Early in my profession, I missed out on promotions despite the fact that I labored arduous. As an engineer by coaching, I assumed my success could be performance-based. I mistakenly thought that my worth to a company could be measured solely by my technical abilities — how shortly and precisely I might compute the costs of advanced monetary derivatives.
It wasn’t till years into my banking profession that I spotted my mistake: I had missed picture and publicity. Harvey Coleman’s 1996 examine on profession development revealed that profession success relies on a mix of efficiency, picture, and publicity (PIE). The truth is, solely 10% of success correlates to efficiency, whereas picture accounts for 30%, and publicity for a staggering 60%.
Should you’re delivering outcomes however are nonetheless being handed over for promotions, it’s time to take inventory of the lacking items in your PIE.
Picture: Your Popularity at Work
What are you recognized for at work? In my first job as a international alternate (FX) gross sales skilled at a Singapore financial institution, I didn’t do nicely as a result of I lacked social abilities. Though I improved my promoting abilities considerably after a yr, the poor impression my colleagues and managers had of me was fastened. It was tough to vary their minds. If I had stayed on, I’d have been a mediocre salesperson at greatest. So, I left to pursue my grasp’s in finance.
After I joined Citi in 2001 as a derivatives structurer, I confirmed a powerful curiosity in instructing. I volunteered to conduct product coaching for each purchasers and colleagues. In a short time, I constructed a popularity not simply as a talented structurer but in addition as a wonderful coach. This popularity led to invites from gross sales heads throughout Asia to coach their groups and clients, considerably enhancing my private model.
The way to Construct Your Private Model
Develop a signature ability, one thing that’s completely different out of your core experience however will be integrated into your work.
As an example, in case you’re a junior analysis analyst in an asset administration firm, you would develop video modifying abilities. By providing to shoot and edit movies for senior colleagues presenting at funding conferences, you’ll be seen as a precious crew participant whom they wish to carry alongside to occasions.
You probably have already labored at your present firm for greater than a yr, altering your inner model generally is a problem. I recommend specializing in growing your exterior model and letting it affect your inner standing.
Volunteering with a CFA society, organizing occasions, or serving as a speaker liaison are nice methods to do that. I’m proud to be a speaker on the CFA Institute LIVE 2025 occasion in Chicago subsequent Might. Share these experiences on LinkedIn and different retailers, as I do, to showcase your capabilities as a grasp networker or organizer. Your employer will see you in a distinct mild. Study to be a storyteller. Tales resonate extra deeply than info and figures. Use your tales to let folks learn about your persona, skills, and values. They’re essential components of your private model.
Publicity: How Nicely Do Individuals Know You?
Publicity is about guaranteeing that the best folks — your colleagues and senior leaders — are conscious of your contributions. With out visibility, you received’t get promoted.
I realized this the arduous method. After I was a vice chairman (VP, a mid-level rank) at an American financial institution, my boss went on vacation and requested me to current the weekly market replace to the gross sales and structuring groups throughout Asia on his behalf. I instructed him I couldn’t host the assembly as a result of I used to be busy making ready for my skilled exams. However this was simply an excuse. In actuality, I feared public talking. He acquired one other VP to do it as an alternative. By year-end, when it got here to promotion nominations, guess who my supervisor selected to advertise to director degree? That’s proper, not me, however the different VP.
Should you carry out nicely in your job however don’t communicate up in conferences, you’re making it tough for managers to learn about your work. Even when your individual boss desires to advertise you, nobody else within the firm will help you as a result of they hardly know you. It comes right down to this easy equation:
How good you might be × Your presentation abilities = How good folks suppose you might be
So not solely should you do good work, however you need to additionally seize alternatives to let folks know concerning the work you do.
The way to Enhance Publicity
- Communicate Up Throughout Conferences: Share your insights, ask considerate questions, and ensure your voice is heard.
- Volunteer for Excessive-Visibility Duties: For instance, provide to emcee the corporate’s annual dinner.
- Pursue Worldwide Alternatives: Inside transfers to completely different workplaces or international locations can considerably enhance your publicity. I labored in London and Hong Kong throughout my profession, and these stints allowed me to construct relationships with world leaders.
- Interact with the World Neighborhood: Attend CFA occasions exterior your property nation to attach with a broader community.
Full Your PIE
Promotions require extra than simply arduous work and outcomes. By mastering the PIE framework, you’ll place your self for long-term profession success.
