How can you exceed your boss's expectations for a promotion?

Key question: what is the vision of success or excellence for the role? Align with your manager on this and ensure expectations are met. Once met, it's important to step into ownership! Ownership is setting the agenda and strategy of how to move the work forward. It's managing up and sideways and ensuring deliverables are met and all stakeholders are aware and involved in the set process. Last, it's taking on new initiatives assigned or building new initiatives based on a need within the company. This will support you in having high visibility, building relationships across multiple team members, and strengthening your leadership voice and presence in a new way. In summary: Meet expectations Own the work Stretch beyond the work

To exceed your boss's expectations for a promotion, set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. Communicate effectively, align your priorities, and seek feedback. Take initiative to improve yourself and your organization, be flexible and embrace new challenges. This demonstrates your vision, collaboration, and problem-solving skills, increasing your chances for a promotion.

First, you and your boss should be in alignment on the vision and mission of your Company. What is the bigger goal of your Department? Are the KRAs and KPIs clear? What is the picture of promotion for you? How do you really see yourself as part of the big picture in your Company?

Not all initiatives are made equal. You need to choose an initiative that will set you apart, and that is where most people miss the mark. Here are 2 ways to choose the right initiative: 1) Focus on outcomes not outputs. An output is the amount of something, for example: number of emails, calls. An outcome is a result, for example: how many deals were closed. An output can have zero impact, an outcome will move the needle. Focus on initiatives that move the needle and you will get recognized. 2) Anticipate your manager's needs BEFORE they know they have a problem. If you initiate a solution for a problem before it even happens you will be a superhero. Gotta work smarter, not harder.

Initiative is one of the primary things I look for in analysts and associates I oversee. Individuals that show initiative tend to have the most success because they are, by default, getting the most growth opportunities - they’re trying new things, proposing new ideas, sharing unique solutions. Not only does this give them exposure to additional (often higher level) tasks, but it also gives them greater exposure to their boss. By actively asking for feedback, taking first passes at their work, and sharing suggestions, you are creating more touch points and opportunities for your boss to see your strengths and recognize your drive.

I never really saw it as "taking initiative" but working closely with leaders means that you see where things are stacking up in terms of the "to-do" list. My thought process is to take a shot at a few things and do what I like to call "give it a shot" or "get it started". This entails getting this work moving down the path. Gather info into one place, offer a couple views of the options or solutions, and ultimately use this work to give the leaders something to react to. This generally will accelerate the works stream and allow everyone to do their best work and not get bogged down in weeks of meetings.

Feedback is difficult mostly because great feedback is hard to find. Great feedback is not gushing praise of the amazing work done, rather it is an honest, kind assessment of where your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats or blindspots may exist. I have received feedback after projects, interviews, etc and it is very obvious when you are receiving "stock" answers. "We were looking for someone with more experience." "We needed someone to hit the ground running." "Everything was great." - - I love the Adam Grant suggestion of seeking a numerical rating 1-10 of the work. No one will give you a 10... and when you get that 6 or 7 it opens up the glorious conversation of how can I get it closer to a 10??

Always say yes - being open to new opportunities that may not correlate with what you do today not only teaches you new skills, but also exposes you to new ways of thinking and helps you to expand your network. The more experienced you have to draw on, the more valuable you become.

Understand and ask your boss what exceeding expectations looks like to them compared to meeting expectations. Not only are you having a honest conversation about your aspirations but you are also gaining insights into what meets v exceeds looks like.

One way I manage to exceed expectations is by showing up to meetings with intent, which for me means preparing well. Especially as an introvert, it helps me to think about talking points beforehand so I can commit to speaking up. My 3 I's of intentional meetings: 1️⃣ Inform What point do you want to make, what information will matter to the audience? 2️⃣ Inquire What question do you need to be answered to move forward or to unlock the next steps? 3️⃣ Initiate What action is important to success, and how can you influence others to move with you?

Understanding the type of organization you work in is very important to maintain perspective and keep expectations in check. For example, you may work in an org where your direct leaders have the ability to promote you or reward your work directly. This will mean creating more value for those leaders should in theory have more of a direct impact on your career. You might be in an org where your leaders may not be able to directly reward you with that promotion. In that case, you will need to combine all of the amazing lessons above with networking and understanding how to translate your current value into something others will see value in. The latter is bit more tricky and challenging. Make sure you know which scenario you are in.