5 Mistakes Quietly Disqualifying You From Promotion

 

Here’s something too many talented high achievers never hear: Promotions aren’t given to the most qualified person.   They’re given to the person who looks most ready for what’s next.   In other words, you’re not just being evaluated on your performance. You’re being evaluated on your potential. And perception - what leaders think about you - is the proof of that potential.   Every meeting, every update, every interaction sends a signal about whether you’re operating at the next level — or reinforcing the idea that you’re “great where you are.”   The tricky part? Most people don’t realize they’re sending the wrong signals and end up sabotaging their own growth.   So today I want to share with you the most common mistakes I’ve seen as an executive and a coach. The invisible mistakes that quietly disqualify you for promotion and how to fix them before your next opportunity passes you by.

The 5 Mistakes That Are Quietly Disqualifying You From Promotion 1. Doing your work in silence, instead of sharing your wins Sometimes I’m surprised how many people still believe their hard work will speak for itself. This belief is ingrained in us from a young age, so it can be hard to overcome. But the truth is it’s just not enough. No matter how hard you work, how many hours you put in, or how good you are.   If no one knows what you’re doing, your impact stays invisible and invisible people don’t get promoted.   Not to mention, with dozens of other professionals looking for attention and recognition, you can’t afford not to speak up and talk about your work.   Why it disqualifies you: Silence creates an information gap. Senior leaders can’t advocate for potential they can’t see. If they hear nothing they assume you’re maintaining the status quo, not driving change. In this case no news, is not good news. It’s guaranteed anonymity.   How to fix it: Reframe visibility as a service to your company, not vain self-promotion. When you share wins, you’re helping the company learn what’s working. And when you do it right, it’s a win-win.   Try this: “Our pilot improved conversion by 15%, which opens up a bigger opportunity for next quarter — here’s what we learned.”   That’s not bragging. That’s executive communication. (Grab my full guide on cringe free self promotion)   2. Ignoring relationship building (a.k.a networking) Let me guess, you pride yourself on staying out of politics. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: promotions are political.   Executives don’t get promoted in isolation — they get promoted through advocacy. And advocacy only happens when people know, trust, and believe in you.   That’s why building relationships isn’t a nice to have, it’s a necessity. And not just for the promotion, but for everything that happens after you get the job - from budget to headcount every change you lead requires support.   Why it disqualifies you: If your relationships don’t extend beyond your immediate manager, your name doesn’t even make it into the promotion conversation. Executive promotions require social proof. Lack of relationships = lack of sponsorship.   How to fix it: Stop networking randomly. Build a power map — identify 3–5 leaders whose goals intersect with yours. Then schedule short “insight” chats to understand what matters to them. End each with a small value add (“Would you like me to share our learnings from the X initiative?”).   Over time, you’ll be seen as someone who gets it — and that’s who leaders want to promote. (Steal my formula for adding value)   3. Staying invisible outside your team You lead your team well, but your impact and influence stops there. To senior leadership, that reads as “strong manager,” not “enterprise thinker.” To show your potential you need to get outside of your lane, strategically. That doesn’t mean try and take someone else’s job, but rather find ways to act as a consultant and share insights.   Why it disqualifies you: Executives are expected to operate at the company level, not just the functional level. If your influence doesn’t extend across functions, decision-makers can’t see you as a peer.   How to fix it: This is a tricky one because you need to maintain balance between doing your job and thinking at a higher level. That means slowly shifting the balance from only doing your job to getting involved in bigger decisions.   One way to do that is to look for a cross-functional project that’s visible to senior leaders. You’ll be part of a team that thinks at the exec level and have an opportunity to grow your impact without risking your day job.   Another options is to present updates in a leadership meeting and show how your work connects with the bigger company goals. Even one high-visibility moment can change perception — from operator to organization builder.   4. Sharing too much instead of being concise When you finally get airtime, you want to prove your expertise. So you over-explain. You show your homework. You walk people through every detail. I’ve been there… but executives don’t want the process. They want the point.   Why it disqualifies you: Over-explaining makes you sound tactical. It signals you’re in the weeds, not thinking strategically. And speaking as VP, sharing too much and drowning in information (and slides) makes you look junior.   How to fix it: Use the BLUF method — Bottom Line Up Front. Start with your insight or recommendation, then layer in key context if needed.   Example: “The data shows a 10% drop in engagement — my recommendation is to reallocate budget toward initiatives that drive retention.”   Clear. Confident. Executive. Practice distilling your message into one sentence before every meeting. That one habit will change how people perceive you.   5. Sending low-level updates You work hard to keep leadership informed but if your updates sound like a to-do list, you’re reinforcing the wrong image.   Why it disqualifies you: Executives evaluate readiness through language. If your communication is tactical (“We ran three campaigns”), they assume your thinking is too.   How to fix it: Translate tasks into business outcomes. Instead of: “We onboarded five new customers this week.” Say: “Early adoption is strong — we’re on track to hit 120% of our Q4 target.”   You’ve moved from execution to direction — and that’s what executives notice. You can also practice sending this executive update.   The Bigger Picture None of these mistakes come from lack of skill. They come from relying on an outdated formula for success — one that rewards competence, not potential. The moment you start managing perception intentionally, you stop waiting for someone else to “see” your readiness and start shaping it yourself. That’s what separates the people who deserve promotion from the ones who get it.

Your Next Steps Pick one area from this list to focus on this week: Share one strategic win publicly. Schedule one connection conversation. Rewrite one update from “tasks” to “impact.”