So what else do I need to do to get my director promotion? His boss goes to work answering that question. Well, you did a great job on those gaps, Eric. And now let’s focus on this one, this one, and this one he’s focusing and therefore creating more energy around his gaps. a little subtle behavior that we do without realizing that we are creating more focus on our lack of readiness for promotion than on our readiness for promotion. [00:09:44] So I challenged Daniel, said, we need to make a shift this year in the way that you approach The performance review. We’re there in our coaching call. We’re digging deep. I’m sharing with Daniel all the same things I’m telling you right now about this principle. And you can just see his wheels turning the light bulbs turning on in his mind. [00:10:02] And almost this sense of like, I can’t, you know, so frustrated. I can’t believe I’ve been doing this for years. talked about the change. Here’s what needs to shift. Once you’ve closed those gaps, once you’ve demonstrated performance at the next level. The dialogue must shift from a phase two dialogue to a phase three dialogue. [00:10:25] And here’s the difference in phase two, we’re asking about our gaps boss. What do I need to show you? What results must I deliver for this whole organization to see that I am the obvious next choice for director. When we get aligned on what those gaps are, we start the shift, we start moving towards phase three and it begins with. [00:10:52] So boss, if I can check all these boxes, if I can deliver all these results, when I show you all these capabilities and skill sets of my leadership. Is that above and beyond the requirements for you to go to bat for me, for you to sponsor me for my director promotion? And we need that conceptual. Yes. That theoretical. [00:11:16] Yes. First getting your boss to buy in. Absolutely. Daniel. If you do those things, you are ready for director. So let’s get to work on doing those things. This is where you need to go with your leader as well. If you can resonate with this and you’re stuck in that phase two, you’ve been constantly closing gaps and constantly getting feedback from your boss that you’re doing great work, but now let’s work on this, keep doing what you’re doing, but next you need to focus on that. [00:11:44] Here’s another little symptom, by the way, that you’re stuck in phase two. When your boss tells you that you’re so good at your job that we can’t promote you, you’re stuck in phase two. Daniel and I talked about this and how to make the shift. So it begins with alignment to the director requirements. And then when you go into your performance discussion, we don’t ask any more questions. [00:12:09] about gaps. Now we ask about how to deliver even more director level outcomes. So boss, now that I’m already performing at the standard of director, what else can I do from my current position that is director level thinking, director level results? Boss, I’d like to show you on this project. That I’m director material. [00:12:42] And here’s what I’m thinking to take it even further and to show you even more that I’m performing now at the director level. Would you agree that this is director level performance and, Oh, Hey, by the way, boss, now that I am at the director level in my performance, I’d like to talk with you about which director role within the organization is the best fit. [00:13:08] For my impact and my growth so that I can begin networking and mentoring and learning about that area before that opportunity is even available. This shift is so key. We have a totally different dialogue when we’re in phase three, then when we’re in phase two. Again, if you want to get familiar with all three phases, go check out that quick six minute video. [00:13:32] It’s worth the time just for you to understand the whole framework, but with Daniel, when we made this one little shift in his thinking about performance review, he went and had his conversation right after our coaching session, he went with his boss and had a chat and the. Energy from his boss that came back, totally shocked him. [00:13:52] He’s had years of his boss giving him the same type of feedback over and over. And while he’s still early in the performance review process, they haven’t finished it yet. I’m so excited for Daniel because he’s off to a great start. His boss immediately agreed that he has been delivering at the director level in 2024. [00:14:15] How crazy is that just by shifting the way he approached the conversation, his own mindset, his own strategy, Daniel was able to get a mirrored back agreement immediately from his leader that he’s performing at that level, and now they’re having a continuing discussion about his growth Within the company, this shift, super critical. [00:14:41] If you know that you’ve already closed all your gaps, you are ready for that next promotion. You’re hungry for that next promotion, but there’s just been something that you can’t seem to put your finger on. That’s holding you back. If you’re feeling that frustration, like, ah, I just, I just don’t know how to get to that next level. [00:14:59] This insight may be the thing that unlocks. The next level for you, you’re stuck in phase two and we need to shift your performance conversation from a phase two conversation to a phase three of promotion conversation. If this isn’t making sense, or you’re not sure how to apply it. [00:15:18] let’s have a conversation and really see what’s going on for you. If you haven’t already done so, you can get a free call with our team. We call it a career growth audit, just a 15 minute chat where you can get familiar with where you might be stuck, what’s holding you back. [00:15:32] And then if it’s a great fit. The team will book you in with a chat directly with me. We’ll give you some free coaching and build a roadmap to where you want to go. So if you want to book that call, there’s a link in the show notes for that as well. Good news for Daniel is that he’s well on his way. To getting that next opportunity just by making this one shift. [00:15:52] So as you enter performance review season, ask yourself, what kind of conversation am I setting up with my leadership and how am I bringing the energy of a leader who’s already at the role I want? Rather than a leader, who’s at your current level, asking about gaps, make that shift and watch the energy that comes back from your leadership. [00:16:17] It’s going to be a great indication of where you actually stand in the organization, and if you’re disappointed by what you hear in return, then reach out and let’s understand together what it is that you need to be doing right now to accelerate that next promotion. Let’s do this.