Promotions Don’t Just Happen - You Position for Them with PIE
- Darren Webster
- Jun 1
- 3 min read
Key Takeaways
Promotions and dream jobs aren’t handed out after one good interview. They’re earned over time.
You start applying for your next role long before it exists, through your actions, results, and reputation.
The secret isn’t luck or politics - it’s PIE: Performance, Impact, and Exposure.
Those who move up consistently do parts of the next job before they ever have the title.
Goalster helps you align your goals, measure your progress, and build toward what’s next.
The Truth About Promotions
You don’t earn a promotion when you apply for the role. You earn it months, sometimes years, before the position even opens.
How? Through consistent delivery, growth, and visibility. Every standout candidate I’ve seen in my 20+ years leading large organizations had one thing in common:
They were already acting like leaders long before they were officially made one.
Promotions require trust. And trust isn’t built in a 45-minute panel interview. It’s built in everyday moments: how you lead, how you learn, and how you deliver.
Introducing the PIE Model
I won't say I've trademarked the acronym, but PIE was always the easiest way for me to remember the components of a great career development plan. Over 15 years of getting promoted rapidly at a Fortune 20, I learned and started to share with anyone who'd listen, the importance of each element in the hopes that they too, would adopt it in their own careers.
In fact, my favorite meeting of every month was when I got to go and meet our newest team members at their orientation and share this advice, when they were at their most engaged, to try to set them off on the right trajectory.
Let’s break down what separates those who get promoted from those who don’t using the PIE model:
Performance
This is table stakes. Not just hitting your current goals—but taking on elements of the next level.
Ask yourself:
Are you doing your job, or more than your job?
Are you anticipating what your manager needs, or just waiting to be told?
Are you solving bigger problems than you're assigned?
The best candidates don’t just excel in their current role—they’re already demonstrating readiness for the next one.
Impact
It’s not enough to be busy. You need to show quantifiable value.
Hiring and promotion decisions are often driven by one question:
“What impact did this person have that they weren't expected to have?”
Examples of impact:
Fixing a broken process that saved time or money
Leading a cross-functional effort that drove big improvements
Raising the performance of peers or team members by your best practices
Implementing a new approach that solved a recurring pain point
The bigger and more measurable the impact, and how aligned with business priorities it is, the more undeniable your case becomes.
Exposure
This one trips up even great performers.
Exposure means two things:
Exposing yourself to new ideas and best practices
Ensuring the right people know what you're capable of and where you want to go
Here’s the truth: if the decision-makers haven’t seen you operate at the next level, you’re not on their radar.
The solution?
Network with top performers in and outside your org
Ask for mentorship and feedback
Take on visible projects
Be intentional about where you show up and who you engage
Visibility isn’t bragging. It’s ensuring your results and readiness are known.
What Top Performers Do Differently
In my experience leading teams in the thousands at a Fortune 20 company, here’s what the promotable ones always did differently:
Not Promoted (Yet) | Consistently Promoted |
Focused on doing current job well | Performed well and took on more |
Waited for recognition | Made their impact more visible |
Stayed in their lane | Reached across functions and levels |
Took feedback passively | Applied feedback visibly & followed up |
Talked about goals quietly | Shared career goals clearly with leaders |
They weren’t just “ready", they were obvious candidates, already on the radar.
Why You Might Still Be Stuck
If you’re wondering why you’ve been overlooked, it’s not necessarily because you're unqualified.
It’s because you haven’t been positioned to get the nod.
👉 You didn’t build trust through visible results.
👉 You didn’t raise your hand early enough.
👉 You weren’t on the radar of decision-makers.
👉 You weren’t acting like a person already doing the job you want.
Success isn't just about competence, it's about visibility, readiness, and timing.
Adding PIE into your development ensures you're ready before the spotlight hits.
How Goalster Could Help
Join our Goalster Career Accelerator.
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