Early in my profession, I missed out on promotions regardless that I labored laborious. As an engineer by coaching, I assumed my success could be performance-based. I mistakenly thought that my worth to a corporation could be measured solely by my technical abilities — how shortly and precisely I might compute the costs of complicated monetary derivatives.
It wasn’t till years into my banking profession that I noticed my mistake: I had missed picture and publicity. Harvey Coleman’s 1996 research on profession development revealed that profession success depends upon a mix of efficiency, picture, and publicity (PIE). Actually, solely 10% of success correlates to efficiency, whereas picture accounts for 30%, and publicity for a staggering 60%.
When 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 Repute at Work
What are you recognized for at work? In my first job as a overseas trade (FX) gross sales skilled at a Singapore financial institution, I didn’t do properly as a result of I lacked social abilities. Though I improved my promoting abilities considerably after a 12 months, the poor impression my colleagues and executives had of me was mounted. 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 educating. I volunteered to conduct product coaching for each purchasers and colleagues. In a short time, I constructed a status not simply as a talented structurer but additionally as a wonderful coach. This status led to invites from gross sales heads throughout Asia to coach their groups and clients, considerably enhancing my private model.
Tips on how to Construct Your Private Model
Develop a signature ability, one thing that’s totally different out of your core experience however will be included into your work.
As an example, when 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 may be seen as a invaluable group participant whom they wish to deliver alongside to occasions.
You probably have already labored at your present firm for greater than a 12 months, altering your inner model generally is a problem. I counsel 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 shops, as I do, to showcase your capabilities as a grasp networker or organizer. Your employer will see you in a special mild. Be taught to be a storyteller. Tales resonate extra deeply than info and figures. Use your tales to let folks learn about your character, talents, and values. They’re essential elements of your private model.
Publicity: How Properly Do Individuals Know You?
Publicity is about guaranteeing that the appropriate folks — your colleagues and senior leaders — are conscious of your contributions. With out visibility, you gained’t get promoted.
I discovered this the laborious manner. 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 advised him I couldn’t host the assembly as a result of I used to be busy getting ready for my skilled exams. However this was simply an excuse. In actuality, I feared public talking. He bought 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 stage? That’s proper, not me, however the different VP.
When you carry out properly 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 assist you as a result of they hardly know you. It comes all the way down to this straightforward equation:
How good you’re × Your presentation abilities = How good folks suppose you’re
So not solely should you do good work, however you have to additionally seize alternatives to let folks know concerning the work you do.
Tips on how to Improve Publicity
- Communicate Up Throughout Conferences: Share your insights, ask considerate questions, and ensure your voice is heard.
- Volunteer for Excessive-Visibility Duties: For instance, supply to emcee the corporate’s annual dinner.
- Pursue Worldwide Alternatives: Inside transfers to totally different places of work or nations can considerably enhance your publicity. I labored in London and Hong Kong throughout my profession, and these stints allowed me to construct relationships with international leaders.
- Interact with the World Group: Attend CFA occasions outdoors your private home nation to attach with a broader community.
Full Your PIE
Promotions require extra than simply laborious work and outcomes. By mastering the PIE framework, you’ll place your self for long-term profession success.