The "My Career Is Important To Me" Script

In this lesson, we discuss how to advocate for what you want in your career without crossing the line into unreasonable demands or threats. Being vocal about your ambitions can help managers understand and support your goals, but effective self-advocacy requires diplomacy, awareness of business needs, and an understanding of your company’s culture.

• Be ambitious, but keep your requests defensible: Asking for greater responsibility or scope can help advance your career, but pushing for resources the business doesn’t actually need—such as unnecessary headcount for a promotion—can undermine your case.
• Communicate your ambitions without making threats: Clearly express that career progression matters to you while leaving room for a constructive conversation, rather than using ultimatums or creating an adversarial relationship with your manager.
• Adapt your approach to your company’s culture: The right level of assertiveness varies between workplaces. Understanding your organization’s norms can help you find the balance between being too quiet and becoming so pushy that your advocacy works against you.

Original podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WaeGfLnRvc&t=24s