Is anyone in the room vouching for you?

 

Your manager controls your next promotion more than HR ever will.   When it comes to senior-level promotions, your manager can make or break your career. They can open doors that change everything — or quietly block your name from ever coming up.   I’ve had both.   One manager put me in rooms I didn’t even know existed. They gave me exposure, coached me behind the scenes, and made sure I got credit where it mattered.   That kind of advocacy changed my entire career trajectory. And then there was the other kind… The one who couldn’t see my value, who second-guessed my decisions, who (if I’m being honest) might have felt a little intimidated.   That one stood in my way. And I see this all the time with my clients.   Brilliant, hardworking leaders who’ve built great results, but their manager isn’t championing them. Sometimes because there’s a disconnect. Sometimes because they’ve never learned how to turn their boss into their biggest advocate.   So let’s fix that. Because if you want to get promoted into executive roles, your manager needs to be your loudest cheerleader when you’re not in the room.   Here’s how to make that happen — without kissing up or playing politics.

The A.P.S. Framework: How to Turn Your Manager into Your #1 Advocate A = Align to Their Mandate Stop trying to impress your manager. Start helping them win.   Find out what they are being measured on — their top 1–3 priorities, the metrics their boss actually cares about. Then make sure your work ladders directly into those outcomes.   Say this in your next 1:1: “I want to make sure I’m focused on what matters most to you this quarter. From what I see, your top priorities are [X, Y, Z]. Here’s how I’m aligning my work to those outcomes — am I on the right track?”   When your manager sees that you “get it,” you immediately shift from employee → partner. That’s the foundation of advocacy.   P = Preempt Their Needs Executives don’t wait to be told what to do — they anticipate.   If your manager is constantly chasing you for updates, you’re not helping them sleep at night. Instead, become the person who prevents problems before they happen.   Try this: Send a BLUF update every Friday (Bottom Line Up Front). Bring decisions, not updates: “Here’s what I recommend, and here are two tradeoffs.” Operate with a no-surprises rule : If something might bite them, they hear it from you first (with your mitigation plan ready).   When your manager never has to worry about you, you earn one of the most valuable currencies in corporate life: trust.   S = Showcase Them (and You) Strategically Advocacy is a two-way street. When you make your manager look good, they’ll make sure you shine too.   Give them talking points they can reuse in rooms you’re not in: “The [initiative] cut time-to-value by 22% and freed up 2 FTEs. [Your name] identified the bottleneck, piloted a fix with Sales Ops, and shipped it in 4 weeks.”   Feed them proof points, short wins, or crisp recaps they can share with their own leaders. You’re not bragging — you’re enabling visibility. And when they look like a great leader for betting on you, they’ll keep betting on you.   When You’ve Tried Everything and It’s Still Not Working Sometimes, despite your best efforts, your manager isn’t advocating.   Maybe they don’t see your potential. Maybe they feel threatened. Maybe they’re just not the kind of leader who develops others.   Here’s the hard truth: At senior levels, your manager is usually your main sponsor. If they’re not advocating for you, you need a plan B.   You have three options: Surround Sound: Build advocacy around them — skip-levels, peers, other VPs. Create positive echo. When multiple senior voices highlight your impact, it gets harder for one person to block your path. Evidence on Record: Keep your wins documented and tied to business priorities. Use crisp BLUF summaries or quarterly recaps. That paper trail builds your internal brand and gives you leverage — whether you stay or go. Lateral Power Play: Sometimes the move is strategic. Find a leader who will invest in your growth — inside or outside your current org. Don’t let one person define your ceiling.    If, after a quarter or two of intentional effort, nothing changes — escalate the strategy, not the emotion. Move on and take your value somewhere it’s recognized.

Your Next Steps Start with a simple question: Right now, will your manager go to bat for your promotion? If the answer isn’t a clear yes you may have some work to do. To become your #1 advocate your manager needs to trust you and your judgment, see you think and act at their level, and have the proof points to convince everyone else on the leadership team.