How to Get Promoted

One of the most valuable currency in advancing our careers is influence. Our ability to influence people and therefore events, to gain cooperation and understanding, to negotiate common objectives and to draw resources is a powerful engine in our drive towards our business objectives. Influence might arise from formal titles and positions, but yet, formal titles and positions doesn't guarantee influence. Formal power might generate grudging compliance but well honed influence musters genuine commitments. The best type of influence arise from carefully cultivated business relationships. The best type of influence is grown from a consistent eagerness to help others and it stems from politeness and respect for others.

Often times we find ourselves thinking that we don't have "the power" to achieve certain objectives as if every job post comes with a list of powers and capabilities much like computer role playing games. Yet there are those amongst us who can get things done, in spite of their positions. The key difference between us and them is that they go into the world aiming to make things happen. They look for ways to get things done while the rest of us wait for some higher powers to either clear the way for us or to bestow us with some formal power. They talk, they negotiate and they influence. They assume "power" and they get things done. These are the same people who are most likely to be promoted since they have already assumed a higher post.

The limits to our influence is often in our heads. We need to be careful that we don't use "I can't" as an excuse for us being too lazy to work things out ourselves. We are often our own worse enemies on our path to career success. Seek to "promote" yourselves and you will be promoted ahead of others.