Climbing the steps of a Company has its pitfalls: after having received the assignment of a new, more prestigious role , the first challenge to be faced is not on the market or among competitors, but is born and blossoms within the company’s four walls.
After a promotion, the balance changes: who used to be a colleague, now will have to answer to you, sometimes those who were previously a manager have been overtaken.
But above all, going up a level means being elbow to elbow with the former bosses, who today become even. And getting caught up in the logic of mentor and student, of junior and senior, is as simple as it is harmful.
The mission? Prove that you are up to the promotion, do it quickly and convincingly, to immediately acquire standing and credibility.
Here are 4 tips to do it
1. Get rid of prejudices…
… and think positively: the former bosses, now peers, may not be ready to wait for you with a knife between their teeth. Maybe they are happy for you and genuinely convinced of your skills. Don’t be too nervous and try to present yourself in a balanced and optimistic way. overperforming – exaggerating schedules, taking too many responsibilities, accepting too much work – risks not transferring a professional image of you, but revealing nervousness and a desire to demonstrate.
2. Be humble, but aware of your abilities
Attitude is everything when you move up the ranks. Sometimes the temptation can be to approach too confidently and authoritatively, with the risk of appearing arrogant and inflexible.
On the contrary, even entering with your head down, remaining in the service of former bosses, can be a difficult barrier to break down over time.
The solution? Being collaborative, open to learning and ready to take a cue from the advice of others, but also pooling one’s competence and the professionalism consolidated over the years. Do not put yourself in the position of the pupil, but in that of an equal, absorbing knowledge and releasing information, in a virtuous team exchange.
3. Study the situation
Before you jump into the field and get to the heart of your role, take some time to reflect and understand the dynamics that really move the new group you now belong to.
Like a spectator in the theater, observe the puppets and the puppeteers, to understand who is pulling the strings, who lets himself be guided and who, on the other hand, is unhappy and tries to boycott the show. Define who the real leader is, who decides, how the choice and communication processes work.
Study the balances and build a clear picture of the pieces of the puzzle: you will need it to avoid making false steps and not to make risky moves, protecting, especially in the delicate initial phases, your position from overwhelming internal currents.
4. Build relationships, preferably over toast
When you get to the top floors, you’ll need allies badly. The first step? Get to know the team in detail, discovering the characteristics of each new peer and connecting with them. To do this arrange face-to-face meetings with new colleagues, preferably outside the formal office environment. Invite the colleague on duty to lunch and establish contact first, and then dialogue. The subject of the conversation? Know the relevant points of his strategy, understand his thinking and acquire all the useful information about his team. And discuss the best way to work together, from now on. If you have created a feeling, dare a little more: ask the other for advice on a book, a film, a webinar that has found inspiration.
But be careful not to be too obsequious: you are interested in his support because you value him – this is the message he will have to pass – and absolutely not because you need his consent.