Chapter 11: No Sucking Up – Creative Strategies with Examples

Before you attempt any of the strategies described below, you really need to choose a promotion or two that you are definitely interested in. It is ok to generally determine that you want to be promoted, but selecting the actual position you want to achieve will give additional power, energy and direction to your efforts.
In many companies the odds of winning a specific position are not good. Winning a position that is a stepping-stone or lateral to the position you ultimately desire may be much more realistic and achievable.

Sometimes people have to die or retire before a certain position opens. Preparing yourself before that happens may be a worthwhile pursuit depending on your patience and the person currently holding the position. No disrespect or insensitivity intended.
To quote from the off-beat movie “Joe Dirt” “It’s not about what you want, it’s about what the consumer wants.” The “consumer” in this case is the person who can promote you to the position you are interested in. Somehow you have to bridge the gap between what you want and what the consumer (promoter,) wants.
Fortunately, there are some very creative strategies that can work and work very well for you in this effort. In truth, the only limitations on what strategies might work are the limits you place on them. You could come up with the most incredible methods that would work wonders for you all on your own. If you do, please send them to me and maybe I’ll include them in a future version of this guide.
For now, explaining a few strategies should give you some insight into how companies work and get your creative juices flowing regarding what can work for you.
A colleague and good friend worked for a major high-tech company (whose name you would recognize) some time ago. He employed some creative strategies to win promotions that should be explored in some detail. Respecting his identity let’s just call him “John.” I have used “John” in some other examples as well.
Create Your Own Promotions
John learned of an unstated need his company had and felt certain he could fill that need with his expertise and experience. He put together a plan that outlined the need to obtain the results he was proposing, and how they could be achieved. It went something like this:

1. We need to achieve “x” (“x“ = a specific business outcome.)
2. I will lead the efforts given my experience, background, and skill-set.
3. I will need these specific 8 people based on their talents and skills, and the needs of the project.
4. We will need an operating budget of “x” for supplies, advertising, facilities, etc.
5. Six of the nine positions would be ongoing, while three would be temporary, (approximately 6 months.)

This is, of course, just a “nutshell” version of the proposal to give you the gist of it. Note, however, that he was very specific about what would be required to achieve the desired outcomes. Although his proposal had considerable more detail than above, just his expertise in putting it together illustrated beyond doubt, that he was a very capable person. Then consider that he did all of this in addition to his regular duties, and without being asked. Good bosses long for employees who fully engage and contribute in this way.
John’s proposal was accepted and he became the leader of 8 other full-time employees, doing a job he enjoyed and created based on his interests and talents. He literally went from being an underling in a lackluster position, to being a boss, with this one proposal. All of these results came about because he took the initiative to do something beyond his assigned duties.
It’s easy to recognize the genius in this approach, but you have to also acknowledge that he put some real time and effort into discovering what the company really needed, and how he would fill that need. It was a significant win for him, his boss, and his new staff.
You may not always have the opportunity to create a new department, but I have seen several clever people create new jobs for themselves using this approach to one degree or another. This is a powerful tool to help you advance and be considered for even bigger promotions ahead.
Look around your company to see where the problems are. How might your talents be used to solve those problems? If you find a challenge you feel qualified to take on, you might want to look into creating your own customized position like John did.
Build a Case for Yourself
At another company John found himself working under a boss who really didn’t care for him at all. John knew he would never get very far in the company, or even receive fair treatment as long as he was under this guy. With annual performance review time approaching, he was nervous about missing out on an earned raise and even his own job security. John knew he had better do something or risk losing his raise or worse yet, his job.
Expecting a poor review from his boss, John decided he had to build a case for his outstanding performance and value to the company. He put together a three-ring binder containing the following elements:

1. Examples of projects completed along with results obtained.
2. Testimonials from co-workers, supervisors, and others who supported his worth and stated specific ways that John added value to the company. People said he “was good to work with,” “committed to excellence,” “saved the day,” etc.
3. Future-looking statements about his goals and plans for improving himself and the department he worked in etc.
4. Goal curves, graphs and charts that illustrated what he had accomplished in his position and how the company had benefited. These days you might want to even “Dollarize” or put company benefits into terms of money saved or additional money earned as a result of your efforts if possible.
5. Other relevant items as appropriate, and pertaining to his position.

About one week before John was to meet with his manager for his review, he dropped by his office and presented him with this binder. He simply stated something like “I know we have my annual review scheduled for next week and I thought this might be helpful to you when evaluating me.” The binder was absolutely jam-packed with evidence regarding John’s value to the company and contained irrefutable proof that John was an outstanding employee.
Even a manager with a huge chip on both shoulders couldn’t really argue with the evidence presented, and all of the testimonials offered on John’s behalf. He simply had no choice but to give him a great review and the resulting raise.
Had John not taken the time and put in this extra effort to show what he had been adding to the company, he would almost certainly have had major problems with this manager. He is convinced that it not only helped him get his raise, but that it also helped him keep his job.
Like many bosses out there who are required to complete wage and performance reviews, John’s boss didn’t really know much about him, or the great work he was doing for the company. Typically, when preparing for a review, most bosses will ponder interactions they’ve had with their subordinates over time. If there haven’t been many joint projects or much interaction, then the reviewers really don’t have much to go on. Unless boss and subordinates have experienced either a great success or a great failure together, most reviews are seen as just another hoop through which everyone must jump.
John would have been risking a lot by neglecting to inform his boss of his value. Even if his boss just scanned the binder it was so well done that justifying less than the maximum raise allowable would have been demonstrating an unjustified bias against him in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Besides that, who else had seen, or would see, this binder? This question practically forced the unfriendly manager to enter the “John’s-a-great-guy” camp.
If john had waited to make his case with the binder until the performance review meeting, the papers would have already been filled-out by the manager and would only be awaiting signatures. That could have resulted in a debate if not an argument during the review process. John gave his boss plenty of time to look over the materials and fill out the papers favorably.
I personally know several people who track their work contributions at their companies. In my consulting business I tell clients how much we saved and how much more they will now earn as a result of our improvement efforts. They want to know, and they are my customers so I give them what they want. That same thinking applies to the results you achieve at your company.
One of my good friends will fill out an R.O.I. (Return on Investment) form every time he completes a significant improvement project at his company. Most of these never make it into the hands of his bosses, but he has an ongoing record of how he has helped his company which can be called-up anytime it might be useful. In fact, often times, he will be asked questions like “What was the result of “x” project you conducted last month.” He has the answers readily available. They know he is tracking results and they count on him to do so.
Define Excellence in Your Own Job
Continuing with John for a minute; in one position he held, the criteria for success were so vague that neither he nor his boss was sure what the difference was between doing a poor, satisfactory, or even an outstanding job. It was really just guesswork and to a large extent, raises depended on whether or not the boss liked you.
Knowing that yet another evaluation was coming along with possible opportunities for raises and promotions, John took the following actions:

1. He wrote his own job description based on what he was doing, what he enjoyed doing, what needed doing, and what he would like to do more of.
2. He defined the criteria for success in his position such as: “Delivers all projects on-time” would rate Excellent, “Delivers most projects on-time” would rate Good, etc. You should note that he knew his job better than his boss did, and his boss accepted every criterion he set as he plainly didn’t know any better.
3. He presented examples of how he had met or exceeded the criteria for success in his job. Remember, he just made up or defined the criteria himself, and it was not approved or “blessed” by senior management or his boss yet. It’s a bit like someone telling you they are a great chef when your only experience with them involving food was a fast food lunch or two that they didn’t actually cook.

Since no one knew John’s job better than he did, and no one had ever taken the time to define it, John was clearly the best guy for the job. His criteria were completely accepted and his performance review was outstanding. How could it be anything but outstanding when he himself set the standard? John showed his elevated (bigger than himself) thinking and gave his company a sense of his value.
This can be a worthwhile endeavor particularly if you have a new boss who really doesn’t have a clue about what you do or should be doing. Even in a mature company, or department with well-seasoned bosses, you might want to consider evaluating your current job description for improvements. Probably some responsibilities or duties have changed over time and someone should attend to updating the information. Unless your goal appears to be getting out of work, you will likely be seen as a forward-thinking contributor.
Remove All Doubt
Another friend of mine, “Ed” wanted to run a new program inside a manufacturing company. Ed was a good guy, was generally likeable, and an average to good worker. Ed was at the “operator” level in this company which meant that he was only higher than temporary workers in the great hierarchy of employees. If there were no temps he would have been on the very bottom of the company’s food chain.
I don’t think Ed even knew he had a winning strategy, but what he did to get promoted worked incredibly well. Ed took the following actions:

• He learned about the program he wanted to head-up and began telling others about it. He was genuinely interested in it, and very enthusiastic about the results this program would have for the company.
• He mentioned the program and how it would benefit the company in team meetings.
• He gave out learning materials regarding the program to his supervisors and manager. I believe he even presented them with a video showing the program in action.
• Once he had the interest and attention of management, he was allowed to invite some consultants in to give a one day presentation on the program.
• The consultants did a great job of selling the program to senior management, and were allowed to begin training and implementing it.
• The consultants needed internal people to train to replace them, and Ed was a shoe-in for the job. He was trained, and instructed on how to run the program, and then trained on becoming a trainer for the program.
• Once the consultants had trained a small portion of the overall staff and a couple of trainers to replace them, they left.
• Ed was promoted to the ‚ÄúCompany Champion‚Äù for this program leaving his production job, and becoming the full-time trainer and undisputed leader of the program.

There was never a doubt about who would eventually lead the program. Ed was the clear choice to lead it and his passion for the program and helping the company was contagious.
Ed did a great job leading the program, and even built a support staff around what became an absolutely essential piece of required training for all employees.
The program itself was needed and very valuable to the company. Ed became a bit of a hero, and advanced to a position that he loved. Eventually Ed wanted other challenges and opportunities so he trained additional trainers and a “Champion” who would eventually replace him. This allowed him to enter a new department and take on new roles. Ed progressed through management positions and really became an asset to the company.
What Ed did wasn’t exactly rocket science. He saw an opportunity and did all he could to make it a reality. Remember, Ed was an hourly employee at the lowest end of the employment totem pole in this company. He effected the changes he could with the power that he had. His power was in gaining the interest and attention of more senior people for the benefit of the overall company. He did it, and did it very well.
Ya’ Gotta Start Somewhere
So how does a production line worker become a Human Resources Representative?
“Tim” did it the hard way, but it seemed to be the only way at the time. Tim had an MBA with a Human Resources emphasis. He couldn’t find a job in his field no matter how hard he looked. He was also very determined to live in a very small rural town that had few employment options.
Knowing his opportunities for employment in his field locally were scarce, he decided to take a line-worker job at a major factory and work his way up from the inside. It seemed like a good plan, but as time dragged on, (as it often does,) he became discouraged, and was about to abandon his plan and move on even if it meant moving away from the area he loved so much.
Tim finally heard about an in-house project/program that might increase his visibility and put him in more regular contact with company leadership. He enthusiastically volunteered to become one of the trainers for the program and was allowed to join the project team.
Joining the team meant leaving his line-worker position on occasion to help facilitate some training. He did so gladly. Eventually, the project needed even more support so he spent more and more time away from the production line job he once felt held him captive.
After a short time he was needed as a full time trainer and implementation expert for the project team. This also required that he completely leave his production line job and become a member of a new department. In this case it was the “OD” or “Organizational Development Department.” “OD” as you may know is largely responsible for determining the direction companies take with respect to training, company-wide improvements, employee skill-building etc.
Essentially, Tim was now in the right place to get noticed. He did his job very well in OD, all the while making sure his colleagues knew he had an MBA and a goal to become a Human Resources Representative. His talents and good nature were noticed and appreciated, and by the time there was finally an opening for an HR Rep. he was very much a “known quantity.” He was a natural for the job and reduced the usual risks the company would have by bringing in an outsider.
Before Tim even started the production line job he had a goal and an end in mind. He looked for, and found, an opportunity to make his way to the front office from the shop floor and he did it with style.
It was only a matter of a little time after that before he was discovered as the “diamond in the rough.”
It was frustrating for him to do his time on the production floor, but that was about the only way he could have made the transition to the HR department under the circumstances at the time.
Note that he did not wait for HR to call him up one day from the shop floor and say; “Gee whiz Tim, did you know you had an MBA and a certificate in HR?” He made the opportunity happen in incremental steps that helped him get where he is today, and he did it all without sucking-up.
Can you imagine a scenario in your company where you might position yourself closer to the job you want, or the department you would like to work in? Out of sight is most definitely out of mind, as far as promotions are concerned. You can count on that.
Use Outsiders & Sister Companies
One woman, whom I was personally able to assist in a small way in getting promoted was “Dianne.” I was working at her company helping senior management implement a team building program. Dianne was one of the participants in the first group to experience our customized team-building event.
As a matter of practice, as an outside consultant, I always look for “rising stars” inside of client companies who might fill the role of champion or program director when I am no longer involved with the project directly. Dianne clearly had some social skills and abilities and I believed firmly that she would be a great choice for my replacement. After a couple of team-building sessions her name was proposed as my successor. The senior manager was likewise thinking she would be a great choice, and she was offered the position.
This scenario has played-out literally dozens of times among my clients over the years. Stars just sort of stick-out, and it is almost impossible to not notice them if you are paying the slightest bit of attention.
Outside consultants are generally only temporary contractors at most companies. If you learn what they know and become their replacements, this could be your ticket to a great job or promotion.
“Sister” companies are also a great place to look for promotion opportunities. Perhaps your company is in a slow period, but a sister company is running strong and needing more help. I have seen people volunteer to work at a sister company or separate division of the same company in order to increase their value and learn the business more in-depth.
One company I worked with had 4 primary divisions that served their market in somewhat different ways. The real movers and shakers in that company would have interactions, and eventually responsibilities, in 2 or more of the divisions. Sometimes they would work full-time in a division where they were usually just a guest worker. This strategy actually accomplishes a number of things at once. Working in other divisions:

• Increases overall skills and makes employees much more versatile
• Increases overall understanding of the company and its product lines
• Increases exposure of employees to new supervisors and managers
• Makes employees much more valuable to the company as a whole

These employees, who would literally “float” from division to division, became incredibly valuable and respected. Just think about it for a minute, if you had to lay-off someone, would you choose such a well-rounded employee? One who could work in virtually any division and had such an extensive knowledge of the company? Of course not. These employees improved their skills, added value to the company, had great variety in their work lives, and showed their willingness to learn and grow with the company to everyone who was looking. Management was most definitely looking!
Special Ops
Taking on special assignments can sometimes result in your immediate promotion. Think of it like a sergeant who successfully returns from a special operation where he led a team to free prisoners of war. Not only will he earn the respect and admiration of the prisoners, their families, and the generals, but he’ll also get a chest full of medals, and usually be promoted. He may advance in rank and/or enjoy some new perks or improved duties as a reward for his heroic service.
Many times I have seen people become “Generals” or “Superstars” by outstanding performance on special projects. If a project doesn’t already exist maybe you can create your own or ask your boss “What project would you work on if you had the time?” If they give you permission to work on those project(s) you are half-way there. You are doing something the boss believes is important, improving your relationship with him or her, and adding value to your company. This can really be the express lane to promotions.
Chapter 11 Summary Points

• Select a goal position and focus your efforts on achieving it.
• Create your own promotion by discovering a company need and proposing a way to address it.
• Build a case for your value to the company by tracking the results of projects and getting testimonials from satisfied customers (internal and external.)
• Prepare for wage and performance reviews in advance.
• Create your own job description and propose criteria for evaluating your performance based on your strengths in the position and the results you typically earn.
• Remove all doubt that you are the right person for a job by initiating new programs that you will naturally lead.
• Get your foot in the door regardless of your starting position, and work your way to the position you want.
• Be visible and find ways to interact more with people from the department you would like to work in.
• Outsiders can help you get recognized and become your advocates for opportunities.
• Work for sister companies and divisions to increase your value and professional depth to your company.
• Take on, or volunteer for, ‚ÄúSpecial Operations‚Äù projects that give you the opportunity to work with new people and create heroic results.

Bill Hanover is author of “No Sucking-Up! How to Win the Job Promotions You Deserve” and a Lean Manufacturing Consultant. You may learn more about “No Sucking-Up” at www.nosuckingup.com or Bill’s consulting services at www.tpslean.com