Don’t Just Show What You’ve Done—Show What You’ll Do

When you're up for a promotion, the biggest mistake you can make is treating it like a performance review.

This isn’t about rewarding your past.
It’s about investing in your future.

In other words: they’re not paying you for what you’ve done.
They’re paying you for what you will do.

Promotions Are Investments, Not Thank-Yous

You might have built a strong track record—growing brands, leading initiatives, hitting your numbers. That matters. It builds credibility. But it’s just the starting point.

When you're stepping into a Director-level role (or any meaningful promotion), you need to show them you're not just a high-performing Doer. You're a capable, forward-thinking Leader.

That shift changes everything.

From Doer to Leader: What That Really Means

The higher your position/title the more your value comes from:

Creating strategic capabilities
Building or leading teams
Owning high-level conversations with senior leadership and customers
Driving process and long-term growth, not just short-term results

You're no longer just executing. You're designing how the work gets done—and who does it.

Framing the Conversation: What to Say

When you’re discussing compensation, remember: your job is to create a win for the organization. That means showing how your leadership will:

Unlock new growth
Free up executive bandwidth
Strengthen cross-functional collaboration
Future-proof key accounts or categories

This is the moment to lay out your vision—and assign it a value.

So, What’s That Worth?

For many of my clients, a 10–20% base increase is a reasonable ask for a true step up in title, responsibility, and strategic scope. But even more important than the number is the structure that supports it:

Will you gain direct reports or team leadership?
Will you have access to CatMan, shopper insights, or analyst support?
Will your job be sustainable, or just a fancier version of the one you’ve already outgrown?

If not—ask why not. Because your career development depends not just on your title, but on the experience that title sets you up to have.

And if they can’t offer that? It may be time to explore opportunities that will.

Bottom Line

When you’re up for promotion, show them the Director they’re buying—not just the Manager they’ve known.

Be clear. Be future-focused. And don’t be afraid to name the support structure you need to succeed.

Want more insights on how to frame your value during career transitions?
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