Five Reasons You Haven't Been Promoted

You have put in the time.  You believe that you’re good at your job.  People around you are moving up, yet you keep getting passed up for promotions.  Perhaps you ask yourself, why am I constantly overlooked?

Managers and leaders look for a variety of qualities and qualifications when it is time to promote from within the organization.  If you are consistently passed up for promotions, it may be for one of these five reasons:

1. Negative versus Visionary.  Leaders lead their teams through vision and influence.  They are true visionaries, people who can see potential and what can be, even if the vision is far from the present reality.  In contrast, negative employees only see problems and find it difficult to envision a team, department, or organization beyond its current state.  Many negative people describe themselves as “problem-solvers” and believe this is a positive quality.  However, a focus on only problems that require solutions indicates that a person may not be ready to step into leadership.  An employee with a negative attitude will not likely be promoted.
2. I or We.  Leaders understand that it takes a team to get things done, but that there are times when it is necessary to highlight their own accomplishments as an individual.  Collaboration is a positive quality, but “We” thinkers blend in with the crowd and their successes and accomplishments cannot be distinguished from those of the rest of the team.  “I” thinkers credit team members when appropriate, but also know how to call attention to their individual contributions.  An employee ready for a leadership position knows when to credit the team and when to credit self.  Managers and leaders promote individuals, not teams.  Do not be so humble that you keep getting passed up and overlooked.
3. Always winning and Growth.  An employee who is always winning or being successful will likely believe that they are good at their job and are probably correct in assuming so.  Often, jobs become routine and experience in that job makes it easier to perform those duties.  This type of work performance shows a manager or leader that the employee is great in their current position but does not give the leader any indication of how the employee would perform in a higher position with different duties and responsibilities.  An employee with a growth mindset will take on projects and capitalize on opportunities to grow and develop additional skills within the organization, even if it means they are not successful each time.  An employee seeking a leadership position will not just do the job that is comfortable, but will also seek ways to demonstrate critical thinking skills and resourcefulness.
4. Passive versus Ambitious.  Passive employees expect for mangers and leaders to take notice of them and offer a promotion or salary increase.  They believe that by doing their job well, people will notice them and want to promote them.  This is not necessarily true.  Ambitious employees understand that it is helpful to express the desire to move up to leadership so that leaders can take notice of their performance.  Ambitious employees seek feedback from supervisors, find opportunities to shadow employees that are in the position that they are seeking, or acquire additional training or certifications that will prepare them for the next level.
5. Where are the soft skills?   Being good at a job does not equate to having the skill set necessary to be promoted.  A task-oriented person often gets the job done, but does not always demonstrate whether they would be successful in taking on more responsibility and leading others. Managers and leaders look for soft skills that will contribute to effective leadership.  These skills include collaborating with others, time management, critical thinking, a strong work ethic, effective communication verbally and in writing, positive attitude, self-confidence, flexibility, working well under pressure, and many others. 

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If you believe you have been passed up for promotions or other leadership opportunities, reflect on your performance before getting frustrated with leadership.  It is possible that you have not demonstrated your readiness for promotion as well as you believe you have.  Don’t be afraid to ask your hiring manager what you could do differently or better in order to be promoted and receive their feedback with a positive attitude.