People Who Get Promoted Again And Again Do 12 Things Better Than The Rest Of Us
Dragana Gordic | shutterstockPeople who get promoted over and over again tend to share certain work habits.
Aspiring leaders often question themselves, even when they're doing well at work. They wonder whether they're good people managers, whether they need a leadership framework to be taken seriously, whether they're ready for the next promotion, or what people will think if they speak honestly. Experienced leaders may have those doubts too, but they don't let them run the whole room. The people who keep getting promoted tend to build the habits, confidence, and self-awareness that help them lead better than the rest of us.
People who get promoted again and again do these things better than the rest of us:
1. They believe in themselves without needing to be right all the time
This doesn't mean always being right. It's knowing you're unique and what's yours will come to you while operating from no insecurity or doubt about your decisions, actions, and approach.
If you tend to have negative self-talk, personal development coach Barbara Rush explained how "Thoughts are simply choices. You don't wear clothes that make you feel uncomfortable or eat food you don't like. So why choose thoughts that make you feel bad? What you can do: Choose a thought that makes you feel good and encourages you. Stick with a positive attitude, focusing on why you can instead of why you can't."
2. They have a clear purpose
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This enables leaders to have a personal vision and one to lead the organization. Purpose chooses to reveal itself to a person when they are ready.
This readiness can come in several ways: through hardships, continuous searching, or when your time to receive it has just come. This further gives them the skills to break the vision down so it can be understood by the next in line.
3. They know how to stay present
In the fast-and-furious race to high-impact scale across people, resources, and situations, leaders are often pulled in a dozen directions at once, leaving little room to do great things. They learn how to be here, in the now.
People who get promoted again and again learn to stay focused on what is happening right now rather than constantly reacting, rushing, or living three steps ahead.
4. They know their field really well
Strong expertise matters. People who move up at work usually have a deep understanding of their role, their industry, and the work they're responsible for. This is a prerequisite and, of course, can't be compromised as you take on even bigger responsibilities.
Having a deep understanding of your domain and keeping current on new information is vital for career advancement. That kind of knowledge makes people more trustworthy when bigger decisions and bigger responsibilities come their way.
5. They are constant strategic learners
The skill of sifting through the necessary and relevant learning in your area will determine how effective you remain in your leadership role. People who get promoted know how to sort through what matters, what applies to their work, and what will actually make them better leaders.
That ability to learn wisely helps them stay useful, prepared, and effective as their role grows.
6. They build real relationships, not just work contacts
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Often, people attend networking events with an agenda or with a specific goal in mind. You have to be at the right events with the right people. However, when you're there, you might spend more time genuinely being curious about people and connecting with them at a human level, authentically.
People who keep moving up still know the value of being in the right rooms, but they don't treat every person like a stepping stone. They listen and connect on a human level, which makes their relationships stronger and more natural over time.
7. They forgive themselves and keep moving
Leaders take the lessons but don't engage personally with them for too long. This means forgiving themselves and their failures, too.
The failure could be due to being duped by others, a situation gone awry, or a bad decision. The important thing is to own it, not beat yourself up over it; learn from it, and then move on. This requires a practiced, deliberate skill only a few can master, but it can be done.
Therapist Dale Goldstein described the relationship between the pain and the ability to forgive. "When someone hurts me, they are giving me the pain that is too great for them to hold. If I resist it, it hurts and persists as anger and resentment. If I am willing to receive it, it hurts and then passes through me. This way, I don't hold onto any resentment, and there's nothing and no one to forgive.
The person who gave me the pain gets to see it right in front of his or her nose and has the opportunity (because of my willingness to feel it) to safely feel what was previously too much to feel and thereby achieve some degree of healing for him or herself. The pain, if shared in this way, becomes a catalyst for healing instead of hurting. When one becomes completely willing to feel the pain, forgiveness and healing automatically follow."
8. They believe they deserve the opportunity
People who keep getting promoted usually believe they belong in the room. When that belief comes from purpose and preparation, it feels grounded instead of arrogant.
They don't need to beg for a chance or prove their worth every five seconds. They already know they have something valuable to contribute. If their vision and purpose are clear, this comes naturally from a place of humility rather than ego. And then, how beautiful is that?
9. They know they can't do it alone
They mentor, nurture, and take care of their people. People who rise again and again don't try to be the whole machine by themselves. They mentor people, support their teams, and build work environments where others can contribute good ideas.
That's one reason people trust them with more responsibility. They don't just get results on their own. They help other people get better, too. They build collaborative environments conducive to innovation.
10. They take care of themselves
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Leaders know they need to be in top form to play the game well and inspire their team members to show up at their best, too.
"Setting aside time just for you is one of the best things you can do for yourself, even if it's only 10 minutes. You're allowing yourself to have a nurturing experience. This doesn't mean you aren't being productive or that you're being selfish. Unfortunately, society has taught you that," advised counselor Lianne Avila.
11. They're willing to take (smart) risks
A strong self-belief enables a leader to take risks with confidence. It's a required quality for innovation. People who keep getting promoted don't hide from risk. Their conviction helps them make bold decisions when the moment calls for it.
That matters because growth, innovation, and leadership all require some level of risk. The difference is that strong leaders weigh the risk instead of avoiding it completely.
12. They understand themselves
They regularly objectively scan themselves to identify their fears, missed perceptions, aspirations, apprehensions, and pitfalls.
It's normal for leaders to have doubts about their effectiveness. Leaders often voice their doubts during leadership development sessions while navigating the choppy waters of their day-to-day jobs, where they are increasingly required to show up as leaders.
More power to these folks and their companies who want them to understand what leadership is all about and where they stand in this journey. While many are thinking and feeling these thoughts, they're not acknowledging and addressing them.
There's an expectation amongst newer aspiring leaders that leadership shows up in a certain manner. The ironic thing is that a person's leadership style is unique to them. Leadership demands that you show up even more as yourself. However, this does not mean leadership depends on personality.
I've seen great leaders with different strengths and attributes: some are introverts, others are extroverts; some are thrifty, others spend lavishly; some drive results, others collaborate. Though the common element they all share is that leaders are always working on themselves to be better.
Now, with this knowledge, go back to those questions listed above. You will notice that if the above work is done regularly by a person, they will have no hesitation, and if they do, they will immediately know the answers to move forward.
Bhavna Dalal is a master-certified executive coach at MCC ICF, speaker, and author of 'Checkmate Office Politics.' She helps people develop their leadership skills, including executive presence, strategic thinking, influencing and networking, and women's leadership. Her work has been featured in Forbes India, Forbes Japan, and Fortune India.
