Approaching the easily accesible promotion

Question

I had a question about me being silent and my colleague being dominant (good manager). Now i am confronted with new situation.

1. I have been nominated for long term onsite project starting in 6 months (every one fights for this, but for me, it has come without a sweat) and i am okay to accept it.
2. I have been told by my old manager (new manager my above dominant colleague) that my promotion is expected to come soon.

Recently, there was recognition awards too for me.
I will have better monetary compensation whilst i am onsite if my promotion happens before beginning of the long term deputation. Hence, my old manager personally suggested me to approach senior manager and ask (gentle demand) for the promotion too. Old manager also said that, it is expected to happen but, squeaky wheel gets the grease. My old manager is always practical about my performance since beginning and i trust my old manager about the statement and old manager's feeling.

Just now, My senior manager was leaving office, 8 PM, Friday :( and he too asked whether i am okay for onsite opportunity. I said - presently i have no problems but i will confirm in some time. Please help guys.

Question:

How shall i approach my senior manager?
What shall i ask my Senior manager? (i need to convey that, i am happy to accept the onsite offer but only with the promotion which is long due)

PS: Sorry, non native English speaker.

Answer 1

I believe you should approach this just as you would approach asking for a raise.

When you go to accept the project, ensure that you note that you believed you were going to receive a promotion, and you would still like to receive the promotion along with this project.

It sounds like you've definitely been performing at or above expectations, and you should re-iterate such when you speak to your manager.

Let him know that you have been working hard for this promotion, and that you would like to receive it, even though you'll be working on-site on this other project.

If your manager seems hesitant, don't back down.

Instead, come at it from another angle. Ask him "If you don't believe I'm ready for this promotion, could you tell me what I need to do in order to perform at that level?" or similar.

You want the manager to know that you're interested in this promotion, that you've worked hard for it, and that you're dedicated to continue working hard for it if need be.

When you discuss this with your manager, be sure to list a few key highlights of your recent performance / work history, to support your claim that you're the person that should be getting promoted.

If you had recent successes, talk about those. If you've had any recent failures, I wouldn't spend a lot of time talking about them, but you could show that you were able to learn something from them and move forward.

Answer 2

It sounds like you have been recommended for a high profile project and you have been recommended and accepted for a promotion as well. First off, congrats on the recognition and the promotion.

As for recommended action you should take, I would suggest (as you mentioned) gentle reminders to your manager or senior manager (whoever is in charge of getting the promotion done) every 2-3 weeks. Promotions typically need several people to sign off on it and it has to go through several departments (HR, finance, etc.) to solidify it. It does not happen overnight, but it will happen as long as the right people have said 'yes' to it.

The good part is that you do not have to fight for it or build a case for it since you have already been recommended for it and the recommendation has been accepted. Just send follow ups every once in a while and ask about the status of it from your manager.

Answer 3

I would schedule a private conversation with the senior manager so that you can ask some general questions and give him an update about the project. In the meeting, tell him you're excited about the project and ask him if it makes you eligible for the promotion. If it's a hard question to ask, just say "this isn't an easy question to ask, as I know I can be modest, but I do think I'm ready to take on the challenges necessary to function at that level." He might asks you what makes you think that. Bring up the awards and how much you enjoy the work, love the company, want to think about long term strategies, etc. If he says you won't be eligible or you're not eligible yet, ask him what you can do to get to that level. He should give you something tangible and achievable, and if not, that's a red flag.

Consider that many companies announce raises and promotions every year between February and March (when they've finished the fiscal year accounting and considered goals) so your old manager may be correct in saying that it's coming soon. But it can't hurt to ask before hand.

Let us know how it goes!! and Good Luck!

Answer 4

Say something like this: Good Morning Mr (Senior Manager Name), I would like to discuss with you the onsite position I was offered. You see, though I am completely appreciative of the offer, I would like to explore my options with you concerning a promotion. The recognition and awards have been very valuable to me but you see, I believe I have been a well committed and a valuable asset to the company and have proven myself time and time again when it comes to my dedication to any task. Therefore, I deem it only fair that I am granted a promotion along with the new position because of my above average performance. In no way do I want to come across opportunistic, but I certainly feel this will be a good motivation for me to accept the onsite position long term.