Madisson is an expert in the field of nuclear energy. She works for a large power supply company. Her role is placed under James, who reports directly to the board of directors. James is retiring soon. Madisson actually wants to report directly to the board of directors herself, feeling that this makes more sense given her responsibilities. Moreover, James has no understanding of nuclear energy, and she was simply added to his department in the past because she needed to be placed somewhere. Now that James is retiring soon, his role will be vacant, and it would be a logical step for Madisson to take on this role, reporting directly to the board of directors. The point is, though, she doesn't actively pursue this ambition. She doesn't want a management role but rather wishes to continue her career as an expert, reporting directly to the board of directors. And she actually hopes that the board of directors will realize this themselves.

Of course, it doesn't work that way. Read on to find out why not and how it does work.

Why can't you get promoted?

There are many reasons why it might not work to get promoted. But there is one that really stands out. And that is what Madisson also neglects. You assume that others will see that you want to get promoted. You work hard, you do your best, and your results are top-notch. Just like you learned in school. Hard work and you get high grades, move on to the next year, and eventually get your diploma. "Your promotion to your diploma". So hard work is directly related to getting promoted. But at work, it doesn't work like that. No, you have to say that you want a promotion. That's where it starts. In Madisson's case, for example, she will first have to indicate to James that she has the ambition to report directly to the board of directors as an expert, not as a manager.

And if you're thinking, okay, I'll say it once and then it's done. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that ways either. I once heard that you have to hear a name 17 times before you can remember it, and it's the same with expressing your ambition. Now, maybe it doesn't have to be 17 times, but it does need to be repeated.

Suppose you succeed in repeatedly expressing your ambition. Are you done?

No, unfortunately not. There are still a few other things that are important.

You may, for example, suffer from imposter syndrome.

I've written about imposter syndrome before. But in essence, it's nothing more and nothing less than that annoying voice in your head that says, 'can I really do this?' or 'what if it turns out I've aimed too high.' Suppose you've expressed your ambition and you get this response:

'Well well, that's quite ambitious, don't you think?'

Chances are that imposter voice will say to you again, 'see, it's not for you.' Here's a tip in advance: Shut down that imposter voice. It's just a voice, and you are not the imposter!

Actually, you could say that due to that stupid imposter syndrome, you're likely to start acting too modestly. You make yourself smaller.

What does modesty look like then?

Let's talk about Joanna.

Joanna works as a financial advisor at a hospital. She wants to become a Financial Controller. She goes to the CFO and expresses her ambition like this:

'I would like to take the next step.'

Is that enough?

No, of course not. It's far too modest and not specific enough. But her modest thoughts are:

'If I say I want to be a Financial Controller, it might sound very ambitious and even boastful. So I'll just say I want to take a step forward, and then my director will figure out that I want to be a Financial Controller.'

Silly, silly, silly... why? The chances are high that she might make it to senior advisor but not as a Financial Controller just like that.

The message when expressing your ambition is to be specific about what you want. In Joanna's case:

'I have the ambition to become a Financial Controller here.'

Yes, it's quite daunting, so practice saying this out loud in front of a mirror beforehand.

What about the unwritten rules then?

It could be that you're not suitable, but I won't address that now. I assume you definitely can do it, and perhaps you're even overqualified. This is certainly not unthinkable, but I'll write about that another time.

There are also unwritten rules that you must not ignore. Joanna, for example, thinks she'll come across as boastful if she says specifically that she wants to be a Financial Controller. But ironically, that's an important unwritten rule. Isn't it strange that when you say what you want, you think you're bluffing? After all, you're speaking the truth because that's what you want, right? And I notice this with many women. Telling the truth feels like bluffing. I don't say this for nothing:

The moment you think you're bluffing, you're actually telling the truth!

Is there anything else at play in why it's not working out?

Track record versus Potential.

There are several studies showing that women are selected based on track record. Have they done it before? Men are selected based on potential. Can we see them doing it? Yes, I know, unfair, but it's a fact, and both men and women are guilty of this. So as a woman, you must have your track record in order. It's important to demonstrate that you have already done everything once.

Joanna, therefore, must demonstrate that she has done all aspects of a Financial Controller before. You see, there's a good chance you're overqualified anyway...

How to get promoted then?

I've hinted at some of this before, but let me list them out for you:

• State your ambition and repeat it.
• Practice stating it in front of a mirror, in the air, record it, it doesn't matter. The more you say it, the more real it becomes for you.
• Repeat not only to the same person but ensure that multiple people who can help you know your ambition.
• Be as specific as possible when stating your ambition. It may (and should) feel like you're bluffing.
• When you state your ambition and someone says they find you very ambitious, just say, 'Thank you, I am ambitious too.'
• Make sure your track record is in order.

What else to watch out for when seeking promotion?

Assuming you've done all this, the following can happen. You get thrown off your horse...

What now?

An example:

Joanna: 'I want to become a Financial Controller here.'

Director: 'I don't see you in that role.'

Joanna is thrown off her horse. There's a good chance she might back down... and that's wrong! No, she needs to get back on her horse:

Joanna: 'Given my performance last year, I have clearly shown that I am suitable for this role.'

Director: 'Your performance is quite good, but I don't see you leading.'

Joanna is thrown off her horse again. And now she needs to get back on her horse.

Joanna: 'In March, I was responsible for that important project where I led a team of 16 members.The feedback was that my leadership style made such a difference...'

Do you see where I'm going with this? Prepare yourself because you might get thrown off your horse repeatedly, and that's why your track record is so important.

Now, if you get that promotion, then comes the next thing: your salary.

You need to negotiate your salary!

How to do that, I'll reveal later...

Oh, and Madisson?

She stated her ambition to James. She talked about her results, but she also mentioned that she enjoys global recognition in her field, regularly consults with the minister, and her peers at a global level all report at the Board level. James had no idea about this impressive track record, and as his final act before retirement, he arranged for her to directly report to the Board as an expert. And they were very eager for this themselves. Why? Simply because they too were impressed by all the global connections she had. It was time for them to get to know Madisson even better...