Create A Promotion Plan

In this lesson, we explain why creating a written promotion plan is essential and how treating it like a living contract dramatically increases our chances of moving up, even though perfection or guarantees don’t exist.

• We emphasize getting everything in writing: building a promotion plan that outlines exactly what “performing at the next level” looks like, so expectations are clear and aligned.
• We note that even with a solid plan, promotions can fall through due to org politics or director-level decisions—but having a plan still increases success odds by 10x compared to “just doing good work and hoping.”
• We highlight the need to maintain the plan monthly, updating it as org priorities, reorgs, or company conditions shift—especially crucial at senior or staff levels where project selection matters.
• We explain the importance of defining the delta between your current level and the next—clarifying what skills, behaviors, or scope need to improve.
• We recommend structuring the plan around the company’s evaluation axes (e.g., engineering excellence, direction, project impact, people) to clearly identify which “stats” need leveling up.