Build Your Promotion Coalition

Promotions rarely rest on one person's opinion. Most companies use a calibration process where several managers discuss candidates together. So you need advocates beyond your direct manager — ideally 2-3 leaders who can vouch for your impact.

Build these relationships on purpose. Take on work that spans teams so other managers see your output firsthand, then deliver results that give them their own proof.

Ask your manager: "Whose input matters for promotion decisions on our team?" Then find natural ways to work with those people. This is not politics — it is understanding how decisions actually get made.