Practical strategies and mindset shifts to help you stand out, show leadership, and position yourself for your next big promotion.

In my years in business—particularly the last 20 years serving as a director or Vice President while coaching and developing businesswomen—I’ve noticed something surprising: Most people aren’t passed over for promotion because they lack skill. Instead, they’re overlooked because they never truly go for it.

Many talented professionals claim they desire leadership roles, but their actions—or lack thereof—send a different message. They wait to be promoted before stepping up their game, not realizing that leaders are watching for those who are already demonstrating readiness.

That’s why leadership coaching, mentoring, and structured training programs such as Value Based Selling and Value Based Enrollment are so vital. They help individuals see what “going for it” looks like and how to align their actions with their ambitions.

What Leaders Look For

Many organizations operate with what’s called a “coach up or out” strategy. This means leaders are watching closely for people who:

- Have a clear vision for the role.

- Demonstrate the skills to act on it.

- Are already living it out in practice.

For example, a Vice President of Marketing looks for someone who is already guiding the team, setting the tone, driving the pace, and building culture—long before their title reflects it. To an outsider, this might look like “over-reaching.” But the reality is that leaders want to promote those who are already leading.

This mirrors what happens in Value Based Selling: just as consultative sales reps demonstrate trust and problem-solving skills before a customer commits, promotable leaders demonstrate vision and execution before the title comes. In both cases, credibility is earned by embodying the role now, not later.

Coaching vs. Parenting

Too often, coaching is misunderstood as handholding—telling someone every step until they can do it alone. But effective coaching and facilitation look very different.

A strong coach asks pointed questions, uses teachable moments, and expands horizons. They don’t just give quick answers—they help someone build the capacity to grow into their role.

This is why curriculum development and professional training programs like Value Based Enrollment are so impactful. Just as a strong sales curriculum develops problem-solving skills and teaches reps to act like trusted advisors, professional coaching develops promotable leaders by shaping habits, mindsets, and vision.

How to Become Promotable

If you’re aspiring to step into your next role, here are some actionable steps to accelerate your career growth:

- Choose to go for it—decide to pursue promotion with intentionality.

- Enlist a mentor or coach to align your actions with your goals.

- Act the part you want to play (without arrogance).

- Dress the part—appearance matters.

- Step up your game on all levels of performance.

- Respond with wisdom, not emotion.

- Seek counsel from those who’ve held the role.

- Ask your leader what they see the role requiring.

- Show commitment tangibly—arrive early, leave late, or demonstrate dedication in visible ways.

- Get a vision, build a strategy, and execute consistently.

Promotion comes when your actions align with your decisions. Whether in leadership or in sales, the principle is the same: demonstrate the value you bring before the title—or customer buy-in—arrives.

That’s the heart of Value Based Selling, Value Based Enrollment, and leadership growth: cultivating credibility by living out the role you’re aiming for today.