When it comes to your career, just being good at your job isn’t always enough. What you need to succeed is strategies that elevate you above the people around you. But what tactics and strategies work in this arena? How can you progress faster and get more of what you want out of your work?
Make your wins impossible to ignore
Perhaps the best tactic is to make your wins impossible to ignore. If you display a type of quiet competency in your area, then your peers will start to look at you as a natural leader even before you get an official promotion. Where possible, quantify your wins, make it clear how much money you are generating for the company or how many new customers you are attracting. Solving problems and moving the needle on matters that executives care about, then they are much more likely to see you as somebody who should be rising up in the ranks.
Become a leader before the title arrives
In the same vein, you want to become a leader before the title arrives. Act as if you're already in the next role to the degree that you're allowed to do so. Make sure that you're addressing big problems and dealing with them efficiently and succinctly. Display your competence at every opportunity so that the people around you take note of your ability to deliver. Instead of just flagging issues, work to proactively solve them or prevent them from occurring in the first place. Then document what you've done and use this as leverage to move to higher positions.
Master the formalities
You also want to master the formalities at your work. This could include going on the right safety training or understanding how the business operates. Once you generate this sort of deep understanding and show that you're able to comply with the rules as they stand, then you naturally become a candidate for more authority. You're somebody who is invested in the proper functioning of the business.
Self-promote ruthlessly
You also want to self-promote ruthlessly when trying to move up in an organization. The more visible you can make yourself, the more likely it is that other people are going to respect you. Therefore, always tie your work directly to company priorities like risk reduction or revenue. Speak up in meetings and make your voice heard, even if you're sometimes making points that you don't think are absolutely essential. If you can recap action items and schedule check-ins with your managers to make sure that you're on the right course, this can also increase confidence in your abilities. Always be asking the question, "How can I help the business I'm working for meet its goals?" Don't just chase the raise and the title.
Build a personal boardroom
Finally, it's helpful to build a personal boardroom. If you can cultivate mentors and find allies across departments, then these relationships can support you going forward. Many people will advocate for you if they feel like you're up for the job.
