Why Influence Matters for Women's Promotions

📈 Annita’s promotion looked perfect on paper. New title. Bigger team. Expanded scope. More projects But six months in, she realized the reality: She had more work, not more power. 📅 Her calendar doubled, her inbox tripled,   But her influence stayed exactly the same. 🧯 She was in every crisis meeting, But absent from every pre-meeting where real decisions were made. 🛠️ Decisions were still made two levels above her. She was invited to fix problems, not set direction. She was celebrated as reliable, not trusted as visionary. ⁉️ This is the trap: 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿. 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆. Companies say “she’s ready to do more,” but not “she’s ready to lead more.” It’s why so many female leaders are exhausted yet invisible: 👉 Carrying the load but not holding the reins. Now, how can you break out of the workload trap: 1. 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲    Before accepting new responsibilities, ask: What decisions does this role now let me make? If the answer is none, negotiate, or say no. A title without authority is an anchor.     2. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲    Shift from measuring effort (“I worked 14 hours”) to impact (“I changed X outcome”). Attach your wins to the business bottom line, not your stamina. 3. 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗸𝘀    Don’t ask for more pay alone, ask for a seat in the rooms where direction is set. Visibility is the currency that multiplies everything else.     4. 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸    Be deliberate about what you take on. Quiet yeses to low-visibility firefighting keep you stuck in operations; visible bets on strategy move you up.     This is why Uma, Grace, and I built: ⭐ 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 – 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱⭐ https://lnkd.in/gAZnvAYq To decode how power really moves, and teach the strategies that shift you from fallback to frontrunner. Because the hardest worker isn’t always promoted. 👊The most strategically positioned is.

She said yes to every single project. Yet, she was overlooked for the promotion. They said: “She’s irreplaceable.” “We’d be lost without her.” But when it came time to lead the next big thing - She wasn’t even on the list. Over the past decade working in women’s leadership, I’ve seen this story play out far too often. Women staying in roles long past their expiration. Not because they lack clarity - But because they’ve been conditioned to confuse loyalty with worth. Loyalty to a team. To a leader. To a company culture that praises their reliability... But never promotes their vision. So how do you ensure you’re valued - not just used - for all that you bring to the table? Here are 5 practical, research-backed strategies I’ve seen top performers consistently use: ✅ Be Known for Vision, Not Just Execution ↳ “She delivers” is solid. ↳ “She sets the direction” is strategic. ↳ Build a reputation rooted in foresight - not just follow-through. ✅ Document and Distill Your Wins ↳ Don’t wait to be noticed. ↳ Capture and communicate your impact consistently. ↳ Think: outcomes, initiatives, feedback snapshots. ↳ This becomes your proof of value during reviews, promotions, or pivots. ✅ Speak the Language of Business ↳ Translate your work into metrics that matter: revenue, retention, growth, efficiency. ↳ When leaders see your contribution tied to business outcomes, you shift from “nice to have” to “can’t afford to lose.” ✅ Build Cross-Functional Credibility ↳ Influence isn’t built in silos. ↳ Make your value visible across teams. ↳ When multiple departments rely on your insight, you become a strategic connector - not just a contributor. ✅ Create Strategic Allies, Not Just Mentors ↳ Power isn’t just about performance - it’s about proximity to influence. ↳ Nurture relationships with decision-makers, peer champions, and collaborators. Influence grows through meaningful connection. The truth is - being essential isn’t the same as being seen. You can be deeply loyal to others - and still loyal to your own growth. These shifts aren’t just career strategies. They’re acts of self-respect. Because when you decide to lead from alignment, not obligation - You stop waiting to be chosen. And start choosing yourself. 💬 Which of these strategies feels most relevant to where you are right now? I’d love to hear in the comments below. ♻ Repost if you believe it’s time to stop rewarding quiet loyalty - and start recognizing conscious leadership. 🔔 Follow me, Bhavna Toor, for more. 📩 DM me to bring our holistic leadership development programs to your organization - that are a powerful combination of inner-work and real-world strategy.

You just saw a colleague get promoted. And your first thought might be… what? You didn’t see anything extraordinary. They didn’t seem to work harder or know more. So what made the difference? While you were focused on getting the work done, your colleague was focused on getting seen. They had clarity about what they wanted. They built visibility around the impact they were making. And they strengthened their influence with the people who make decisions. That is what changes outcomes. I learned this the hard way. Early in my career, I couldn’t understand why some people who weren’t more talented and often did less were getting ahead faster. It hit me hard when I started interviewing for roles I was well qualified for, only to watch someone more connected or sponsored get the job. That experience cost me growth, income, and time. So this topic is personal. Career growth is rarely just about performance. It’s about preparation and positioning. The people who move faster are the ones who align their goals, make their value visible, and build the right relationships long before opportunities appear. If you’re waiting for someone to notice your great work, that is not a strategy. Here’s what to stop doing right now: ❌ Stop believing that showcasing your work is bragging. It’s communication. ❌ Stop being so busy working that you lose sight of your leadership chain. ❌ Don’t assume your direct manager is the only one who matters. Know the leaders who will ultimately decide on your promotion and compensation. Your next promotion starts long before the announcement. ✅ Get clear on what you want ✅ Make your results visible ✅ Build influence before you need it That is the formula that creates opportunity. If you’re ready to reset how you’re showing up at work, start with the 5-Day Tech Career Reset. It’s a free, practical course designed to help women in tech rebuild clarity, visibility, and influence so they can stop waiting and start moving forward.

The value of sponsorship in advancing women’s careers was one of the main findings of a Spencer Stuart survey of women leaders around the world. This reflects what I found when conducting research for my book, Crack the C-Suite Code: Sponsors are so important, especially at the highest levels of organizations. Sponsors use their influence to open doors to new opportunities and connections, and they often push the people they sponsor to take risks or open their eyes to new ways of thinking. I encourage women to cultivate multiple sponsors if they can. Having multiple sponsors increases the odds that you will have a variety of people advocating for you when opportunities arise. They can be a resource when you’re seeking diverse perspectives about career or business issues. Relying on just one sponsor can you leave you vulnerable if that person leaves the company or loses their own influence due to a leadership change.