By Nikki Babs, Executive Leadership Coach
Harvard Trained Executive Leadership Coach Helping high achievers break into Leadership & Executive roles | I Decoded Corporate America So You Don't Have To
If you've ever watched someone less experienced get promoted while you kept the team afloat, this will explain why.
You're not missing talent. After sitting in over 800 promotion meetings as an HR Leader, I've identified the top 3 high-potential signals that leadership uses to make decisions about who gets promoted.
Are you "promotion ready"?
Take the 3-Minute Promotion Readiness Assessment to find out
Or Book A Free Career Strategy Session
Score you across the three critical signals and what specific gaps might be holding you back.
Leaders promote people who think in impact, not effort.
"I completed the project on time and under budget."
Focuses on task completion
"I completed the project, which positions us to scale this model across 3 other teams and could save the company 40 hours/month."
Connects work to business impact
1. When presenting work results, I typically:
2. When solving problems, I:
3. In meetings, I:
Influence is clarity that travels upward.
Leadership can't advocate for work they never see or hear about. This isn't about self-promotion. It's about strategic communication.
4. I communicate my work results:
5. When I complete a project, I:
6. Senior leaders in my organization:
Leaders promote people who steady the room.
Presence isn't loud. It's composed clarity under pressure.
7. When something goes wrong on my project, I:
8. When presenting recommendations, I:
9. In high-pressure situations, I:
Your Overall Score: XX%
Promotion Readiness
Signal #1
Signal #2
Signal #3
Based on 2,847 assessment completions:
Annie spent 12 years in the same company as a director in marketing. She heard "you are not ready yet" three times for a VP role.
Her work was strong. Her signals were not.
Within four months she moved to Senior Director with a 31 percent raise, and a clear line of sight to VP.
She did not become a different person. She learned to send the right signals.
If you're currently making $95K and the role you want pays $130K:
Lost per year you wait
Lost per 6-month cycle
Lost over 5 years
The people who advance aren't better than you. They just learned the signals you're learning right now.
Week 1: "This is great! I'm going to start using these signals."
Week 2: You try the Strategic Pause. It feels awkward. You worry you sound fake.
Week 3: You attempt Stakeholder Intelligence, but you're not sure if you're doing it right.
Week 4: You go back to old patterns because they feel natural.
6 months later: Still passed over. Still frustrated.
This is why 83% of people who learn these signals never get promoted.
You've learned the 3 core signals. You understand why self-implementation is hard. You've seen what's possible when someone gets this right.
What You Do With This Insight Matters More Than Your Score
Use your scores to guide your next 90 days at work.
You might:
If you want faster progress to identify YOUR specific gaps, give you personalized strategy, and help you see your blind spots, let's talk.
This session functions as a diagnostic. Some people leave with clarity on what to do next on their own. Some people decide they want guided support. Either way, you'll have more clarity than you came in with.
You worked too hard to stay invisible. Learn the signals, then let your work speak at the right volume in the right rooms.
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