Hi friends!
Considering the plans that were sidelined in 2020, I started this year with a commitment to adding more joy into my work-life, including some leisure reading.
My go-to is Isabel Allende. Her stories are sweeping and grand, span generations and wars, and explore the complexity of love. As a student of humanity, I’m always amazed by how beautifully her poetic stories carry over to English from their original Spanish vernacular.
This led me to think about how all of our relationships -- whether in the workplace or at home -- are a translation of what we express and what gets heard.
Much of my client work is centered on successfully translating how people rise in organizations; Who gets promoted and why. Given my past experience in multiple executive roles, building teams, going through all business cycles from growth to plateaus, to layoffs, I know the language of growth and opportunity — and the systemic barriers that can stall a career.
It’s been a powerful creative journey to translate this work into five key promotability elements that I structured as a tool that thousands of professionals have taken to advance their careers. If you haven’t had the chance to take the Promotability Index® (“PI”) now is the perfect time, as the review cycle has come around.
Many of you who took the PI asked for a supporting Guidebook with exercises to help you through the next steps to advance your career. Some of you are settled in the C-suite and eager to expand your leadership impact. Others in our community have written me to share how you are working your way up, establishing yourself as an expert in your field. Many of you share that you are in the early days of getting noticed and building your reputation.
Wherever you are in your journey, I am dedicated to the best leaders advancing and getting promoted, period. That’s why I have spent the past year putting together that very Guidebook and I am thrilled to announce it will be published this year!
Helping good leaders get better ultimately all comes down to translation. Understanding our needs, skills and abilities, the needs of others, and bridging that gap. Taking ownership of your learning, and designing a continuous career journey you love.
We are piloting the book right now with a select group of clients and I look forward to sharing it with you in early June.
Last year I was pleased to present dozens of virtual Promotability Masterclasses to several Fortune 500 client companies and professional industry groups, including the Credit Union National Association, the Association for Corporate Counsel, Georgetown Alumni, and several leading women’s groups. I'm currently booking masterclasses for summer and fall 2021, so just respond to this email if your organization is interested. I welcome your referrals!
In the meantime, you and your team may find my recent Harvard Business Review article helpful — Promotions Aren’t Just About Your Skills — They’re About Your Relationships.
Ways to Connect and Get Support
Catch me live on Clubhouse. Need a boost of courage or support these days? Join me on Clubhouse, where I’m hosting the Crushing It With Courage show twice weekly with my colleague Rhett Power. We host salon-style conversations, and discuss challenges such as perfectionism, self-awareness, obstacles to leadership, and solutions. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30 PM Pacific time, @joinclubhouse (only on iPhone at this time, apologies!).
I have a few available spots for one-on-one coaching this spring. I’ve been fortunate to coach executives and high-potential leaders at companies such as Adobe, Boehringer-Ingelheim, The Gap, Chegg, and Bank of the West. Top organizations sponsor coaching for my clients because they recognize the exponential leadership incredible benefits it provides to you and your company. the organization.
If you're interested in taking your leadership to the next level, simply ask your boss or HR colleague if coaching is available to you and let’s set up a time to talk.
Until next time, stay well and know that I’m cheering you on.
To your success,
