Schedule Your Promotion

“As we go through the busyness of our daily work lives, it is easy to miss the small and significant interactions and accomplishments that demonstrate our unique value to our organizations”.

Opportunities are everywhere, capitalizing on opportunity requires preparation.  So what is an action you can put in to practice right now to have you prepared when opportunity knocks?  Surprisingly enough the answer is found in a tool that you use every day and when used correctly it will have you prepared for your next performance review, promotion or job opportunity.

One of the biggest mistakes employees make in preparing for performance reviews or even an interview for a promotion is not to prepare at all.  While your history with the organization does speak for itself, you can help amplify that voice by using your calendar as a reflection and preparation tool.

As we go through the busyness of our daily work lives, it is easy to miss the small and significant interactions and accomplishments that demonstrate our unique value to the organization. Moving backward through our calendar allows us to unlock our learning and accomplishments from each meeting or scheduled task.

As you begin to prepare for a review like you would an interview you will need:

1) A piece of paper or a Word or Excel document creating two columns

2) Your calendar to work backwards weekly looking at each meeting and asking:

• What did I learn?

(How I have grown as an asset to the organization)?

• What new did you learn about your colleagues, other departments or the organization as a whole?
• What were the “ah-ha” moments when I made mental connections, gained perspective or just learned new terms related to the field or organization?
• What are two specific ways I could have made the meeting more efficient and/or effective?

• What did I/we accomplish?

(What have I/we done to advance the mission of the organization)?

• What unique perspective did I bring to the meeting and how did I contribute in a positive and productive way?
• What connections made with others (internal and external relationships) that will benefit our organization by building the organizations reputation or expanding its collective network?
• What goals or objectives had I/we identified for this meeting or scheduled task and what quantifiable progress have I/we made toward those goals or objectives?

As you develop this as a consistent practice you will begin to identify patterns that emerge. These patterns will become the text you use to tell the story of how you have grown as an asset to the organization and how you have advanced the mission of the organization through your accomplishments.

Is this a method you already use?  If so in what other ways do you use your calendar as a reflection tool?  Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Connect with me on Twitter @thyrone or if you are in the Columbus area @careercolumbus.  For more about me you can find me at thyrone.com.