How to Get Your Promotion
My client Arjun wants a promotion.
He wants to move from a Director role to a Vice President position.
This is a big promotion in his organization.
Arjun thinks he is ready for the promotion.
His boss does not think he is ready.
In a conversation with Arjun’s leader this week, I asked her what skills or behaviours he needs to develop to get the promotion.
Her response was very clear.
She said that “He needs to develop his executive presence. He needs to act with more confidence and conviction.”
I thought this was a great summary of what CEOs expect to see from their senior leaders.
So, what does it mean to demonstrate confidence and conviction?
Let’s break it down.
Confidence.
My favorite definition of confidence comes from author and motivational speaker, Mel Robbins. She says, “Confidence is the willingness to try. It is an action, not a feeling.” When you remove your self-doubt and try new things, whether you fail or succeed, you always learn something. When you learn something, the next time it will be easier and thus you will feel more confident. So, be more willing to learn, grow and try new things. This will definitely build your confidence.
I highly recommend that you watch or listen to Mel Robbin’s podcast episode called A Tool Kit for Confidence.
When you break through self-doubt and demonstrate more confidence, you will be willing to be more visible, you will be more respected and even feel more fulfilled in life.
Conviction.
Conviction is a firmly held belief or opinion. To have executive presence, it’s important to speak with conviction. This allows others to believe in you. For example, when you are presenting with conviction, you come across as more engaging. This builds trust with your audience and people will take what you are saying more seriously. When you speak with conviction you are not only more inspiring but more persuasive as well.
To be a powerful leader at any level, it is not enough to just achieve your objectives. You have to present yourself with confidence and conviction.
Which one of these areas do you need to develop to build more credibility in your organization?
