3 (Kinda Petty) Things That Might Be Keeping You from That Big Promotion

Okay, it’s tough-love time.

Let’s talk about three (maybe slightly petty) things that are probably preventing your promotion to the big girl—or big boy—job.

You know how when you became a manager, nobody pulled you aside and said, “Hey, just so you know, the game has completely changed now”?

Yeah. It happens again when you’re trying to make the leap from manager or director to VP or executive. 

And trust me, as a former corporate CEO leading about 1,000 people, I was always scanning for who was ready for that next big role.

Executives don’t wait for a job posting to show up—they’re constantly observing. Who’s ready? Who’s not? Who’s unintentionally waving a red flag?

And sometimes, those red flags are small…almost petty. But they matter.

So, here are three things that might be quietly holding you back.

1. Your Emails Are Too Long, Too Dense, or Too Much

Look, I know you want to be thorough. You want to make sure you don’t leave anything out or miss a detail. But here’s the deal: as you move up, your audience changes.

Executives switch gears every 30 minutes—marketing meeting, then legal, then operations, then board prep. Their brains are full.

So if your email looks like a wall of text? You’ve already lost them.

Here’s how to fix it:

• Lead with the answer. If it’s a yes/no question—start with “Yes.” or “No.” at the top.

• Summarize first. Details second.

• Use bullets, white space, and short paragraphs. (I double-space between paragraphs for a reason—it’s easier to read!)

You don’t earn points for volume. You earn points for clarity.

That’s authentic leadership—communicating simply, clearly, and confidently.

2. You Don’t Speak Up in Meetings (or You Save It for the Sidebar)

This one is huge.

I can’t tell you how many times I had high-performing people who would IM me during meetings with brilliant ideas—or, worse, share their “real” opinions after the meeting.

Nope.

If you want to be seen as leadership material, you need to speak up in the room. Executives need dissent, fresh perspectives, and courage.

When you hold back your real thoughts until later, it sends the message that you’re not ready to lead at the next level. Because leaders don’t hide behind DMs—they show up with confidence, in real time.

That’s what authenticity in the workplace looks like—being bold enough to share your ideas in front of the room, not behind it.

3. You’re Still Trying to Be the Hero

You’re the one staying late, cranking through the work, taking on everything yourself. You’re reliable, dependable, a total machine.

But here’s the harsh truth: if everything falls apart when you’re out of office, you’re not leading—you’re hoarding.

If I can’t promote you without chaos breaking loose, you’ve actually made yourself indispensable in the wrong way.

Great leaders build people who can step in, fill gaps, and even shine brighter than they do.

That’s authenticity at work—leading in a way that empowers, not protects.

The more you make others successful, the more promotable you become.

The Bottom Line

These three things might seem small—emails, meeting behavior, delegation—but they’re not. They’re signals.

And leaders are always scanning for signals.

So here’s your new promotion checklist: 

✅ Write like an executive (clear and concise). 

✅ Speak like a leader (bold and honest). 

✅ Lead like a coach (empower others to win).

Because when you show up with clarity, confidence, and authenticity, that next big job isn’t a “maybe.”

It’s a matter of when.

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Erin Hatzikostas is an internationally recognized leader on the impact of authenticity in the workplace. Learn more about her keynote speaking, workshops, and other authentic programs here.