How to Get Promoted at Work (Cheat Code #1 of 3)

Being good at your job is not the same as being good at getting promoted.

In this episode, we break down why your boss plays a bigger role than most people realize.

Topics we’ll cover:

·         Why your boss is the gatekeeper to your promotion 

·         How to assess your relationship with your boss 

·         Simple ways to become someone your boss trusts and relies on 

·         The biggest mistakes that quietly kill your chances of moving up 

·         How to position yourself as the obvious choice for the next opportunity 

New Game Careers is built on the actual experience of going from entry-level to leading 100+ people as a 3x director. Everything here is focused on making people more promotable and more hirable. 

On this channel, you’ll learn how to:

• Earn promotions

• Build proof for your résumé

• Deliver results your boss actually values

• Make yourself more attractive to employers

• Navigate critical relationships

• Remove the guesswork from career moves

Start Here:

Website: https://newgamecareers.com

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-game-careers

Topics: career growth, promotions, promotable skills, proof of value, leadership development, workplace strategy, resume strategy. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

If I had to give you the number one cheat code at your job to get you promoted, it would be this make your boss say the words, if they left, we'd be screwed. That's the bar. Full stop. And yeah, of course. You want your boss to feel that way because of the quality of your work. And we talk about that a lot as a standard here because I believe how you do one thing is how you do everything. But here's the reality your resume and your skills and your day-to-days don't promote you. Your boss does. And they control the narrative and the room deciding promotions. And that room is a very real thing. And they're picking between two, maybe three people to stake their reputation on and promote. But remember this: before your boss is an employee, they're a person. An imperfect, normal human with emotions just like you. And they make snap judgments about you when you're not around. And that snap judgment is every bit as important as the results you produce. And some people are not going to like that. And some people are going to say, hey, that's not fair. But I would literally rather fail being honest with you than sugarcoating things. Because this is just how it is and how it's worked on my journey. And look, it's probably more normal and more human than you think. So for example, you know how sometimes you get a calendar invite and you're like, oh, sweet. It's Amanda. She's legit. This is going to be a good meeting. And other times you're like, Bob, if I never saw this dude again for the rest of my life, it would still be too soon. All right. Like, those are snap judgments. And we all feel them. And that's totally human. And your boss has those same reactions to you. So yeah, the quality of your work gets you to the party. But if you want to be promoted, you better be the first person that pops into your boss's head in the promotion room. But the good news is this this largely coincides with doing the right things, anyways, that you should probably already be doing. So today we're going to talk about what things you should be doing at an absolute minimum. What types of things will immediately ruin your chances if you're trying to get promoted? And the cheat codes that are going to make your boss say, if they left, we'd be screwed. My name is Bobby. I'm the founder of New Game Careers, and this podcast exists to make you more promotable and more hireable. Everything I talk about here is based on my personal experience, going from the clueless guy on his first day asking, what's Outlook? True story. To a three-time director who's now led over a hundred people. But I am not special, and how I got here is probably a lot simpler than you think. You just have to identify the things that make you promotable and take action every day to get there. Let's get into it. Today we're going to break this topic down into three different sections. First is assessing your current situation with your personal boss that you have right now. Then it's how to make your boss say if they left, we'd be screwed. And third, it's how to make your boss say they are absolutely dead to me. Although I don't recommend doing that. However, that being said, I'm going to share everything I've learned along the way. And that includes the good, the bad, and the ugly. So let's jump into the first one. That's assessing your situation. Now, not all bosses are the same. And this is where a lot of people miss the mark right out of the gate. Because in reality, what your boss cares about and appreciates is a sliding scale. And people assume what works with one boss is going to work for another. And sometimes it's true, but sometimes it's not the case. And you might have a boss, for example, who's secure and they're confident. They genuinely want you to win. And your success makes them look good. And they talk about you in the room when you're not around in a positive way. And they push for you to get promoted because they're proud of the work you do. That's a really good version. Or you might have a boss who's insecure. Maybe they're under pressure. Maybe they throw people under the bus when they're not around. And they're trying to protect their own position. So if you shine too hard in front of them publicly, they don't celebrate it. They're going to shut it down. And worse, if you're a threat to them, like honestly, your chances are screwed. Now, those are two completely different extremes. But here's the point you have to understand that what right looks like to your boss and what they value and what they reward and what annoys them is going to vary from person to person. Because whether or not it's fair, they're the gatekeeper. And if you don't understand how they operate, you're guessing. And if you're guessing, it's probably not going to get it done. And the reality is this like what matters most to them and what their reality is should be the most important thing to you. Now, is it fair? Maybe, maybe not, but it's still 100% true. Now, there are some things that are universal. So let's talk about the things that are going to universally help you when it comes to getting in the good graces of your boss. And like, look, these things are going to make their life easier regardless of their personality. So, first, stop bringing problems, start bringing solutions. And that sounds cliche, face value, I know. But if you're still saying to your boss, what do I do? Nothing about that screams, promote me. Like things are always going to go wrong, shit's going to go sideways. That's just a fact of life. It's just how it works. But there's a huge difference between the person saying, Hey, this got screwed up, what do I do? And saying, Here's what happened. Here are three ways we can fix it. And here's what I recommend. What do you think? And even if your answer has no chance in hell of working, like it's some crazy ass thing, it's still more important to show that you can think for yourself, right? You don't need to be handheld. You can solve problems. And most importantly, you're not just handing work back to them. And that changes the way they see you. Because now, instead of just being somebody who takes from them and their time, you're somebody who adds to it. And you're somebody who's no longer a withdrawal. You're an investment. And like they look at you as a partner. And that's more rare than you might think. I know it seems simple at face value, but it goes a long way. Second, every single thing your boss gives you is an opportunity. It's not a task, it's not one more thing. It's not, but I have a hundred emails. Like it's a legit opportunity to differentiate yourself from everybody else. So instead of thinking, okay, one more thing, think of things your boss gives you as the bonus round. Because yes, they absolutely count more towards your next promotion than that random email that just popped up. And the important thing to understand is why. Like, which is that they are literally the gatekeeper to your future. It's not your coworkers, it's not your friends, like it's not even your customers. Most of the time, like it's your boss. And I've seen some incredible people get overlooked during promotions because despite the fact that they were amazing, they treated all their tasks like it was just like one big melting pot, right? They get to it when they get to it. And they put in the same amount of effort as everything else they did that day. And then there's the complete opposite. Have you ever looked at somebody in an organization or at your job and just been like, sorry for my language, but like, how the fuck did that person get there? Right? Like, I wouldn't let that person change my tire because first they'd throw a tantrum, and then they'd start yelling at the tire, and then they'd start yelling at other drivers for not doing it for them because they've never lifted a finger a day in their damn life. Like we all know them. Spoiler alert, they're there because they made a good impression on the decision makers. Their boss. And I'm not saying it's right, but it's real. So when your boss gives you something, that's where you separate yourself. And if every task in a given day gives you one point towards a promotion, think of the things that your boss gives you as 10. It's 10x that. So here are some easy things you can do. When they reach out, respond immediately, like whenever you can. And sure, things get busy. But your boss's asks are the most urgent thing on your list, always. Also, you don't have to show up to work with your pom-poms on every day, but always be a voice of positivity. If you can be enthusiastic and somebody that like they don't have to dread asking for something for, that makes a huge difference in their day. And if you want to take that to the next level, always say what else you got. Like, and when you do deliver, go above and beyond what was asked. Because you know what gets promoted? The people that are better. And you know who decides that? Your boss. And you know how much your boss like actually sees of your work. It's a super small percentage. And so if every single thing you put in front of them is on point, their perception of your work is that it's always 10 or 20 or 30% better than everybody else, guess what? That's who you are to them. And here's the funny thing perception is reality. You could be dialed in 99% of the time. And that 1% of the time, like for them, your lackluster, that's how they're going to view you as a hack. But you could be living in your mom's basement with Cheeto fingers and Hello Kitty pants on. And if the one time you show up, you are absolutely on point, that's what you are to them. And there will be a whole episode on perception as reality, and I'll digress for now, but it's true. So what they see is all there is to them. That's what they believe. And third, almost nobody does this. Go to your boss and say these exact words. And it might push you out of your comfort zone. And I get that, but trust me, it will work. I want you to say what's the biggest problem you are dealing with right now that I can take off your plate. And then stop talking. Not another word. And let them think. And I promise you, I promise you, they're gonna look at you like you discovered fire. Because your boss spends all day with people saying, Can you help me with this? Or the customer found workers smoking pot on the site. Or we shipped out 2,000 orders wrong today, and the customer is rightfully pissed. But if you're the person asking, what can I do for you? You stand out immediately just by asking the question. And it might seem like a little thing, but the little things, honestly, like they are the big things. And if you do that consistently, you stop being just an employee and you become a partner. And when your boss gets promoted and their boss says, So who's gonna replace you? You want your name to be the first thing that pops in their head because that question is gonna get asked. And they start seeing you as a partner instead of somebody who's always asking for something by you starting to ask those questions. And the best part of this is you can do this today. It's not even hard. And even if they don't give you something immediately, I promise you, I promise you, they will look at you differently and it will be immediate. So trust me, it works. Go do it today. You have nothing to lose. So, to recap, here's some cheat codes that are going to make your boss view you as the person they're trying to promote. First, stop bringing problems, start bringing solutions. Second, you everything they give you as an opportunity. And third, ask them what's the biggest problem that they have that you can take off their plate. Now, let's talk about the other side of the coin, boss felonies. These are the things that are going to explode your career. And I'm going to be real here because there's no value in sugarcoating it. But like I said, your boss controls the narrative when you're not there. Like they control the conversations behind closed doors in the promotion room. And what they say there is going to be a function of the snap judgment that we talked about based on their feelings about you. And I've been super fortunate to have some amazing leaders in my career, and the vast majority of them have been honestly amazing relationships. But look, I can tell you in no uncertain terms, I've also dug my heels in and stood for what I thought was right. And I was like, if it explodes, it explodes. My work was on point. And I had a lot to show for. But guess what? I fought the law and the law won. And like, it's just how it is. It doesn't matter what I thought about my work. And it doesn't matter that I was proving results. Because at the end of the day, that was the person in the room deciding promotions. And I also think it's important to mention that I've been in the chair making decisions a lot of the time too. So let's unpack the things that you should avoid, like the plague if you're trying to get promoted. First, lack of accountability. And honestly, this is really just about trust. And all relationships are built on trust, personal and professional. And if your boss has to ask, where's that thing? or did you get that email? Or where are you? Like, you're already behind. Those questions they should never have to ask. And accountability, like that's most of the time a choice. And even if it's not your best like work, own your work. If it's gonna be late, own your deadlines. And most importantly, own your mistakes. You should never say the words, that's not my fault, and just stop. Like, even if it's not your fault. If it's not your fault, just be like, hey, I wasn't involved, but how can I help fix this? And if it was you, I'm gonna give you a little like acronym to remember because it's super helpful and it's something that's helped me along the way, and also a lot of people on my team. But remember this acronym, WWIP. It's what happened, here's why it happened, here's the immediate fix, and here's how we prevent it in the future. And so that alone can completely turn a mistake into a win. So, for example, here's what happened. We started sending semi-trucks to people's houses because we shipped them 10 times more than we were supposed to. Here's why it happened. We we had an order go sideways in our large order drop form, and we accidentally 10x'd everything. Here's what I'm gonna do immediately to fix it. We're gonna go pick the orders up right now. I'm on the phone with the stakeholder. We just had a meeting at lunch, things are good to go. And here's how I'm gonna prevent it in the future. We're gonna completely revise that whole process. And here are my thoughts on that. Does that seem oddly specific? It's because it's real. Turn something catastrophic into a win if you're able to come correct to the table and say, okay, I'm gonna anticipate the questions that I'm going to get and then put a solution in front of them, not only for now, but into perpetuity. Second, don't repeat your mistakes. Once is human, twice is a pattern, and patterns are what your boss uses to decide whether or not they can trust you. So if traffic is crazy every day, you're not unlucky. You're predictable, and you're predictable in the wrong way. And that's how you lose opportunity. So look, people screw up, but don't make the same mistake two, three, four times. Third, flexibility and adaptability. They matter more than you think. If your boss asks you to do something and your response is, that's not my job description. Here's what you should replace that with in your head. I'm not promotable. Like full stop, because your next promotion doesn't live in your job description. And your job is to become more valuable and to make your boss's life easier, and of course, your customers and your colleagues and all that, but like if you're not that person for your boss, you're just shooting yourself in the foot. So that's gonna mean stepping into things you haven't done before. And I'm gonna tell you right now, a lot of times, especially from my personal experience, your boss is gonna have no clue what the hell is going on. They are not special, they are human just like you, they don't have infinite answers. They're probably just really good at being a problem solver in terms of saying, all right, let's figure this shit out. So, and that's real. If you can be that person, it goes a long way. Because a lot of times in my career, sure, I've had senior leadership titles, and people come to me, I'll be like, I have literally zero clue where to even start. But look, you're always gonna have finite answers. Whether or not you're good at your job is really just boils down to whether or not you ask the right questions. There's always a way. There's always a way. So if you can be that person for your boss, it's gonna go a long way for them. And finally, the felony you must never commit ever, under any circumstances, is never embarrass your boss, especially in public. Like I'm gonna tell you right now, you can do a hundred things right. But if you make your boss look bad in a room, that is what they'll remember. If you show up and you don't know something you should, hurting yourself. Like if you show up and you're late, you're only hurting yourself. And even if you do something impressive, but it makes an insecure boss feel threatened, I'm telling you right now, it's gonna work against you. Because it's about their perception. And people won't always remember what you say, they won't always remember what you do, but I will promise you this they will always, always remember how you make them feel. Like I said before, the sad thing is it takes a hundred reps to start to build a good reputation, but it only takes one screw up, one screw up to set it on fire. And yeah, I know people aren't gonna like that, but it's true. And honestly, if you think about it, a lot of times, with most things in life, that's just how it works. So, to recap, be accountable and trustworthy, don't be a repeat offender, be flexible and a problem solver, and never ever, ever embarrass your boss, no matter what, because that's the fast lane to never getting promoted. So, in closing, the quality of your work is absolutely important, but that's only half the equation. The other half is making your boss's life easier. And it's honestly just making them want you in the room. And don't forget, you're not working for a title, you're working for a person. So ask yourself the simple question Do you make your boss's life easier? Do you make their day better, or do you make it harder? And the good part is this being likable to your boss mostly comes down to doing the right things consistently anyway. But remember, that only gets you to the table. Your boss is the one doing the talking, and it's about that snap judgment. So until next week, I'll leave you with this. Your career is going to have problems. But you always get to decide what those problems are. And if you decide to solve enough of your boss's problems, you're gonna be the person that they say if they left, we'd be screwed. And that's cheat code number one. Thanks for listening. Talk to you next week.