Climbing the corporate ladder starts with mastering your current role first. And getting noticed of course.
No one becomes an executive overnight, but the steps you take now are the building blocks of your future success. Excelling in your present position is the first step in proving you’re ready for the next challenge.
It’s not just about doing your job; it’s about doing it exceptionally well and standing out.
Here’s how you can take your performance to the next level:
1. Own Your Role
First and foremost, take complete ownership of your job responsibilities.
When you know your role inside and out, you can anticipate problems, streamline processes, and suggest improvements.
Go above and beyond your core responsibilities. Take the initiative on projects and offer solutions before being asked.
Actionable Step: Take a good look at your current responsibilities. What tasks can you take more control of? Is there an area you can make more efficient or improve? Find it and take action.
2. Showcase Your Results
While you’re putting in the effort, make sure you’re visible for it.
It’s easy to assume that your work speaks for itself, but the truth is, high performers often need to highlight their achievements.
Actionable Step: Keep track of your accomplishments, both big and small. Quantify them.
For example, if you streamlined a process that saved the team time, show the numbers. Present these results during regular check-ins or team meetings.
A career coach can help you perfect how to present this effectively without sounding boastful, making sure your contributions are clear and impactful.
3. Tackle Challenging Projects
When it comes to securing your future promotion, the safe option won’t cut it. Seek out challenging, high-impact projects that push you out of your comfort zone.
These are the kinds of tasks that will get you noticed by senior leaders and allow you to show your strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
Actionable Step: Volunteer for a project that has visibility within the company. Maybe it’s cross-departmental or directly related to the business’s long-term goals. Take ownership and make sure your contributions are clear.
4. Be a Team Player
While excelling as an individual is crucial, executives need to show they can collaborate.
Make sure you’re offering help and sharing your expertise with your colleagues, and not just when it benefits you. A team-oriented mindset is essential for leadership roles.
Actionable Step: Start by helping a colleague with a challenging task or offering advice to someone who may be struggling. Position yourself as a go-to person for support and guidance.
5. Master Self-Advocacy
Advocating for yourself doesn’t mean bragging about your accomplishments; it’s about ensuring others know what you’ve achieved and how it contributes to the company’s success.
Being modest is great, but being silent about your contributions can keep you stuck in the same position.
Actionable Step: Practice the art of self-advocacy by integrating small mentions of your success into regular conversations with managers or peers.
A career coach can help you find the balance between sharing your wins and being humble.
A career coach can offer personalized insights on how to market yourself within your current role.
They can help you assess your performance, identify areas for growth, and teach you strategies for positioning yourself for future leadership opportunities.
It’s about refining what’s already working and minimizing what isn’t.
Mastering your current role is more than just executing tasks. It’s about setting yourself apart by adding value, building relationships, and positioning yourself as indispensable.
And remember: the skills you develop here will not only make you stand out, they’ll set you up for that executive role you’re working toward.
Keep refining your approach, and you’ll be well on your way.
This article was first published on Career Step Up.
Featured image credit: Shutterstock/ Andrey_Popov
