You put your head down at work and do your job well. So why are others being promoted while you’re stuck in the same job you were hired for?
Many people make the mistake of keeping their heads down and doing their job when instead they should be looking up—that is, they should be managing up.
Managing up is not about brown-nosing. It’s about building a solid relationship with your boss and their peers.
Here’s where to start if you want to get noticed by senior management.
Make Your Boss Look Great
Your number one job at work is ensuring your boss always looks great. Start by asking your boss how you can be of help. Let your boss know you’re here for them and can do more than what’s assigned to you. Remind them that by delegating additional tasks to you, they will be freed up to take on more visible organizational assignments.
Shamelessly Promote Yourself
No doubt you have capabilities that your manager isn’t tapping into. You may mistakenly believe that your boss knows you have an MBA or a unique skill that can benefit the department and the organization.
If you think your boss is regularly reviewing the resumes of all their staff members, think again. This is the exact reason you need to promote yourself shamelessly.
Let’s say you recently completed a certificate in artificial intelligence. A way to shamelessly promote yourself would be to start a conversation with your boss and ask them what impact artificial intelligence has on the organization.
Chances are they’ll tell you the organization is currently exploring ways to deploy this new technology. You can then say, “Oh wow! That’s interesting. I just completed a certificate in artificial intelligence, where we went into detail on how to incorporate artificial intelligence in the workplace seamlessly. I’d love to see if there’s a way for me to join this conversation.”
Ask for What You Want
So, your co-worker gets promoted, and you’re sitting there wondering why she was given the job and you weren’t. There’s a good chance your co-worker approached your boss and asked for the job.
All is not lost. Set up an appointment with your supervisor to discuss your career aspirations. Let your manager know you’re interested in moving up in the organization. This is an excellent time to inquire about her concerns about promoting you so that you can take the necessary steps today to acquire any missing skills.
The next time a position becomes available that you’re interested in, step up and ask for the job. Yes, it would be nice if your manager remembered you were interested in more responsibility, but this is not the time to take any chances. Go in and remind them.
Getting noticed by upper management will take some time, so the sooner you begin, the more likely the next promotion will go to you.
Forbes
