Getting to the next rung on the career ladder is daunting at every stage. Like learning a language or shaving time off your mile, it can’t happen overnight. It’s something you need to work toward a little bit every day—adopting a mindset, and treating it like a new lifestyle.
Whether you’re looking to make a big leap (more responsibility, maybe a promotion) or a small one (just a pay bump), everyone could use a little help getting to the next level. That’s why we asked Simon Sinek, our founder and chief optimist here at The Optimism Company, for his best advice on getting ahead at work.
Read on to see Simon’s advice, which covers everything from comporting yourself as a leader to asking for a raise the right way. And for more career advice, check out The Optimism Library for more than 50 classes on all the things you need to know to get ahead in your professional growth.
Tip #1: Sharpen your human skills
Yes, you consistently blow past all of your quarterly goals and generate undeniable value for your bosses. But the person three desks over who regularly churns out average work just scored a promotion. What gives?
“Leadership sees something in them and wants to put them in a leadership position,” Simon explained. “So, if you’re thinking about your own career as well, yes, absolutely, you want to be good at those hard skills—the skills that are about being good at your job—but it’s the human skills, as well.”
You often see it in tech, finance, and other fields that loudly prioritize KPIs and root performance in quantifiable metrics. But when it comes to taking the next step, to proving you’re ready to oversee other people, your soft skills are just as important.
“Learning to listen or help others thrive around [you] may more likely lead to your promotion than simply hitting all the numbers,” Simon elaborated.
Tip #2: Don’t come in with an ultimatum
When people ask for a raise or promotion, many tend to make the same mistake, according to Simon: They bring up the topic as a simple yes-or-no question. This forces bosses into a position where they may have to impart bad news, and don’t have the room to elaborate on their decision. You’re better off framing it as a discussion.
According to Simon, here’s one way you can bring it up: “I really like working here. I want to stay here for a long time. I’m learning a lot and I want to continue learning. And I also feel like I’m taking on more work, or I’ve gone above and beyond, and I want to have a conversation with you about the opportunities that I could have that my compensation could reflect the additional work I’ve been doing.”
Following that, put some time on your boss’ calendar to discuss the prospect of increasing your salary; discussions about money are hard on both sides of the table, and giving your boss time to prepare shows that you’re patient (a key quality in natural leaders). If the answer is negative, see if your boss is willing to outline clearly demarcated goals for you to hit on a schedule that’d lead to a promotion or raise.
Tip #3: Practice the art of having difficult conversations
Occasionally, you’ll find yourself needing to speak up at work. Perhaps your ideas are consistently shot down, or you’re regularly belittled in group contexts. When it reaches a point where you want—no, need—to say something, don’t barge into your boss’ office and lob a barrage of criticisms. Check yourself, and go in with a measured plan.
Simon recommends the tried and true “FBI” method as a way to have an effective confrontation with your boss: “What is your Feeling? What Behavior are they doing that makes you feel that way? And what Impact does it have?”
The key, Simon explains, is to be “really, really specific.” Avoid generalities (ex. “You always undermine me” or “You’re always yelling at me”) and come to the table instead with dates, meeting minutes, and, yes, your anxieties about how the meeting made you feel. To really bring it home, throw in how you think such treatment could hurt broader team morale and productivity.
“What FBI is designed to do is allow the other person to hear you and take accountability,” said Simon. Better yet, it gives the impression that you know how to advocate yourself—and, by extension, how to advocate for others too. If that’s not leadership material, nothing is.
