This text initially appeared on Enterprise Insider.
In 2022, I had my first-ever promotion. I used to be working as an affiliate product supervisor at Atlassian and obtained a increase of $40,000. It wasn’t as a result of I used to be the toughest employee or an distinctive worker, however as a result of I employed what some name the “lazy lady technique.”
This “lazy lady technique” is absolutely nearly being proactive about sharing my work successes in an environment friendly manner.
My profession trajectory — from being a software program engineering intern at LinkedIn to a product supervisor at Atlassian to now because the CEO of Technology She — has been marked by a major realization: “Loud work all the time wins, not laborious work.”
The reality is that sensible work is commonly simply as efficient as — if no more so than — laborious work, particularly in massive firms.
By my expertise, I noticed that the idea that promotions are reserved just for workaholics is a fantasy that must be debunked. I used to be capable of climb the ladder with out burning out, and one of the best half was that it solely took me 30 seconds a day.
Seize every day influence
For many people, our jobs on a day-to-day foundation are composed of mini-actions quite than actually huge initiatives.
Spend 30 seconds every day capturing a screenshot of probably the most impactful factor you probably did, and retailer these screenshots in a folder. This might be something from a message you despatched to a coworker that saved them time to a milestone in a mission.
Doing so will make it simpler so that you can add up your whole small wins into a number of massive wins on the finish of the 12 months and present noticeable influence on the corporate.
Here is a technique you could possibly catalog your every day wins:
Avni Barman through BI
I’ve additionally written a full information with particular examples and templates you need to use right here.
Simply doing this alone will get you 90% of the way in which there.
Nonetheless, listed here are some further methods for profession development that I employed to get promoted.
1. Prioritize key metrics
Slightly than trying to excel in each single process, prioritize what actually issues in your job. Focus in your position’s key metrics and try to ship on them.
I maintained a month-to-month name with my supervisor, along with our weekly syncs, the place I may reconfirm that I used to be nonetheless engaged on the proper issues that mattered for the corporate and for my position. This common check-in is important as a result of firm priorities can shift quickly, and also you wish to be sure that you are all the time engaged on impactful duties that may result in a promotion, not simply placing in hours.
I additionally employed a framework referred to as “begin, cease, and proceed” to make sure my work was aligned with my supervisor’s expectations. Each month, I made positive I used to be receiving actionable steps on what to start out doing, what I ought to cease doing, and what I used to be doing effectively and may proceed doing quite than summary suggestions that might usually be complicated to implement in follow.
2. Quantify your contributions
Not solely is conserving monitor of your whole contributions essential, however quantifying the influence of all of your achievements, regardless of how small, can also be vital as a result of, on the finish of the 12 months, the outcomes of massive initiatives could not appear to supply sufficient quantifiable metrics to justify a major promotion.
Nonetheless, since you’ve got accrued and documented lots of of small achievements all year long, you’ll be able to add all of them as much as calculate the time or cash saved for the corporate and make a powerful case for a bigger promotion.
Avni Barman through BI
3. Make Your self Frequently Seen
Constantly talk your achievements to your group and management. It is important to make your successes recognized. Now that you have documented your small wins, share them early and infrequently.
I actively labored to spotlight my contributions; for instance, my supervisor advised that I create a Slack channel completely with the management group, the place I posted weekly updates on my accomplishments. They won’t have all the time responded, however it ensured I remained on the forefront of their minds.
I additionally blogged on the corporate wiki about my group’s achievements each month and scheduled quarterly conferences with management to evaluation my work. Nobody requested me to do this stuff; I initiated and led them.
Taking these steps drastically enhanced my visibility and performed a key position in my eventual promotion.
4. Observe-up persistently
After highlighting your achievements, the following step is to have interaction in constant follow-up and embrace a mindset of continuous enchancment. This contains sending considerate thank-you emails after conferences, actively searching for suggestions for enchancment, pursuing related studying alternatives, and actively taking part in group conferences.
Constructing sturdy inside relationships can also be key. Periodic check-ins together with your supervisor will assist preserve your progress and profession aspirations on their radar.
Securing a promotion is just the start — sustaining open communication and frequently striving for progress are what is going to propel your profession ahead.
The “lazy lady technique” is not really lazy or simply for ladies
The way you bundle and current your work to management when searching for a promotion is as vital because the work itself, and the “lazy lady technique” will help you effectively achieve this.
The time period “lazy lady technique” is a bit deceptive, although, because it is not about encouraging ladies to be lazy. As a substitute, I see it as a intelligent method to explain efficient and environment friendly methods that permit ladies to higher advocate for themselves with out overextending or consistently feeling the necessity to show their price.
That is particularly vital for ladies in male-dominated workforces. After I was working in tech, I observed ladies’s work and efforts would usually go unnoticed, and we incessantly needed to exert twice the trouble to obtain the identical recognition as males.
“Lazy lady technique” challenges the notion that fixed busyness equals success. The concept of working much less can initially really feel like laziness, however it’s vital to do not forget that having some free time or specializing in fewer, high-impact duties is just not laziness — it is working smarter.
Whereas the “lazy lady technique” could function an efficient coping mechanism within the quick time period, it is also essential to proceed pushing for systemic change within the office. My aim in founding Gen She is to offer bold younger ladies with the talents and assets to be the leaders of tomorrow in order that different ladies needn’t use the “lazy lady technique” to be seen and valued at work.
However within the meantime, the “lazy lady technique” helped me get a $40,000 increase, and maybe it may assist you to too.
Avni Barman is the founder and CEO of Technology She and a former product supervisor at Atlassian.
