Latest / The Promotion Memo with Fexingo: Getting Visibility, Sponsors, and Executive Presence / How One Employee Got Promoted by Mapping Decision Makers
Transcript
- Lucas: Priya was a senior analyst at a mid-size regional bank — think $15 billion in assets, about 2,000 employees. She'd been in the same role for three and a half years, consistently strong performance reviews, but every time a VP slot opened up, someone else got it. Luna: Classic stuck-in-place story. What changed for her? Lucas: She built something she called a 'decision-maker influence map.' It wasn't an org chart — she already had that. This was a living document that tracked who actually had a say in her promotion, what each person cared about, and how she could demonstrate value to them specifically. Luna: So she reverse-engineered the promotion process. I like that. How did she identify the right people? Lucas: She started by listing every person who had been involved in the last three VP hires in her division. Then she mapped their relationships — who reported to whom informally, who sat on which committee, who had veto power. She ended up with 14 names. Luna: Fourteen people who could influence her promotion — that's more than I'd expect for a senior analyst to VP move. Usually you think it's just your manager and maybe their boss. Lucas: Right, and that's exactly the trap. Her direct manager was supportive, but he wasn't on the promotion committee. The real decision-makers included three VPs from other departments, two HR business partners, and even the chief operating officer — who had never heard of her. Luna: So the map showed her she was invisible to the people who mattered. What did she do about it? Lucas: She spent six months systematically building visibility. For the COO, she learned he was obsessed with operational efficiency metrics — so she started including a one-page efficiency summary in her monthly reports, even though no one asked for it. She made sure to copy him on those reports. Luna: Subtle. Not asking for a meeting — just showing up in his inbox with useful information. That's smart. Lucas: Exactly. For the HR business partner, she volunteered to present at a cross-functional training session on data analysis. That got her on that person's radar as someone who could communicate to a room. Luna: She was basically creating her own sponsorship network. No one was going to do it for her. Lucas: And here's the key — she didn't just meet people. She tracked what each of those 14 decision-makers had said in meetings about priorities for the year. She kept a spreadsheet: 'COO — focus on reducing loan processing time by 15 percent. VP of risk — worried about new regulatory reporting requirements.' Luna: So she could tailor every interaction to what they cared about. That's not manipulation — that's strategic communication. Lucas: Right. When the VP role finally opened, she had already built a case for herself with each of the 14. Her manager's recommendation mattered less than the fact that the COO said, 'Oh, Priya — she's the one who sends that efficiency data. She's sharp.' Luna: That's the moment the map paid off. She got the promotion? Lucas: She got it. And she told me the map was the single most important career tool she'd ever created. She still updates it every quarter. Luna: I wonder how common it is for people to stay invisible like that. You work hard, you assume your manager will advocate for you, but the decision is made in a room you're not in. Lucas: And that's why I think this episode is really valuable. If you're listening and you've been passed over for a promotion, or you feel like you're doing good work but no one notices, the issue might not be your performance — it might be your map. Luna: Before we dig into the practical steps for building your own map — and I want to get to that — I want to mention something briefly. Lucas, we hear from listeners all the time who say this show has helped them think through career moves. Lucas: Yeah, we do. And we keep the show ad-free because of the people who support us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. If you've gotten value from an episode — maybe it helped you prepare for a conversation or rethink your strategy — that's the place to toss in a few dollars. No pressure, just a sincere thank you. Luna: Exactly. It keeps the lights on and lets us keep doing deep dives like this one. Okay, so back to the map — what's the first step for someone listening? Lucas: First step: list the last three promotions in your department or adjacent departments. Who was promoted, who was involved in the decision? Ask your manager if you don't know. That gives you the initial list of names. Luna: And then you map relationships — who consults whom, who has veto power, who sits on the promotion committee. You're building a network diagram, not a hierarchy. Lucas: Exactly. Then for each person, note what they've publicly said their priorities are. Company all-hands meetings, quarterly emails, one-on-ones you've had with them. Write it down. Luna: And then identify gaps — people on your map who have no reason to know your name. Those are your targets. Lucas: Right. Then for each target, create a visibility plan. It doesn't have to be big. Maybe you start sending them a relevant article with a one-line note. Maybe you volunteer for a project they're sponsoring. Priya's approach was low-friction: add value without asking for anything. Luna: I think the hardest part for most people is the tracking. It feels weird to keep a spreadsheet on people. Lucas: It does feel weird at first. But think of it as market research. You're not plotting anything — you're learning what drives the people who make decisions. That's just good business sense. Luna: And when the promotion conversation happens, you're not starting from zero. You've already planted seeds with every person in the room. Lucas: One thing Priya said that stuck with me: 'I used to think my work would speak for itself. Now I know I have to speak for it — to the right people.' Luna: That's a great line. So the map is really about giving your work a voice. Lucas: Exactly. And it's not a one-time thing. Priya updates hers quarterly because people change roles, priorities shift, new stakeholders emerge. It's a living tool. Luna: Any pitfalls to watch out for? I imagine if you're too obvious about it, it could backfire. Lucas: The biggest pitfall is being transactional. If you only reach out to people when you want something, they'll sense it. Priya's approach was to give value first — the efficiency data for the COO, the training session for HR. It was months before she needed anything. Luna: So the map is a planning tool, not a script. You use it to figure out where to invest your relationship-building energy. Lucas: Yeah. And the other thing is: don't neglect your current manager. Your manager is still your primary advocate — the map just ensures you're not relying on them alone. Luna: I think this is one of those episodes where the idea sounds simple but the execution is really hard. It requires discipline. Lucas: Absolutely. But if you've been stuck in the same role for two years or more, it's worth the effort. Priya spent maybe two hours a month on her map — and it changed her career trajectory. Luna: Alright, I'm going to start my own map this week. Who's the first person on my list? I think I know. Lucas: Good. And listeners, if you build one, let us know how it goes. We're always looking for more stories to share.