How Executives Assess Your Promotion Readiness
In my 15-year corporate career, I’ve interviewed hundreds of candidates and been part of interview committees that evaluated VPs, C-level executives, and board members.
What makes a great executive may seem intangible, but I believe there are three main criteria most people use when evaluating promotion readiness.
Knowing these criteria is the best way to gain a competitive advantage. Make sure you invest your time and effort in work that will earn you the promotion, especially since executive promotions are few and far between and the competition is fierce.
Today, we’ll dive into these 3 criteria and how to use them to your advantage.
The 3 Criteria For Executive Promotions
When senior leaders assess your readiness for promotion to Director, Sr. Director, or VP role, they evaluate your potential, executive skills, and compatibility.
Potential is your ability to add value. When leadership trusts that you can operate at the next level and deliver bigger and better results, they see you as someone with executive potential. However, these criteria aren’t assessed solely based on your past experience or your ability to hit your current goals.
Potential also requires you to demonstrate you can handle things like increased scope, solving bigger challenges, innovating, and ambiguity.
Leadership needs to believe you would do very well and create more value at the next level.
Executive skills showcase who you are or who you can become.
Are you confident and credible? Do you have gravitas? Can you develop a vision and have a point of view? Would you be able to make decisions under pressure? Are you able to de-escalate and manage conflict? Can you work well with peers and get buy-in?
These skills carry a lot of weight in executive promotions. They demonstrate readiness for leadership and the potential for impact.
Compatibility is about likability, influence, and rapport. The extent to which people follow you, support your ideas, and even advocate for you.
Some criteria are measurable; others rely on a feeling or perception. But no matter how you look at it, you need all three to level up into executive roles.
This is an important point because I know many of you are hard workers who go above and beyond, only to be told: “You are not ready.” It’s not for the lack of potential; it’d probably be because you are not meeting the other criteria.
How to Become Executive-Ready
Contrary to what many believe, you don’t wait for the recognition title to start appearing as an executive and checking all three boxes. The truth is, it’s the other way around. You develop these skills first to show you are ready to be considered for executive roles.
Qualifying yourself to become an executive is, in a way, an executive skill. It shows that you are self-motivated, able to work strategically, and able to develop soft skills.
But where do you start?
A lot of high achievers can demonstrate potential easily but struggle with the intangibles. That’s why it’s important to self asses and understand where you need to improve. For some, it may mean doubling down on executive presence; for others, it may mean relationship building. There is no one-size-fits-all. Be honest with yourself, or ask for feedback to validate your assumptions.
Once you understand what you need to work on most, you can create a plan.
To show your potential:
Set expectations and then surpass them.
Identify opportunities for increased scope and ask for them. You can make a case to justify the ask by showing how you’ll generate value.
Focus on work that demonstrates next-level requirements (learn how to delegate, automate, or eliminate the rest).
To develop executive skills:
Develop your gravitas and executive presence through consistent practice, seeking constructive feedback, and putting yourself in situations that build confidence.
Learn how to position yourself as “executive-ready” with your communication (I have a full guide here)
Develop a vision and point of view to demonstrate leadership.
To become more compatible:
Build meaningful relationships with key stakeholders
Work collaboratively and master the art of getting buy-in
Avoid gossip, back-channeling, or picking fights with colleagues
Understanding and mastering these criteria is how you’ll qualify for executive roles and get a promotion.
Your next steps
Start with an honest self-assessment. Where do you stand right now?
Are you offered increased-scope projects? Or told you have enough on your plate?
Do you communicate with confidence and show up with gravitas?
Do you have trust and rapport across different levels of the organization?
Then, take strategic action to work on your gaps.
I believe in you, and I’m rooting for you.
Maya ❤️
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