Hello, hello, hello, lady leader. Welcome to the Leading Her Introvert Way podcast. First things first. Happy New Year's E. Listen, I generally enjoy New Year's celebration probably more than the religious holiday celebrations. I don't know what that says about me, but I generally enjoy the New Year's because I get so excited about starting over or fresh starts or thinking about how to continually evolve. Like I really enjoy that process. Even, you know, not even related to the new year particular, but when there's an opportunity for me to grow and or change or learn something new, I get so excited. So that probably explains why I am so drawn to celebrating the new year. But I wanted to make sure that I paused and said to you, happy, happy New Year's Eve. I, for one, am wishing you the most prosperous 2026. And today's episode, we're going to dive into a topic that I hope will help set you up for 2026.
But before we get into that, today's episode is actually being sponsored by my upcoming workshop and session on January 14th. And it is called From Invisible to In Demand: How to Get Your Executive Promotion in Five Months as a Black Introvert Woman. I am so excited about this because it is going to be such a game changer. I've already hosted this session three times previously. And each time I have had so many wonderful, wonderful Black introverted women show up, and so many Black women getting great results and outcomes, whether it was promotions, whether they're got their outcomes in terms of salary increases, whether they got their outcome in terms of just clarity on what their next steps need to be, whether it increased their confidence, the feedback and the stories that have come out of how so many Black women have used the things that they learned in the workshop to advance their careers is endless. So I am excited to be able to host it again because I like to continue to evolve, the services that I deliver and how I show up for you. I don't know how many times more I'm going to offer this, but definitely as we are starting out 2026, I know so many of you are thinking about and are planning your next promotion. And I want to make sure that you have all the tools and the resources that are at your disposal. So that's why I'm hosting this session in January. So January 14th, the link is in the show notes. Make sure you sign up and reserve your seat. And today's conversation is going to be a precursor to the workshop. If you're new here, welcome.
If you are returning, glad that you're back. I am Dr. Nicole Bryan and I help ambitious Black introverted women leaders solve three critical problems. The first is I help you get promoted to executive leadership in five months or less. The second is I help you close whatever skill gap you might have from middle manager to executive so that you can lead with confidence, you can have a stronger executive presence, and you can think strategically at the next level. And then the third is that I help you successfully lead your new team or your department from establishing credibility to building high-performance teams that deliver results. Okay. So it's the New Year's, or it's New Year's Eve, I should say, 2025. And you're probably with family. You might be reflecting on the past year, you might be thinking about what you want for 2026. And I know that you are thinking about your career. The conversation you're likely having with yourself is something like, I want to be promoted in 2026, or I'm tired of being stuck at this level, I'm frustrated with the job market right now. Is this even the right time for me to push my career forward? You might even be questioning whether you should just stay in your current role or current company or whether you should leave. And if you do leave, what do you do? Here's what I want you to know. You're right to have some hesitancy about the external job market right now, because the reality is it is brutal. It's taking anywhere from eight months to 18 months for mid-career and senior level roles to be filled. And that is a huge difference because usually it's three to six months. But just because the timeline has expanded, that doesn't mean that you're stuck, right? You can be using internal positioning because internal positioning is actually the smarter and faster path in this current economy.
And today, in honor of the new year and in honor of how you're likely already thinking about what you want for yourself career-wise in 2026, I wanted to use today's episode to share three strategic shifts that you need to make in order to position yourself for that executive promotion in 2026. And again, this is a precursor to what we're going to be talking about on January 14th. So I'm not going to be talking about tactics today. I want to talk about real shifts, both with your mindset and your behaviors, that will change how you show up and how others will see you in terms of being ready for your executive promotion. So there are things that you can start doing in January. Some of them you can actually start doing today. All right, so let's go. So I'm not gonna beat this to death because you already know that the job market is tough right now. And I'm not gonna beat it to death that if you are already employed, you should be focusing on positioning yourself internally because that is just the smarter and faster path to advancing your career in these current times. You likely already have relationships, you already have credibility, you already have a track record where you are. And the reality is that 50% of roles filled each year didn't exist the year before, which means that you can co-create internally. So if you're staying where you are, at least for now, let's make sure you're positioning yourself strategically. That's what today's conversation is about. That's what the three shifts are about. Here's something I need to tell you. I see this with so many of my clients and with so many women that I speak to. And frankly, I've experienced it myself. You say you want to be an executive. On paper, you want the title, you want the responsibility, you want the salary, and you want all of the freedom and flexibility that comes with being an executive. But deep down, really deep deep in your core, you don't actually believe you can be an executive. Or worse, you're saying all the things that you should be saying to be an executive, but your mind is not caught up. Your true belief system does not align. So let me tell you a short story. When I was coming up, I wanted to be an executive. I didn't always know that I wanted to be an executive. But once I got into leadership and I understood the difference between the impact that I could make as a director and the impact that I could make as a senior vice president, I knew that that's that's ultimately where I wanted to go. But when I was coming up, I wanted it intellectually. I could articulate why I deserved it. But there was a small part of me, this girl from Brooklyn, New York, this immigrant's daughter, this girl from the block. I didn't believe that she could actually be the executive that I aspired to be. And I had thoughts like, well, maybe I'm not ready. You know, I started to convince myself, maybe I don't have what it takes. Maybe I'm too introverted and I'm too quiet and I'm too different from everybody else in corporate. And here's the problem with that whether you realize it or not, that self-doubt actually shows up. No matter what's coming out of your mouth, people can sense it. And even when people can't sense it, there's a misalignment between what you're saying and how you are presenting yourself. And when there's a disconnect between what you believe and what you're saying and what other people feel in response to how you're showing up, that becomes problematic because they may not be able to articulate exactly what the issue is, but they experience your self-doubt. And that self-doubt undermines everything else that you're doing. So, what does this look like in real life? Well, you might be in a meeting with other leaders and executives, and you have a great idea, but you present it tentatively. You'll say something like, I'm not sure if this makes sense, but or you don't speak up at all because you're waiting to be more sure. The people in the room, the leaders in the room, your boss, executives, senior leaders, they sense the hesitation and then the idea doesn't land. Another way this might show up for you in real life is that you're having a career conversation and you say something like, I'm interested in executive roles, but your energy says, I'm not sure I'm ready. And the person you're talking to, they pick up on that uncertainty. They think, if she doesn't believe she's ready, why should I? A third way that this might show up for you is that you're asked to take on a high visibility project. Part of you thinks, okay, this is my chance. But another part of you thinks, what if I mess this up? I really, really, really do not want to fail. The self-doubt shows up in how you execute, how you lead that project. You overprepare, you second guess yourself, you play it safe in the decisions that you make. Now, this shows up, like I said, in what it looks
like in real life, but it also dictates and determines work that you need to do. In order to eradicate and get rid of that misalignment, the difference between what you say you want in terms of your executive promotion and what you believe deep in your core about your capability. This is inner work that needs to be done. This is belief work that needs to be done. It's work on your mindset. And it's not about fake it till you make it, because we all know that that actually does not work. It's about genuinely building the belief that you can be an executive, that you are in fact ready, or at least you're ready enough to start, and that you belong at that decision table. How can you do this? Well, the first thing is you can identify where the self-doubt is coming from. Is it an imposter phenomenon? Is it a response to real barriers that you're facing? Is it past experiences that you have put yourself up and wanted something more, but didn't get it? You were overlooked, you were doubted, you were questioned. Or is it lack of representation, the fact that you're not seeing anyone who looks like you in those more senior and executive roles? The second thing that you can do to make your alignment between your aspiration is to be an executive and getting there is challenging the thoughts, the naysaying thoughts that you have in your own mind. When you hear yourself thinking, I'm not ready, ready for what? What specifically do you think that you're missing? And when you say to yourself, I don't have what it takes, where is the evidence for that? What do you think executives have that you don't? And if you challenge yourself and your aspirations to be an executive and say that you shouldn't do it because you're too introverted or you're too quiet or you're too different, says who? Who decided what an executive has to look like, be like, and show up like the third thing that you can do to make your aspirations and your thoughts about becoming an executive be more in alignment is build evidence for yourself. Because I can bet that you have already succeeded. You wouldn't be listening to this podcast if you have not already succeeded in your career in some shape, form, or fashion. So build the evidence for yourself that you can, in fact, be the executive that you want to be. What have you already done that proves you can operate at that level? And what results have you already delivered? And then the last thing that you can do to get your mindset in alignment with the aspirations that you have is you can practice the belief every single day. How would you show up if you knew you were already ready? How would you speak in meetings if you believed you belong there? And how would you carry yourself if you were certain about your value? Start practicing that now. Start showing up that way now in your current role, regardless of what title you hold. Now, if you don't believe that you can be an executive, there are no amount of tactics that will work. That is why this alignment between what you say you want in terms of your executive promotion and how you are acting and thinking, that's why this is so important. Because you can have the perfect strategy. You and I could work together and come up with the exact plan,
everything that you need to do to get your executive role. And it will all fall to the wayside because you don't believe that you can actually be an executive. So we can have the perfect strategy, you can have the right relationships, you can be visible to the right people, but if you don't believe it, they are not going to believe it either. So this belief work is the absolute foundation. Everything else builds on it. So between now and when you go back to work in January, start doing the inner work. Build up your belief. Make your belief in yourself catch up with your aspirations. Because 2026 is going to require you to show up differently, sis. And it starts with believing that you can. So that is shift number one. Shift number two is what I call think out loud. So this is more so a behavioral shift that changed everything for me. Learning to think out loud. And let me tell you, as an introvert, it is challenging because we are in our heads a lot. We process everything internally. We think things through before we speak. And we want to have the right answer before we say anything. And that is not bad, but it limits you at the executive level. Because at the executive level, people need to see how you think, not just what you know. They need to see how you approach problems, how you think strategically, how you connect dots, how you navigate ambiguity. So if you're only speaking when you have the perfect answer, they never see your executive thinking. They just see the final product and they miss the strategic thinking in terms of how you got there. So you're probably like, okay, but what does thinking out loud actually look like? All right, well, let me give you the exact language that I use and I still use to this day, and that my clients use as well. If you're in a one-on-one with your boss or another executive, you could say something like, okay, I don't have the full answer yet, but let me think out loud with you for a minute. That relieves some of the pressure that you might be feeling to have a perfect response. Or you could say something like, I'm gonna say something, I don't
know if this is gonna land or not, but I want to get your thoughts on it. That is you admitting that whatever you're about to say could be completely wrong, frankly, but you're inviting the other person or the other people in to have a dialogue with you. Or you could say something like, let me walk you through how I'm thinking about this, and you tell me if I'm on the right track. Any variation of these are a way for you to open the doors and show people not only how you think, but it's also how you lead, which is you're being inclusive. You're inviting people in to have the brainstorming session with you in real time. If you're in a meeting with your peers or a cross-functional team, you can do something like that as well. You could say, how about we just brainstorm for a minute? I'm gonna put some ideas on the table. Something might stick, something might not. Or, you know, let's pause here and just think this through together. There are no perfect answers yet, just what are we seeing? There are a variety of ways and words that you can use to set the stage to say, basically, hey, I don't know if I'm right or wrong, but I'm gonna share with you my initial thoughts and we can go from there because that's literally what you're saying. What this does for you again is it shows how you think. People see you now as being more strategic. They actually see your strategic thinking process. They see you connecting the dots, they see you consider multiple angles. They see you think several steps ahead. And they get to see executive level thinking in real time. The other thing it does is it invites them to be your thought partner. You're not just presenting to them, you're thinking with them. You take them on the journey with you, and that builds relationships and trust. And finally, it does get you out of your head. As introverts, we can stay stuck in our heads for a very, very long time. And when you are an executive or interested in becoming an executive, there are a lot of decisions or a lot of things that come to your desk that you don't have a lot of time to make a decision on. You have to make quicker and more effective decisions. So when you're able to get out of your head faster, that helps. It's practice for executive presence, actually. The secret that makes this work is that you literally tell people, I'm thinking out loud right now, or we're brainstorming, nothing's perfect yet, or let me walk through my thinking process. This takes the pressure off of you. You're not saying, here's the answer. You're saying, here's how I'm approaching this. Help me think it through. And that's actually more impressive than having all the answers because it shows that you're confident in your thinking process. It shows a willingness to be collaborative. It shows that you're comfortable with ambiguity, and it shows leadership in real time. So what you can do between now and when you go back to work is identify two or three upcoming situations where you can practice thinking out loud. Maybe it's in your one-on-one with your boss. Maybe it's in your next project planning meeting, or maybe it's even in a conversation with a peer about a challenge that you're experiencing. Practice saying things like, let me think out loud with you. I'm going to brainstorm here. Or here's how I'm thinking about this. Tell me what you think. This one shift will change how people see you. They will start seeing you as someone who thinks strategically, not just executes well. And that is what will get you promoted in 2026. Okay. So now let's move on to shift number three. Make your aspirations explicitly known. Now I recognize that as I say
that and as you hear it, this is the shift that is going to make you most uncomfortable. Because you have to actually tell people that you want to be promoted. And I know, I know that it can feel very cringe-like for you. But I want you to hear me out. Because most of us were raised to believe all the myths, right? And we've talked about some of these myths here on this podcast before. If you work hard and do good work, you'll be recognized. So the meritocracy myth. Or if you keep your head down and excel, they'll promote you. That's the stay quiet, stay under the radar myth. And don't be pushy or aggressive. Don't fulfill the stereotypical black woman. Wait your turn, right? That's the wait myth. And frankly, some of those might have worked for you earlier in your career when you were in an entry-level position, or even when you were in your first leadership role as a supervisor. But at the executive level, none of those things work. Here's why: because executive promotions aren't announced publicly with an application process. They happen in closed door succession planning conversations. They happen when roles or new roles are created and the company does not want to go to the external market. The question is often asked: who is ready for this role? And if nobody knows you want it, your name doesn't come up. So what does making your aspirations known actually mean? Well, it's not walking around saying, promote me, promote me. It is instead having strategic, explicit career conversations. Conversation with your boss could look like, I want to talk about my career trajectory. I'm positioning myself for a VP level role in the next six months. What would you need to see from me to support that? What you would not say is something like, I'm interested in maybe someday possibly being promoted if there's an opportunity. No, you want to start talking in definitive terms. You want to be able to say what you actually want. And you want to be able to ask, what do you need to see from me to support that? Not will you support it. What do you need to see from me to support it? You see the difference there? The conversation with a senior leader or a potential sponsor could be something like, I wanted to share with you that I'm working toward VP of whatever your function, marketing. I love your perspective on what it takes to be successful at that level in this organization. That's you clearly stating your intention, but also asking for their advice and counsel to further help shape what you might want to work on in the next several months. Now, if you happen to be talking to someone in HR or talent development, you could say something like, I'm planning my development for the next 18 months with the goal of positioning myself for executive roles inside the company. What programs or opportunities should I be aware of? Again, not asking whether they think you are ready. You don't want to ask them that. You want to ask them what support or what programs, what opportunities are available to help you get there. Now, let's be real about why this is uncomfortable. Because we have been socialized not to be too much.
We have been told that we should be humble. We've learned that asking for things can sometimes backfire. And we've seen other women be called aggressive or ambitious as an insult. And I get it, I've felt all of that. So I know that those are the things that are running through your mind right now. But when you don't make your aspirations known, nobody knows to consider you for the opportunities. And if they do think of you, they'll be guessing whether or not you actually want it. And if there's someone else that they know who does want it, then you can bet the opportunity will likely go to that person. You're not in the succession planning conversation. So when you don't make your aspirations known, nobody is thinking that you actually want to be considered for the next level position. And when you don't make your aspirations known, you miss out on potential developmental opportunities. When you do tell people that you are looking for your next level opportunity, your name comes up in the who's ready conversations. People start thinking of you differently. Opportunities start coming to you because they know that you want them. And you get access to development and sponsorship and visibility. How you make your interests known actually matters. So the language that you use matters. Don't say I'm hoping to be considered for, or if something comes up, I'd be interested in, or I think I'm ready for. Instead, say it more definitively. I'm positioning myself for X role in the next time frame. I'm working toward VP and want to make sure I'm building the right capabilities. My goal is to be a vice president by the end of 2026, and I'd love your guidance on how to get there. Notice that the difference between the two, one sounds tentative and uncertain, and the other sounds intentional and strategic. In January, have the career conversation with your boss, even if they're not your biggest champion. Have the career conversation with at least one other senior leader who could be a potential sponsor, someone you trust, and someone who has authority and experience in your company. Have the career conversation with HR as well. Then I want you to listen. When you're having the conversations, I want you to state what you want and what your intention is. But I also want you to make sure that you listen during those conversations, that you take notes during those conversations and that you ask questions. These conversations can change everything because now they know. And once they know, they can help. Or at least they can't say, I didn't know you wanted this. Okay, so just to recap, bringing all of this together, the three strategic shifts that you can start making now to position yourself in 2026 for your executive promotion is to number one, make your belief in yourself catch up with your aspirations. Do the inner work, build the belief that you can be an executive, and show up with that belief even before you have the title. The second shift is to start thinking out loud. Let people see how you think, not just what you know. Call the moment and say things like, let me think out loud to take the pressure off. And then demonstrate executive level thinking in real time. The third shift you're gonna make is you're gonna make your aspirations explicitly
known. Have the career conversation with your boss, with HR, or with another senior leader who will support you. Be very specific about what you want and when you want it. And stop waiting to be tapped. Make yourself known. These three things are fundamental shifts in how you show up. And they're what actually separates the women who get promoted in five months from the women who stay stuck for years. Now, if you want help implementing these shifts, like I said at the top of this episode, I am doing a live event on January 14th from invisible to in demand. I'll be breaking down all of these things as well as my full pivot formula and my aura model, which is dedicated to building your leadership brand. I'll be talking about how to position yourself strategically for executive roles in 2026. And the registration link is in the show notes if you want to join. But whether you join me or not, make these three shifts. Do the work because 2026 can be your year, but it's only going to be your year if you position yourself strategically. Happy, happy new year, lady leader. Here's to making 2026 the year that you finally step into the executive role that you've been working toward. Until next time, remember the future of leadership is introverted, black, and female. So keep leading your introvert way. See you next year.