Being promoted is not just about working hard all the time. Sometimes it’s about putting your efforts in the right direction. Even high-performing employees can unconsciously stumble progress and be overlooked when the time comes for promotion.
From simply meeting expectations to overlooking important relationships, minor missteps can quietly stall your career growth.
There are five common mistakes to avoid at work. Additionally, we’ll introduce you to some practical tips on how to get promoted.
Shows up to one not ready
According to Jenny Wood, a former Google executive and author of Wild Courage, preparing for one-on-one meetings is important in advance. Treating one-on-one people every week like a casual check-in instead of a strategic career building moment means you don’t have a valuable opportunity to shape your career trajectory.
Wood recalls his employee management experience and states, “There were senior leaders who had nothing, but they weren’t promoted people.”
She recommends coming to the meeting with a simple, half-page document outlining your key metrics, recent victory, obstacles and career goals. These bullets include introducing positive customer feedback and highlighting the spreadsheets you are currently working on. For wood, this indicates a much better level of positivity than arriving without a note.
Similarly, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recommends that employees build individual development plans (IDPs) to help supervisors clarify performance expectations.
“IDPs should be viewed as a partnership between employees and their supervisors, with preparation and ongoing feedback,” according to the OPM.
Spend all your time on “nap work” instead of facilitating work
Not all work will be noticed by you. Volunteering to reply to happy birthday emails, take notes, or have dinner when senior leaders in town become useful is rarely moving the needle when it comes to promotions.
A great but influential task is what wood calls “nap work” and short for “cannot actually promote.”
“Some people think of this as glue work or invisible work,” explains Wood. “It’s good for culture. It’s good to do some of it, but under 10%. If you’re working with a NAP over 10%, you’re doing a lot of damage to yourself.
Instead, you want to say yes to something big in your career and “yes” to no. This includes taking on high-impact marketing projects, a top priority for VPs, or leading initiatives that increase customer satisfaction by 12% year-over-year. These are the types of contributions that are attracting attention and promoted.
Build a relationship with just Your boss
People beyond managers often make decisions regarding promotions. The last thing you want is for your boss to defend your promotion and for all other decision makers to answer, “Who is it?”
Wood defends building relationships between managers’ bosses and those sitting left and right on the organizational charts. That’s what she calls “higher management” and “control at an angle.”
“Think who’s the most influential, who’s the most reputable and trustworthy, and who you want to spend your time,” Wood says.
To build these relationships, you can present at team meetings, coach someone on the team, or ask for feedback on key projects. You can also add value by sharing helpful podcasts, books, or articles. Even if you’re early in your career, you still have something to contribute.
One note: Wood warns against trying to be friends with these influencers just before the promotion is decided.
“It looks dishonest,” she explains. “Start early – ideally a year ago – and focus on building a real relationship with two or three leaders.”
I look forward to promotions to do your job
“Of course, don’t chase the gig for a six-month promotion unless you invent a new antibiotic,” Wood says.
In other words, don’t expect to be promoted too early or meet current role expectations.
“You’ll receive your salary to do the job. You’ll be promoted to show that you can do your job on the next higher level on a larger range,” she says.
Emits team energy
Getting results isn’t the only way to be good at your job. It’s also about how you show up. If you show up for frustration, temper, or constantly working negatively, it won’t help you, especially if your promotion decision is on the table.
“You have to ask yourself, ‘Are you a radiator or a drain?'” Wood says. A radiator is someone who emits positive energy, and a drain is someone who drains it. “Why would managers be someone who promotes someone, inspire others, and not motivate them, so why would they keep climbing the ladder?”
Final takeout
Being promoted doesn’t just do what you have to do. It’s about showing up with intention, building the right relationships and running at the next level before you’re officially there.
By avoiding these common mistakes and taking a positive approach to your growth, you will not only increase your chances of being promoted, but also stand out as a truly prepared person.
