Happy New Year! And happy return to work for those who took a break over the festive period.
It’s January and that puts people into a goal setting mode, focusing on the year ahead with excitement and a bit of apprehension.
It can feel awkward or difficult to talk with your manager about your plans and goals, including asking for a promotion, but if you don’t ask, the answer is always no, so let me share my suggestions for navigating these conversations.
Discuss your goals AND actually working towards them
I hope you have a 1:1 with your manager this month. If you don’t, book it to make sure it happens.
Now is the time to talk about your goals for the year ahead and you’ll need their input to ensure your goals align to those of the team, the wider department, and the company as a whole.
Come prepared when you have your 1:1. It’s not your manager’s job to give you goals. If you want to tackle specific topics or be involved in projects, you have to let them know. So bring all of these ideas and any questions with you.
Send an agenda ahead of time. Share the high level points you’d like to discuss with your manager so they know what’s on your mind and can prepare accordingly. There’s nothing worse than wasting an hour on a status update that could have been an email.
By sending your agenda and letting them know what you want to cover, you have a much better chance of using the time effectively.
Be clear on milestones for your goals. As you discuss and agree goals with your manager, make sure you are clear on how you will achieve them. Some will be simple, others not so much. If you need additional training or access to resources, colleagues, etc. to achieve your goals, make sure this is agreed as well and you are asking for support where necessary.
Know the required criteria for a promotion. You need to know what is expected of you before a promotion. Companies usually define these criteria in writing, so ask your manager if this exists. If not, get your manager to provide you with criteria. Not everything can be easily defined but if you don’t know how you’ll be assessed when it comes to a promotion, it will be much harder.
Get clarity on what skills and capabilities you need to demonstrate and make a plan for how to achieve this.
Discuss your progress regularly. This is especially true when you’re aiming for a promotion.
Make sure your manager knows what you’re doing beyond the tasks you’re working on. In your 1:1s, schedule time regularly to discuss your progress, whether that’s building new technical skills, honing your communication skills, or developing new ideas.
By focusing on your development openly, you can ensure your manager is informed and there are no disappointing surprises at the end of the year.
If you approach your goals with a solid plan and you keep a close eye on how you track towards achieving them throughout the year, you’re giving yourself the best chance to see significant opportunities come out of that.
Have a great week and all the best for the year ahead!
Eva