The 5-Slide Framework That Makes Your Promotion a Done Deal
🧨 Last year, my client Jeanne watched Mediocre Steve snag the promotion to MD, something she had been working toward for 20 years as a pro.
It stung.
🔄 But instead of stewing in resentment, she decided this year would be different.
She reached out to me for coaching.
☝️Over the past six months, she kept outperforming as usual — but she made one powerful shift:
🗣️ She told every decision maker and cross-functional partner that she wanted to be promoted to MD.
No coyness. No waiting to be noticed.
💠 Just clarity and confidence.
The result? The year’s not even over, and she already has the backing of her performance coach (the internal one at her company), her new boss, and her boss’s boss.
🍰 If getting promoted is like baking a cake, hers is already baked, iced, and ready to serve.
So what’s left? The cherry on top: a five-slide promotion deck that makes her promotion a done deal.
The Five-Point Promotion Framework
1️⃣ Past — Prove credibility
We start with a high-level summary of her track record: wins delivered, speaking engagements, revenue expanded. The past shows she’s consistent, not a one-hit wonder.
2️⃣ Present — Show momentum
Next, we highlight what she’s doing right now: live client pitches, growth opportunities in motion, ideas already gaining traction. This proves she’s not just resting on old wins — she’s creating value today.
3️⃣ Future (near term) — Define the opportunity
Here’s where the business case sharpens. She maps out the immediate opportunities: the specifics and unique nuances of her niche accounting field, and how the firm can leverage existing resources (like 36 staff soon rolling off another project) at low cost. This shows foresight and pragmatism.
4️⃣ Future (long term) — Paint the vision
Now we go years out. Technological innovations coming on to the market. Regulatory shifts. Market expansion beyond her current book of clients. She’s not just chasing quick wins — she’s thinking like a Partner, with vision and strategy.
5️⃣ Conclusion — Make it undeniable
We tie it all together: past credibility, present momentum, and future vision. Then we make the case clear: She is the best person to lead this charge. Not just because she’s capable — but because she’s already doing the work at the next level.
✨ Promotions don’t just happen to the hardest workers.
They happen to the people who know how to tell their story — past, present, and future — in a way that makes leadership say, “Of course, she’s ready.”
If you’re ready to bake, ice, and serve the metaphorical cake of your next promotion, let’s talk.
🎯 I offer a free consultation call where we’ll map out how you can build your own promotion case — and make your career growth inevitable.
