Career Growth Happens Far from Your Desk
Relying only on hard work means you are doomed to stay stuck in your career.
I don’t say that to scare you — I say it because nobody tells you the truth.
Forget your work. You are already good at it. Let's take my client, let's call her Sarah. She developed an expert knowledge that everybody would dream of.
- She runs the best projects (AI).
- She creates a great impact in her department.
- Colleagues love her because she is a true leader.
- She is invited to keynotes and panel discussions.
How do we know?
- Her work hasn't been recognised.
- The less qualified were chosen for promotion.
- Other male peers got the recognition for her work.
- Others had a better network and were picked as executives.
The problem:
Promotions and opportunities happen far away from your desk. Here’s how to move from invisible to unforgettable — in 3 simple moves.
Let's dive in:
1. Find the Right People (The Opportunity Map)
Most people experience this: We meet people at work. We connect to them, and if we resonate, we drink a coffee with them. Rarely we stay in contact when jobs are switched.
Successful people (in life & career) have a different approach:
You need strategic relationships, not just random coffees. Not all networks are equal.
Note: I'm talking about relationships, not network.
The difference lies in the responsibility. A network are people whom you know. Relationships need a person who takes care of them:
A person who reaches out, who plans the coffee, who prepares the catch-up.
Don't expect somebody to reach out to you. Be the first.
How to build strategic relationships?
Create a list of categories that are important for your job, like Technical Experts, Project, Great communicators, Leading Researchers, etc.
Go first with people within your company. Then find the people.
Choose people one step above your current skills or visibility. Diversify across teams, seniority, and skills.
I have put this into an 'Opportunity Table':
| Category | Who Comes to Mind? | Smart Question to Ask |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Expert | (Name) | “What technical skill helped you grow the fastest?” |
| Interesting Project Owner | (Name) | “How did you get involved in such a key project?” |
| Great Speaker | (Name) | “How did you become so confident in presentations?” |
| Influential Communicator | (Name) | “What’s your biggest tip for communicating with execs?” |
| Excel/Power BI Wizard | (Name) | “How did you learn to simplify complex data so well?” |
| PowerPoint/Deck Expert | (Name) | “What’s one trick for making decks that really sell an idea?” |
Now, reach out to them and ask them a catchy and interesting question. In the table above, I have indicated generic questions. Adjust it with your expertise.
Here is a template for a mail:
"Hi [name],
recently I saw/heard about your [article, project, presentation].
I'm wondering how you did [the technical skill/solution/acquired a skill]?
Would you mind having a coffee chat (real/virtual) to discuss the details?
Kind regards,
Your name
People will answer because you trigger their ego. You are saying: "You are awesome." Who wouldn't reply to this?
The next step is to prepare the chat.
2. Prepare the Right Questions (Not Small Talk)
Once the catch-up starts, it is all about having great questions. Your task is to talk less, ask, and listen more.
Everyone likes to talk about themselves. It's the same with the other person. Be the host, the moderator. Make it all about the other person.
Show genuine curiosity, not checklist-hunting.
The more you ask, the more details they will share. Don't push too hard. Plan the first meeting for 30 mins.
Here is a list of questions to help you:
- “What projects are you most excited about right now?”
- “What skill helped you most to grow faster in this company?”
- “How do you prepare when you need to convince leadership?”
- “If you could go back 3 years, what would you focus on earlier?”
- “Who should I learn from if I want to get better at X?”
- “What was a big mistake you learned from — and how did it help?”
Of course, sometimes you doesn’t resonate with people. That's ok. Now, you know it. Move on.
When you meet somebody, you need to introduce yourself. You need to own your story. How to do it without bragging? Let's dive in...
3. Craft Your Story (Without Bragging)
Introducing yourself or knowing what to say is storytelling.
Long story short: Don't be a bullet point or just another meeting. Make your story stick.
How to Tell Your Story?
Easy: Use frameworks and just fill out your information. I have put together three different frameworks. Pick the one that is suitable for your situation.
Note: You will see how these frameworks help, not sound like you are bragging. Deliver your story with confidence.
🛠️ Option 1: CAR (Challenge – Action – Result)
- Challenge: What tough situation were you facing?
- Action: What specific thing did you do?
- Result: What changed because of it?
Story creation: [Challenge] + [Action] + [Result]
Example:
"When we lost a key client, I initiated weekly recovery meetings, resulting in a 20% retention improvement within 2 months."
🛠️ Option 2: STAR (Situation – Task – Action – Result)
- Situation: Background context
- Task: What was your responsibility?
- Action: What did you do?
- Result: What impact did it have?
Story creation: [Situation] + [Task] + [Action] + [Result]
Example:
"As project lead, I noticed a delay risk. I realigned resources, finished ahead of deadline, and saved $50K."
🛠️ Option 3: Hero’s Journey (Personal Story Arc)
- Ordinary world: Normal day-to-day
- Call to action: Challenge appears
- Struggle: Facing resistance or obstacles
- Breakthrough: Success moment
- Transformation: How it changed you
Story creation: [Ordinary world] + [Call to Action] + [Struggle] + [Breakthrough] + [Transformation]
Example:
"Starting as an analyst, I was overlooked until I built a dashboard that saved the team 5 hours a week. That project led to my first promotion and a speaking invitation."
Tell your story naturally. Focus on value created, not titles or bragging rights.
Summary
Career growth doesn't happen because you're “nice” or "busy." It happens when people remember you, respect you, and recommend you.
Your Opportunity Map, Great Questions, and Story are your secret weapons.
Sarah — my client — stayed stuck because she relied on overperformance alone.
You can be different.
You can be seen, respected, and promoted — starting now.
Apply these battle-proven workplace tactics.