Let me say this right away:

Your promotion isn’t about your work. It’s about your manager.

That sounds brutal, but it’s true.

It doesn’t matter how talented you are, how many cross-functional wins you’ve delivered, or how well-liked you are by peers—if your manager doesn’t want to promote you or can’t advocate for you, it’s game over.

I learned this the hard way. And if I could go back, I would have done things very differently.

This post is for anyone trying to grow their career inside a large org—especially in mid-to-senior levels at places like Meta, Google, Amazon, or any company trying to “systematize” performance.

Here’s what I wish someone told me.

1️⃣ Pick Your Manager, Not the Role

You don’t work for the company.

You work for your manager.

Before you say yes to a role or team, ask yourself:

• Does this manager want to mentor and grow someone?
• Have they promoted people before?
• Do they know how to advocate in performance cycles?
• Are they respected by leadership?

A mediocre role with a great manager is worth 10x more than a “sexy” role with a weak or absent one.

And if your manager leaves or gets reshuffled, and you suddenly have someone who doesn’t support your growth?

Switch teams immediately!

Especially in a big org where that’s possible.

2️⃣ Your Plan Has to Match the Org’s Incentives

You need to understand what matters most to:

• Your manager
• Your director
• And ideally, your VP

Ask them. Don’t guess. Don’t assume.

Build your roadmap and career goals to solve real problems for the business.

Not for you, not for theoretical users—but for the things your leadership is getting judged on.

3️⃣ Manage Up Like It’s Your Job (Because It Is)

Your career is your responsibility—not your manager’s.

Assume they’re busy, distracted, and focused on their own promotion. If you’re lucky, they care. If not, you still need a plan.

Here’s a simple structure for promotion conversations:

• First chat: Be honest about your skills, dreams, and growth edges
• Second chat: Share the value you want to bring and your proposed plan
• Third chat: Ask exactly what’s required to be promoted. Write it down. Confirm in email.

Then?

👉🏽 Follow up quarterly.

👉🏽 Track feedback.

👉🏽 Ask, “Have you seen progress on the things we discussed?”

👉🏽 Show receipts.

4️⃣ Feedback Is Gold—Treat It That Way

If your manager or peers give you feedback, take it seriously.

✏️ Write it down.

💭 Reflect on it.

⚙️ Act on it.

And next cycle, show how you’ve improved.

Pro tip: Ask your allies and peers to mention those improvements in their reviews. That’s how you build upward momentum.

5️⃣ Build Allies—They’ll Speak When You Can’t

Peer reviews matter more than people realize.

Start building relationships early.

Especially with folks who are respected and trusted by your manager.

You don’t need everyone to love you.

You need a few people to advocate for your work when you’re not in the room.

6️⃣ Don’t Wait to Write Your Reviews

Your reviews aren’t the time to explain what you meant to do.

It’s the time to show what you did—and how it tied to impact.

Keep a living doc of:

• Feedback you received
• Outcomes you drove
• Business or team impact
• Key quotes and praise

And when the time comes?

Submit early. Edit well. Be concise.

7️⃣ Know When It’s Time to Leave

If you’ve stopped learning,

if your scope isn’t growing,

if leadership keeps changing the bar—

Set a time limit. ⏰

I stayed too long in roles that drained me.

And every time I moved on? I doubled my salary. Not an exaggeration.

8️⃣ Big vs. Small Company Rules

Big company?

✅ Learn how to influence, not just execute

✅ Delegate more, communicate better

✅ Focus on strategy and visibility

✅ Become a thought partner

Small company?

👉🏽 Be a generalist

👉🏽 Do what no one else is doing

👉🏽 Tie your contributions to revenue

👉🏽 Expect less structure, more chaos

Micro startup (under 20 people)?

➡️ Promotions might not exist—ask for equity or comp increases

➡️ Pitch your value directly to founders

➡️ Know that “title” means less here, but learning means more

9️⃣ Promotions Aren’t Just About Output

They’re about:

• Perception
• Narrative
• Advocacy
• And a little bit of luck

It’s not fair.

It’s not always meritocratic.

But once you understand the game, you can play it wisely.

🔟 Final Tips That Took Me Years to Learn

• Don’t try to do everything—pick a few standout things and go deep
• Share those things publicly, internally, or externally
• Build a reputation as a thinker, not just a doer
• Don’t explain your whole process—execs want outcomes, not logic
• Read the room. Uplevel your language for the audience
• Deal with your insecurity so you don’t over-explain or seek approval