Read Time = 3 minutes

You ever hit that point in your career where you don’t know what the hell to do next?

You’re meeting expectations. Getting “good job” feedback. But nothing’s really moving.

Part of you wants to stay and “just get through one more bonus cycle.”

Part of you wonders if it’s time to switch roles or leave.

Mostly, you’re just feeling stuck.

I feel ya — and I’ve seen it a hundred times.

When people stall in their careers, it’s usually because of one of these 3 things:

1. You’re performing but invisible

You’re hitting your numbers, doing good work — but no one notices.

That’s not performance. That’s a visibility problem.

The truth: the people who get promoted aren’t always the best performers.

They’re the ones leaders trust to do the next job - and trust requires familiarity.

From a manager’s seat: visibility isn’t about showing off - it’s about giving your manager something to work with.When promotion time comes, I have to justify every raise and every title change. If I can’t clearly point to your wins or explain how you’re moving the business forward, you’re easy to overlook.

Make your impact obvious and help your manager tell your story.

• Send a quick Friday recap

• Share a win in the team meeting

• Answer others questions in Slack

You don’t need to brag — you need to be seen.

Because if you don’t promote yourself, no one will.

2. You’re respected, but not getting promoted

Everyone loves working with you.

You get the “atta boy” compliments in every review.

But… when promotions come around, you get passed over.

That’s not politics. It’s a sign.

You’ve mastered your current job but haven’t proven you can do the next one.

Different titles require different skills.

From a manager’s seat: When I look at promotion decisions, I’m thinking about impact.

Will this person make the team stronger?
Will they help us hit our number faster?
Can they take problems off my plate - not add new ones?

To get the promotion, start acting like you already have the job:

• Run your own meetings

• Lead a small project

• Mentor someone new

Ask your manager where you need to grow — then show them.

Doing the job will help you get the job.

3. You’re promoted, but miserable

New title. Bigger OTE.

And somehow… you’re struggling.

Before you beat yourself up, look around.

Are other top performers thriving?
Or fighting the same uphill battle?

From a manager’s seat: Sometimes a great performer gets promoted into the wrong environment — a new boss, different culture, unclear metrics — and suddenly what made them great doesn’t matter anymore. Sometimes great players are brought up in the wrong system.

Success isn’t just about talent — it’s about fit.

“Quitters never win” doesn’t alway apply to career advice.

The Playbook

Here’s how to think about career growth:

• Visibility gets you noticed

• Skills get you promoted

• Environment determines if you’ll succeed

If one of those is missing, you’ll feel stuck — no matter how hard you work.

Until next Thursday,

TSG

P.S. I reply to all emails.