One of the most difficult things for people to understand is why they aren’t getting promoted when they perform their job well? Performing well at your job is something that is expected from everyone. It is the minimum requirement to get you into the running for a promotion and it is only one piece of the puzzle. What you need in addition to performance, is a positive image and reputation.
Your image is how you present yourself in front of other people and your senior management. How you are being perceived and how others promote you in conversations speaks to your reputation. You can be a really high performer, but without having a strong reputation and the ability to project a positive image, it would be highly difficult to to get promoted. Management is looking for someone who already has all the pieces of the puzzle in place, so they are ready for the job.
It is important to remember that perception is reality, so you can’t leave your personal brand and credibility to chance. Mallory Stark said “If you aren’t managing your own professional image, someone else is.” Do you know how people view your reputation and image? If you don’t, isn’t it time you found out?