One of the biggest misconceptions that I have noticed, in the corporate world, is that advancement is seen as a competition where only a limited number of people can succeed.
Early in my career, I quietly believed what many people believe: if someone else gets promoted, that is one less opportunity available for me. Over time, I learned that the opposite is often true… in reality!
The people who rise through the ranks the fastest are rarely the ones blocking others from advancing as well. More often than not, those are the ones creating opportunities, developing talent, and helping others climb the ladder along with them. When someone above us in the ranks moves into an advanced role, a space opens beneath them typically. When someone on our team grows into a new position, new responsibilities become available for everyone else to adopt. This growth creates openings, and these positions create opportunities for those willing and capable of taking them on.
GSW: “Career advancement is not always about beating someone to the next rung as much as it is often about helping ensure that every rung on the ladder is full.”
The Difference Between Scarcity and Growth
Some organizations unintentionally create a scarcity mindset around advancement. Often employees compete for visibility, assignments, promotions, budgets, and recognition under this scarcity mindset. Every success can feel like someone else’s loss for some that are living within that aforementioned mindset.
The dilemma with this mindset is that it might cause individuals to become any of or act in world of the following.
- Protective instead of productive.
- Knowledge gets hoarded.
- Relationships become transactional.
Team members avoid helping one another because they fear becoming replaceable. What I have noticed is ironic; the people who become indispensable are usually the ones who make everyone around them more successful. Leaders notice employees who elevate the performance of a team, and they notice people who mentor others. Leadership also notices individuals who solve problems without creating new ones while most importantly, they notice people who can build future leaders.
GSW: “A person who helps one employee succeed has value which means a person who helps five employees succeed becomes difficult to ignore.”
Make Your Leaders Look Good
This idea is often misunderstood by me, which I am sure means others as well. Making a manager look good does not mean being a “yes-man” or blind agreement through politics or unwarranted flattery. It means helping them accomplish objectives that matter to the organization and their leadership.
When a manager succeeds, the department succeeds, which means that when the department succeeds, opportunities tend to appear for everyone involved. The most receptive employees understand this relationship and situation.
- They communicate clearly.
- They deliver on commitments.
- They solve problems before they become crises.
- They earn trust.
- They show respect for the challenges their leaders face.
Instead of asking, “How do I get promoted?” they ask, “How can I help my team perform at a higher level?” Ironically, those are often the people who get promoted.
Aside: Yes-man???
I have been called a “yes-man” many times over, yet I cannot find a politically correct replacement for it on the web. Here are some suggestions, though I am not sure that any of them truly fit…
- Company loyalist
- Management-friendly
- Institutionalist
- Team-first thinker
- Agreeable personality
- Supportive colleague
- Loyal team player
- Consensus-oriented
- Non-confrontational
- Deferential
- Accommodating
Learn the Job Above Yours
One of the smartest career moves is preparing oneself for a role before it becomes available. This is often done through observations, training, and understanding how a manager handles difficult decisions.
- Paying attention to the responsibilities that are invisible to most employees.
- Understanding the pressures that come with leadership.
- Volunteering for assignments that stretch your skills.
- Supporting initiatives that matter beyond your own daily tasks.
When leaders see that we understand not only our job but also the responsibilities of the next rung on the ladder, they begin viewing us differently and as difficult to replace. We are no longer just executing tasks in this situation we are demonstrating readiness and readiness is often what separates candidates when opportunities emerge.
Creating a Reputation for Elevating Others
Think about the people you most enjoy working with. They are not usually the smartest person in the room… They are not always the loudest voice or the one who self-promotes the most… Instead, they are often the individuals who make others around them better.
- They share knowledge freely.
- They offer encouragement.
- They help solve problems.
- They connect people with opportunities.
- They celebrate wins that are not their own.
These behaviors build something more valuable than a title: influence. People tend to trust individuals who genuinely want to see others around them succeed. This translates to when influence combines with competence, leadership opportunities naturally follow or open up.
Advancement Is Not a Solo Journey
The corporate ladder is often depicted as a vertical climb, with everyone scrambling upward independently. Reality looks different, from what I have noticed, as some of the most successful careers are built through relationships, collaboration, mentorship, and trust.
- Someone taught you something.
- Someone gave you an opportunity.
- Someone recommended your name for a project.
- Someone opened a door.
- Someone let you take the lead.
As our careers progress, we have the chance to do the same for others. When those other people succeed, they do not take opportunity away from us as more often than not, they expand it.
Final Thought
The people who spend their careers blocking others may occasionally win individual battles, but they often lose the larger war. The people who help others advance create something far more powerful: a network of capable professionals who trust, respect, and remember them.
Help those around you grow, and support these people with respect, care, and attention. Learn the responsibilities of the next level before you arrive there. This is so when those above us move up, we can be ready to fill their shoes. When those beside us advance, celebrate their successes with them. In the long run, helping others climb the ladder is often the fastest way to climb it ourselves.