Latest / The Promotion Memo with Fexingo: Getting Visibility, Sponsors, and Executive Presence / How One Manager Used Internal Data to Get a Promotion
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot on this show about visibility, sponsors, and making your case. But one thing we haven't really drilled into is how to use hard data — actual numbers from your job — to build that case. Luna: Yeah, we've focused more on the soft skills. But I think data fluency is becoming almost a prerequisite for promotion, especially into senior roles. Lucas: Exactly. And I came across a really concrete example recently. A friend of mine — let's call her Sarah — was a mid-level manager at a regional bank, and she wanted the senior vice president role. Luna: What kind of numbers did she have access to? Because a lot of people think they don't have data. Lucas: That's the thing. She didn't have a fancy analytics team. She just used what she already had in her quarterly reports. She tracked three things: the number of process improvements her team completed, the cost savings from each improvement, and the employee engagement scores in her department. Luna: So she didn't invent new metrics. She just packaged existing ones in a way that told a story. Lucas: Right. She created a simple one-page dashboard. On the left, she had a bar chart showing cost savings over the past four quarters — it was about $450,000 cumulative. In the middle, she had a line chart of engagement scores trending upward from 68 percent to 82 percent. And on the right, she listed the top three process improvements with their estimated annual impact. Luna: Four hundred fifty thousand dollars — that's real money. Did she present this to her boss or to the executive committee? Lucas: Both. First she shared it with her boss in their one-on-one. Then she asked if she could present it to the executive committee during the quarterly review. Her boss was on board because it made him look good too. Luna: That's smart. She aligned her data with what the executives care about — cost savings and employee retention. Lucas: Exactly. But she didn't stop there. She also framed the data in terms of the bank's strategic goals. The bank had a public goal to increase operational efficiency by 10 percent year-over-year. She showed how her team's improvements had already contributed 2.3 percent of that — and she projected another 3 percent if she had the resources of the senior VP role. Luna: So she linked her past performance to future potential. That's a powerful move. Did she get the promotion? Lucas: She did. But it wasn't just because of the dashboard. She also prepped for the promotion interview by anticipating questions about her data. For example, they asked about the dip in engagement scores in the third quarter — it went from 78 to 72 percent. She had an answer ready: it was right after a reorganization, and she had implemented weekly check-ins to stabilize it. Luna: So she used the data to tell a story of resilience, not weakness. I think a lot of people hide negative data points. Lucas: Right. And that's the key. Data isn't just for proving you're good. It's for showing you understand your business. Sarah later told me that the CEO mentioned her dashboard in the promotion meeting — he said it showed strategic thinking. Luna: That's the kind of visibility that speaks louder than any self-promotion. So for someone listening, what's the first step? Go through your quarterly reports and pick three numbers? Lucas: I'd say start with two questions. First, what does your boss's boss care about? Usually it's revenue, cost, or risk. Second, what data do you already have that connects to those? Then build a simple narrative. You don't need a fancy tool — Excel or even a Google Sheet with a chart works. Luna: But what if you're in a role where the numbers aren't obvious? Like HR or communications? Lucas: Great question. I'd say look for proxy metrics. In HR, it could be time to hire or retention rates. In communications, it could be engagement metrics or survey scores. Every role has data if you think about it in terms of outcomes. Luna: And I'd add: don't wait for a promotion cycle. Start tracking now. Sarah probably had that data for a year before she used it. Lucas: Exactly. She started tracking the engagement scores after a quarterly review where her boss mentioned it was a priority. So she aligned her tracking with what was already being measured. Luna: One risk I see is that people might over-engineer the data. Like, they create a 10-slide deck with every possible metric. Lucas: Absolutely. Keep it simple. No one has time for that. Sarah's dashboard was one page. And she practiced explaining each chart in under a minute. That's discipline. Luna: And that discipline is part of executive presence. You know, if we've helped you think through a career move or decision like this, a small gesture goes a long way. A couple of dollars a month on buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo genuinely helps keep the show ad-free and focused on concrete advice. Lucas: Yeah, we hear from listeners who say the episodes have changed how they approach their careers. It's nice to know that even a small contribution supports that. Luna: And we're back to the tactics. So, Lucas, what's the one thing you'd tell someone to do this week if they want to start building a data-driven case for promotion? Lucas: Pick one metric that you can positively influence in the next 90 days. Start tracking it weekly. By the time you ask for the promotion, you'll have a trend, not just a snapshot. Luna: And that trend is your story. I love it. Thanks, Lucas. Lucas: Thanks, Luna. Next episode, we'll look at how to turn a failed project into a career win.