Promotions are the proof that our performance and our capabilities have been tested and recognized by our superiors. They open the way to new challenges and personal growth. They allow us to take more responsibilities. They broaden our vision of the company. They give us the chance to get our next promotion.

This article will explain how to position yourself to get a promotion and will give you tips to continue to succeed once you got promoted.

Merit
Promotions are usually given to those who deserve them the most. Reaching the targets that are assigned to you is an important condition to deserve a promotion. However, if other people in your team also could be chosen for the promotion, you must find ways to achieve more than them. You must stand out. Always do your very best, no matter what individual objectives were assigned to you. Show your superiors that you understand the interests of the company and that you always place them before your own. Support your team mates and seize chances to demonstrate that you are an effective problem solver.

Readiness
The best time for a promotion is when you know your current function well, your daily job becomes a routine, and you already understand two thirds of your supervisor’s function. Then, it is time to discuss your career plan with your superiors. If no opportunity is in sight within a reasonable time, it might be wise to send your personal data to reputable executive search firms.

Diplomacy
Promotions are not always given to those who deserve them the most. Every company has its internal policies. No matter how good their performance may be, those who refuse to cooperate with established policies find the way out quicker than the way up. So, choose a company with a management style that corresponds to your aspirations. Then, you can grow together with it naturally.

A well-known management principle says that everyone will rise in the organization until they become incompetent. It means that one will stop being promoted when the game becomes too hard for him to play. Here are some tips to ensure that you remain a capable player as you grow through the ranks.

Learn continuously
On the day of your promotion, enjoy your past achievements. On the next day, continue to learn. Start to equip yourself with the skills that you need to take the position above yours. Every time you go up one level, your vision of the company is enlarged. You lead bigger teams. You need to make bigger decisions. You need to master new analytical tools. You need to better understand how your company can build competitive advantages. You need to better understand your industry and your competitors. The day you are tired of learning, forget about promotions.

Be a respected leader
The higher you go, the less you do by yourself and the more you do through others. Being a leader means showing the direction to the team, giving them clear objectives, and reviewing their performance periodically. Being a respected leader means giving everyone in the team a real chance to grow. The more your subordinates will agree to do for you, the more you can achieve and the more you will be able to spend some of your time learning new skills.

Build a network of influence
Every manager interacts with other departments. Top managers must get results from several divisions or several countries. To get things done, they must know key persons inside and outside the corporation who can help them push their projects. On your way up, spend some time to build a network of powerful friends within your company and your industry. To be influential, who you know is as important as what you know.

Eric Dieny is President of EMS Consulting executive search firm, Chairman of the Consulting Services Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei, and a former co-Chairman of the China Business Committee and the Labor Affairs Committee of the same Chamber.

A version of this article was published in the China Post --  the leading English newspaper in Taiwan, on June 11-12, 1999.

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