Bahar Selman, PCC

You look successful on paper.

Senior title. Strong salary.
Respect inside your company.

But your career is more fragile than it looks.
AI is compressing senior roles.
Restructuring doesn’t care about loyalty.
And your 15–25 years of expertise is invisible outside your employer.

If corporate ended tomorrow, most leaders at your level have:
• No external personal brand
• No consulting or advisory options
• No income diversification
• No real Plan B

That’s not a talent problem.
It’s a career longevity problem.

Career longevity isn’t about staying in one job longer.
It’s about staying relevant, visible, and in demand across decades—
regardless of age, AI disruption, or employer dependency.

That’s where career autonomy comes in.

Career autonomy means:
• Your expertise is portable
• Your reputation exists outside one company
• You have options before you need them
• One corporate decision can’t derail your future

I work with senior corporate leaders (Directors, VPs, C-suite) who:
• Have built impressive careers inside multinationals
• Feel the growing risk of invisibility and replaceability
• Want to protect their income, identity, and legacy
• Need a strategic way to build visibility without harming their corporate role

This is not about quitting your job.
And it’s definitely not about becoming an “online influencer.”

It’s about strategic positioning.

I spent over 15 years inside global corporations, building brands, leading teams, and operating at senior levels.

I’ve seen firsthand how quickly:
• Roles disappear
• Experience gets discounted
• High performers become “too expensive”
• Loyal leaders get caught unprepared

Since then, I’ve worked with 500+ senior professionals to help them:
• Turn corporate experience into visible authority
• Build reputation-safe personal brands
• Create consulting, advisory, and portfolio options
• Design exit strategies on their own terms

Through The Career Autonomy Blueprint™, I help experienced leaders:
• Clarify their next chapter
• Position their expertise for the external market
• Build LinkedIn visibility that attracts opportunities
• Create a strategic safety net before they’re forced to use it

The outcome isn’t noise or vanity metrics.

The outcome is power:
• Options
• Confidence
• Leverage
• Control over your future

If you’re still employed but quietly thinking:
“Something needs to change but I don’t know where to start”
You’re exactly who this work is for.

DM me on LinkedIn or email info@baharselman.com when you’re ready to explore your options

Consultant

Bahar Selman

I was invited to deliver the "Speak Up, Step Forward" communication workshop for the TAQA Group Junior Sustainability Program, led by New River Consulting, at Khalifa University

We moved beyond the basics of public speaking to tackle the real-world challenges of influence:
✅ Mastering active listening and social styles
✅ Navigating generational communication gaps
✅ Crafting compelling narratives that drive change

We spent the day diving deep into the art of communication.

These students are not just future engineers and scientists; they are future change-makers. 

The energy in the room was electric. 
It proved that when you meet students where they are, the learning goes deeper. 

They walked away not just with "tips," but with a full toolkit for managing anxiety, projecting confidence, and owning the room.

Special thanks to Dilara Özmeriç for the invitation and for championing this world-class program.

#CommunicationSkills #Uphuman #CorporateWorkshops #Sustainability

Bahar Selman,PCC

Career Longevity & Personal Branding Strategist │ Executive Coach │ Corporate Trainer │ Corporate Workshops & Keynotes @ Uphuman │ Former FMCG Global Marketing Leader

5 signs your current career strategy is a ticking time bomb:

	1.	You haven’t updated your LinkedIn in 6+ months
	2.	No one outside your company knows what you do
	3.	You’re waiting for “the right time” to build your personal brand
	4.	You think loyalty will protect you from restructuring
	5.	You have no Plan B if your job ends tomorrow

If you see #3, stop what you’re doing immediately.

Because “the right time” never comes.

The right time is NOW. While you still have leverage.


How many of these apply to you?

No alternative text description for this image

I made the same mistake at the peak of my corporate career.

I thought a strong results, and internal credibility
meant I was safe.

I thought staying quiet was “professional.”
That visibility was risky.
That loyalty would be rewarded.

Then I watched restructurings wipe out people with 20+ years of experience.
AI accelerate faster than job titles.
And brilliant leaders become “redundant” overnight.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Invisibility feels safe until it becomes your biggest risk.

Most leaders hit by restructuring aren’t weak performers.
They’re strong operators with zero external positioning.

Inside the company: respected.
Outside the company: unknown.

And if your value disappears the moment your corporate email does,
that’s not stability.

That’s fragility.

The leaders who will survive what’s coming
aren’t louder, younger, or trendier.

They’re visible before they need to be.

Sit with that.
Then rethink how you’re positioning yourselfwhile you still have the choice.

I might lose friends over this, but:

Staying in one company for 15+ years without building external relevance is career suicide in 2026.

Here’s why I’m willing to bet my reputation on it:

Because loyalty doesn’t protect you anymore.

AI eliminates roles. Restructuring is constant. And the longer you stay invisible in one company, the harder it is to pivot when you’re forced to.

I’m not saying quit your job.

I’m saying build Career Autonomy WHILE you’re employed.

So when the time comes(and it will)you have options.


Do you have options? Or are you hoping loyalty will save you?

Most people ignore “feeling invisible at work.”

They think: “It’s fine. I’m still getting my paycheck.”

But in 6 months, that turns into:

	•	Being passed over for promotions
	•	Being “too expensive” during restructuring
	•	Being eliminated because “no one knows what you do”

Are you ignoring it?

Because the cost of staying invisible is higher than the cost of building visibility.


When was the last time someone outside your company asked for your expertise?

Let me guess.
You're reading this because part of you is thinking, "This sounds great, Bahar. But is it too late for me?"

You're in your mid-40s/50s. Everyone else started years ago. Haven't you missed your window?

Here's what I want you to know.

You haven't missed your window. 
You've been building credibility while others have been building followers. Now it's time to combine both.

Your 15-25 years of experience is not a liability. 
It's your unfair advantage.
But only if people know you exist.

That's the difference between professionals who thrive and professionals who survive. 

Between those who have options and those who feel trapped.

The best time to build your brand was 5 years ago. 
The second best time is NOW.

Because every week you wait, your expertise becomes less relevant. 
Not because you're getting older. 
But because the market is moving forward without you.

I track one metric that most people ignore:

“Profile visits from people OUTSIDE your company.”

Here’s how it proves whether Career Autonomy is actually working:

If your profile visits are only from colleagues, you’re building internal visibility. That’s good.

But if your profile visits are from recruiters, industry leaders, and potential clients? You’re building Career Autonomy.

The difference?

Internal visibility keeps you employed.

External visibility gives you options.


Where are your profile visits coming from?

The last ten days fundamentally altered the rhythm of our lives.

The disruptions we are experiencing now remind me of how deeply interconnected we truly are.

My days are usually spent helping leaders find their voice, build their presence, and navigate corporate challenges. 

But this week, the conversations have shifted. 

I have spoken with brilliant professionals who are struggling to focus, leaders who are trying to project strength while quietly managing their own anxieties, and expatriates who are constantly checking their phones for news from home or worrying about the safety of their loved ones.

We often talk about "bringing our whole selves to work," but what does that mean when our whole selves are exhausted, worried, and grieving?

In my 15 years of professional experience, I have learned that true leadership is not about having all the answers or maintaining a facade of invulnerability. 

It is about holding space for the uncomfortable realities. 

It is about acknowledging that it is okay if productivity is not at 100% right now. 

It is about looking at the person across the table (or the screen) and recognizing their humanity before their job title.

The human disruption is what requires our immediate attention. 
We cannot simply "business as usual" our way through this.

To the leaders reading this: 
Your teams are watching how you respond. 

They don't need you to solve the geopolitical crisis. 
They need you to show empathy. 
They need you to offer flexibility. 

They need you to say, "I know this is hard, and I am here to support you."

To the professionals feeling overwhelmed: 
Your silence right now is not a sign of weakness; it is a natural response to trauma and uncertainty. 
But please, do not isolate yourself. 
Reach out to your network, lean on your colleagues, and give yourself the grace to process what is happening.

Resilience does not mean ignoring the pain; it means moving through it together.

Check on your colleagues. 
Be patient with your clients. 

And above all, be kind to yourselves.

Being the smartest person in the room means nothing if you don't speak up.

If you can't express your idea at the right moment, in the right way it's as if you never had it at all.

In 15 years of corporate marketing and coaching hundreds of professionals, I've seen it over and over: 
the most brilliant people are often the quietest ones.

In my latest video I walk you through the VOICE Framework exactly how to get heard, build visibility and show up with executive presence in any meeting.

If you have 8 minutes 👇

https://lnkd.in/d5ABa-Vp

P.S : Oh, and I recently started a YouTube channel where I share weekly tools on confidence and communication still growing, still finding my rhythm, but if you're curious, the link is below.

Open video: Give Me 8 Minutes and I'll Make You the Most Confident Voice in Any Room on youtu.be

Give Me 8 Minutes and I'll Make You the Most Confident Voice in Any Room

Let me ask you something uncomfortable.
When was the last time you were in a meeting, had the perfect insight, knew exactly what needed to be said  and said absolutely nothing?
Continue reading 👇

Career Upgradewhere we stop pretending, stop playing small, and finally talk about the real mechanics of career advancement. Let me ask you something 

Open article: Episode #22 — Your Silence Is Not Humility. It's Invisibility. by Bahar Selman,PCC • 4 min read

Episode #22 — Your Silence Is Not Humility. It's Invisibility.

Most senior leaders in complex organizations are promoted for performance, but left to lead and influence without a playbook.

You’re suddenly:

→ navigating constant change and reorgs
→ influencing people who don’t report to you
→ managing complex team and stakeholder dynamics
→ expected to create clarity in a fog of ambiguity

realizing that what got you here… isn’t working anymore

The pressure is huge when you’re asked to lead through complexity, influence across functions, and still rise to a true executive level.

That’s not your fault.
But it can become your edge, if you build it.

You don’t need another motivational pep talk.
You need a practical system to influence without authority and lead with impact, without losing yourself in the process.

I help high-potential senior leaders in complex organizations:

→ build trust and followership across teams and functions
→ feel fulfilled by how they lead, not just what they deliver
→ influence without authority in matrixed environments
→ simplify their message so decisions move faster
→ lead with more ease, calm, and authenticity

As an executive coach and former Google Global Director, I spent 15 years building and leading teams across Europe, the U.S., and Asia, inside one of the most complex organizations on the planet.

My approach is:

→  practical – grounded in real executive experience, not theory
→  precise – focused on the few moves that actually shift influence
→  people-first – you get to lead as yourself, not as a copy of someone else

I don’t hand out one-size-fits-all advice.

I ask better questions, challenge assumptions, and give you tools and structures that stick, so you can build trust, make decisions, and accelerate your growth.

The result is what I call your Executive Edge — The combination of clarity, relationships, momentum, and authenticity that makes people want to follow you.

If you (or leaders on your team) feel:

→ stuck in complexity
→ underpowered in a matrix
→ you’re just surviving change instead of leading through it…

Let’s talk.

Because influence without authority isn’t a “nice-to-have” anymore.
It’s the real skill of modern leadership.

—
Send me a DM or an email 
simo@simoschiassi.com

Simone Schiassi

I was promoted 5 times in 15 years at Google  
Most careers stall for 7 reasons

What you should NOT be doing to be promoted
is equally important to what you should be doing

Having spent 15 years at Google and being a Global Director for the good part of it, gave me a privileged position to see the biggest mistake that people can make. 

So today I'd like to give you this list so you can avoid them and keep accelerating your career. This is true for all levels, witnessed over and over.

1 - Avoiding hard conversations - this is a classic, but it's in first place because it's the biggest mistake that can stall your career: the tendency to retreat into your corner and shy away from "internal politics". In reality, the only way to get stuff done nowadays is by spending time out there and handling the hard conversations that let you negotiate resources, budget, scope of your initiative, gather support for execution, and so on.
 
2- Letting your work speak for itself - Similarly, if you do amazing work, no one is going to know about it unless you tell people. For how great you believe it is (and it probably is), no one is just sitting there looking at what you do. You need to take charge of the narrative of your work.
 
3- Ignoring your boss’s objectives - you want to be the most helpful possible to your boss. The quicker you understand what's important for them, the more effectively you can help them achieve their objectives. That will earn you trust.
 
4- Chasing the latest shiny thing - like in social media, there are trends in corporate. The latest shiny project that would award you visibility. I am not saying there is no place for those, but I need to avoid just jumping from one shiny thing to another. Senior leaders' ability is to build for the long run, and that certainly takes time. 
 
5- Staying in executor mode - great executors get praised, but they don't get into the rooms that matter. If you are known only for your delivery, you are doing yourself a disservice. Spend more time on strategic thinking, scenario planning, and opportunity creation. 
 
6- Building relationships only when you need them - as they say, don't knock at your neighbour's door for the first time when your house is on fire. Take the time to build a genuine relationship when you don't need it.
 
7 - Confusing visibility with influence - People refrain from "showing their work," thinking it's an empty exercise of PR. You can present in every forum, lead every deck, and still not influence a single decision. Influence is when your thinking shapes direction, people trust your judgment, and outcomes improve even when you’re not in the room.
 
----
These are all hard, I know, but can be tackled one step at a time.
Start reading Daily Edge - building your executive influence and path to promotion one minute per day
https://lnkd.in/dFYww-b7
----

Making You the Obvious Choice | Executive Influence coaching for senior corporate leaders | ex-Google Global Director

As Global Director at Google I interviewed 1,000+ people
Here’s what got people hired:

In over 15 years between Europe and the US
I have been impressed by many resumes that came my way

An incredible experience (high caliber and distinct from others) 
gets you the phone screen.

In the early days, I conducted phone screens myself and wanted to see in person only those who made a positive impression over the phone.

I was testing general fit, red flags, and rapport in 10 minutes.

Be a normal human being who's interested in the position and genuinely cares about the conversation you are having.

To advance past the first round of in-person interviews, candidates who impressed me articulated their past experiences as examples to support their points. My favorite questions were always: "Tell me about a time when..." 

Candidates who could provide relevant examples, explained succinctly and with structure, would get to the last round. Be brief and be bright, no rambling for minutes.

That's where it gets tricky, because you don't want to hire "just" a great candidate, but a unique one.

All the people I selected had a unique perspective on a specific topic or a point of view they were willing to share. That's what I was looking for.

You don't need to have a breakthrough insight
You don't need a revolutionary idea

But you need to have a unique point of view either on the industry, or on the subject matter, or on what you would do to solve problems that you have encountered before.

This is true at all levels of seniority, from fresh out of college to senior leader.

Most candidates think interviews are knowledge tests.  They’re not.
 
They are point-of-view tests.

P.S. Do you have your unique point of view that makes you, YOU?

I spent 15 years inside Google.  
Here’s what actually gets senior leaders promoted.

Executive roles are very hard to come by these days, as orgs are flatter, more "agile" and smaller overall.

There's one key question I used to ask in those rooms at Google to make sure we'd pick the right person for the next executive role.

"Did their organization achieve this because of them, or despite them?"

When you are leading multiple functions and a fairly large org, and you are a manager or managers, it needs to be very clear that something you did affected your organization's results.

Here are the three dimensions you should consider:

Decisions: What decisions specifically did you make that changed the course of things for the better? New directions, new initiatives, new business, this can be a clear personal mark if you made it happen.

Operating model: What did you change in the way people work together, from a process and operational point of view? This typically brings efficiency, cost savings, job satisfaction, and talent retention.

People and culture: Did you promote the right people? Did you manage performance appropriately? Are you communicating well enough, and are you promoting a culture of psychological safety? What people say about you is your reputation at scale. 

Do a mini-audit today using these questions and see if you can directly tie your actions to your team's impact.

P.S. In which area do you feel you had the most impact?
---
If you want to become the obvious choice for your next executive role
start reading The Daily Edge. One minute per day, you become the leader you aspire to be.
https://lnkd.in/dFYww-b7

As a Global Director at Google, I studied top performers. 
One trait separated them.

It's consistency. 

Now, let me unpack that, because it's easier said than done, and I want this to be a useful moment for everyone working towards a promotion.

Consistency of:

𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 - performing at a high level (and at the next level) for an extended period of time, gives people the comfort that you are not a "shooting star."

𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿 - you show up the same in all rooms, and under all circumstances. No one likes surprises, and no one will promote someone who has erratic behavior. They should be saying: this is what Simo would do in this situation, because you are predictable.

𝗝𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 - it means that people trust how you think. Your decisions reflect stable principles and don’t swing with pressure, politics, or whoever spoke last in the meeting. Executives begin to feel they know how you will evaluate complex situations.

𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 - it means you don’t disappear when things get messy. You follow through, take responsibility in both success and failure, and problems don’t bounce back upward because you handle them.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - it means your message travels clearly across audiences. You communicate with the same clarity upward, sideways, and downward, without changing personality depending on seniority in the room. Leaders feel safe putting you in front of executives, partners, or clients.

𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 - it means you invest in people over time rather than only when you need something. Stakeholders experience you as fair, steady, and constructive, and advocates emerge naturally because working with you feels predictable and trustworthy.

𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 - it means you develop and express a recognizable point of view. Over time, people start asking for your take because your unique perspective helps them make sense of complexity.

There's no fancy acronym here, but the underlying concept of consistency, in whichever dimension you'd like to apply it, besides the ones I mentioned.

This is true at all levels, but even more true at the senior level because your consistency or lackthereof impacts a large number of people.

Speaking of which, in which area do your stakeholders (and bosses) believe that you are consistent?

----
This is one of my newseltter's posts that got a lot of interest. If you want to level up your career in one minute per day, start reading the Daily Edge (it's free)
https://lnkd.in/dFYww-b7

----

I have been pushing for 20+ years

Now, this is it?

28, hungry, restless, and ambitious
Ambitious to see the world outside of Italy
more than growing a career

My first few years after university had been
stumbling upon the next role, without a clear plan

Because how do you write a 5 or 10-year plan, really?
Good for you if you managed to
I never attempted either

In fact, I got hired by Google, and I was so "prepared."
that I landed in Ireland with two suitcases and no place to stay
couchsurfing in Dublin for a few weeks
before I couldn't anymore

and ended up in a fast-food-smelling 
hotel room right above a dance club 
and a Chinese joint

What was I thinking? I don't even know. 
But sometimes in life, you throw yourself at the future
with great enthusiasm and no plan
and it's exciting in a way

That's been my 15 years at Google
no plan, great enthusiasm
and many reckless choices

Lots of mistakes 
Lots of good stuff
Always "fluid"

for lack of a better term 

15 years later
moved from Ireland 
to the US and back
promoted a bunch of times
ran businesses here and there

"So this is it?" was my question
a few years back

wife, kids, work, sports, runs
manage playdates
work hard for... ?
end the day exhausted
Not much is left for me 

left of me.

Because over the decades, you build an amazing life
That gets complicated and hard
And you don't want to leave behind any of the good stuff
because everything is good
but also heavy to carry altogether

Decades of corporate work can dilute your identity
and you are fighting because you want to keep building it
despite the plateaus and valleys 
and can't be carefree anymore
for the responsibilities you have

"Is that it?" is not stalling
is the inability to restore 
that excitement 
and positive recklessness 
and carefreeness
of the early days.

It's in you
just tamed

For all of you feeling this 
Know that you are not "done"
You are not plateauing 
(wondering if that's the last one)

It's just a quest that lost its momentum
an identity like a dice
that has too many faces but no edge

It's never too late to reset and restart
If you're in this season, DM me "IDENTITY."

Working hard was never the problem
because I could see a bright future ahead 

When I joined google I was 28.
Left for Ireland with two bags with a lot of hope
Hungry for a stronger career than Italy could give me

The secret was simple back then
work hard, be flexible, catch new opportunities 
and don't let them go until you crack the code 
be excited and enthusiastic about what you have 
be hungry for learning new things 

there you have it - that's how most of us have built our careers

It was kinda easy back then: no family, no commitments
an infinite amount of hours that you could dedicate to work if you wanted to
I didn't even have to go grocery shopping because I'd just eat at work!

Years pass, and you start building a life 
girlfriend who becomes a wife
kids, houses, responsibilities

You also choose to dedicate your time to what's more important, and you don't want to miss your kids' games, recitals, and birthdays.
You even manage to cultivate some hobbies on the side, if you are lucky.

All precious things, all layered on top of each other 
a bit by chance and a bit by design

Now the runway is a bit unclear at work
Hard work doesn't quite crack the code
even if you are liked, respected, and considered excellent

So you are wondering, oh, this is it? 
This is how my career ends?
A plateau that feels defeat 

because you have so much more in you

Silent respectable praise 
but no acceleration or excitement
or let alone being chosen for the next role

But that's not it. You are not "done". This is not "all there is".
It's just a moment where you need to rethink the way you work, how you spend your time, how you 

20 years of corporate weren't just for "this", they were the necessary preparation for what's next.

And what's next is not what it has been because a lot of things have changed. And you just need a new playbook to feel excited, fulfilled, and back to rising again. 

If you are in that season, DM me, I have been through it.
----

I am Simone, I am an executive coach and former Google Global Director, helping seasoned leaders become the obvious choice for their next executive role, and enjoy leadership again.
---

I like all my clients
but some don't like me...

It happens often, and it's a good sign

"Simo, I don't like you today!"

That's when growth happens. That's when we push beyond our limits and explore a different way of thinking, reacting, and acting.

I am not your coach if you want

Solutions instead of better questions
Everything to be solved in our weekly session
Shortcuts, hacks, and tips from my 15 years at Google
The steps that got me from sales rep to Global Director

But I am here to work with you if you are ready to

Put hard work into becoming a truly influential leader
Be challenged to find out what you are capable of 
Get unstuck and accelerate your career
Discover a new version of you

Many want to get promoted and have a fulfilling career. Only the ones who are willing to put in the work will succeed.

I provide you with my method, my experience, and my 24/7 support. 

That's why leaders from Google, Oracle, Heineken, Zalando, Microsoft, Amazon and other F500 companies have decided to work with me.

They want to be the ones to find and own their solutions and way forward. 

There are no hacks for senior leaders who want to uplevel their careers.

If you feel you are ready or don't know if you are ready, DM me for a confidential free chat. 

(Thanks, Valeria, for the permission to post this! I still like working with you)

----

The people who become the obvious choice aren’t chasing titles every day. 

They’re building patterns that make the decision easy for everyone else.

From the outside it almost looks accidental.

What I’ve seen again and again, at Google and now with senior leaders, is that promotion decisions rarely come from a single big win. 

They come from repetition. You keep choosing work that creates visible outcomes, you build relationships where people experience your thinking firsthand, and you develop a point of view that others start relying on before you even realize it.

Most people focus on proving they deserve the next role. The ones who move faster make the next role feel like a logical consequence of what they are already doing. 

Their projects create momentum, their advocates tell the story without being asked, and their presence lowers uncertainty in the room.

This is why the shift from excellence to influence matters so much. Excellence gets applause. Influence creates predictability. Executives are chosen when others can already imagine the future working better with them in it.

The pattern is usually invisible while you’re living it. 

You say yes to initiatives that stretch your perspective, you stop over-optimizing for perfect execution, and you start thinking in terms of systems instead of tasks. 

After a while people stop asking if you’re ready and start assuming you are.

And the strange part is that when this works, it doesn’t feel like chasing anything. It feels like alignment between how you operate and what the organization needs next.

---
If you’re in this phase of your career, message me, I read every DM.

---

Leadership trust is at record lows  
But not for the reasons you think

True, it's not easy to trust news, institutions and corporations
and for good reasons. You feel you could be lied to on 
every corner you turn

likely we have been lied by our companies in the last few years
at a "higher rate" than in the previous 5 years.

The truth about layoffs, about investments
about our performance, our lack of promotion
That is all real, and it sucks

However, trust was never given by default
it was never easier to gain and maintain
those leaders who are not trusted today
didn't put the work in the past and 
relied heavily on the system
to "award them" trust

Those times are over, so here's what you can do today to earn the trust of your organization

1. Acknowledge that times have changed - don't pretend layoffs are OK, don't declare that promotions are fair all the time, don't join the corpspeak. That makes you part of of a system that is not trusted.

2. Influence what you can - leaders underestimate how much they can influence with their behaviors. Act with integrity and, more importantly, consistency. Don't flip-flop your point of view based on a weather change or because your boss said one specific sentence. 

3. Reconnect at a foundational level - people need your time more than ever. Ditch a forecast meeting in favor of a coffee chat. In the age of AI, there's nothing more precious than reconnecting on a human level, 

Do you feel like giving up more often than not?
I get it, it's tough out there.

But there's a silver lining: 

Those who can earn the trust of their teams and peers
even during those tougher times
will be more successful than ever.

make trust your biggest differentiation as a leader

----
📌 I talk a lot about building trust in my daily newseltter
try it for free to become a trusted leader in one minute per day
https://lnkd.in/dFYww-b7

I always asked for transparency at work.  

Google is giving it to us.

I have always wanted to be treated like an adult at work
I often complained about not being told how things were
and being fed "corp-speak."

Be careful of what we wish for:

We need to be able to handle the truth
whether we like it or not

The company is taking a specific direction
and instead of keeping us there complaining
and ruining our days with a job you dislike

They are offering a generous and grown-up way out.

I hear criticizing someone who's sending a message like: 
"Times have changed, we are going in a new direction
Let me know if you are in or out. If you are out,
Thank you for everything you have done
And here's some money 
to get to a better place

It seems a conversation between professionals and adults
(which always happened but behind closed doors)

Buyout is not a dirty word
and its ounds much better than layoff

It's up to you how to take this:
"Why are you doing this to me?" or
"This is a great opportunity to be in a place that better suits me."

We deserve to be in a place where we feel  "I want to be all-in" (which doesn't mean sacrificing your life btw)

What do you think?

----
📌 If you are ready to hear the truth about corp life
and become the obvious choice for your next executive role
Read my Daily Edge (it's free)
https://lnkd.in/dFYww-b7
----

You are doomed if you get the feedback “you are doing fine.”
(and why that’s killing your promotion chances)

There’s nothing wrong with what you are doing.
You are getting good performance reviews.
The peer reviews are also good; there’s nothing out of order.

↳ You are attending the meetings 
↳ You are dedicated to your team
↳ Your execute well

“You are doing fine,” and you are looking forward to that promotion in a few months
Because you have been working on that feedback
On collaboration and executive presence
One step of the ladder at a time

So everything should check the box
And you try more of everything, because 
You think you are on the right path

But the promotion does not come, and another “you are doing fine” is written on your file.
Maybe this time, an “exceeds expectations” that feels more like a giveaway than a recognition

I did not get prompted 5 times at Google by doing what they told me to do

By fixing one feedback every 6 months
By being comforted by the “keep doing what you are doing” feedback 
By doing more of what I was doing before

That’s your route to invisibility
The route to "they are ok where they are" sentence
behind closed doors in the promotion meeting

Buried under a triple-booked calendar like it’s a feature
Rough nights on a new presentation 
Extra coffee in the morning
Because you had too many meetings until late 

The good news is that you can choose the other way

Trade a meeting where you don't need to be in with
Spotting a problem no one sees

Switch a late night of  emails right with
A different view on a problem that everyone knows

Come up with a better way to do something 
Join dots that no one ever joined

You don’t need to change the world
But you need to surprise people with your way of seeing things
And execute accordingly 

Promotions are not given to whom does what they are told

They are granted to those who surprise with their new way of 

↳ seeing problems
↳ solving problems
↳ spotting new opportunities 

P.S. What's one way you have demonstrated impact in a different way?

----
📌 If you want to know what impactful work really matters for promotion, and how to get your next executive role, start reading Daily Edge (it's free).
https://lnkd.in/dMyUAWhH

I learned this in 15 years at Google.  
3 ways to get your work noticed next week.

This is such a common pain that I hear multiple times per week, at all levels.

"My work isn't visible."  
"I'm doing more than they think."  
"I'm not getting credit."

First of all, as always, there are no hack tips or tricks. There's also an important reframe: It's your job and responsibility to showcase your work. 

Doing great work isn't enough.  Visibility doesn't happen automatically.

So here are three ways to fix this.

1- Choose someone one or two levels above you in an adjacent business unit, ideally someone whose team you already interact with. Ask for a short 15-minute meeting through their admin or directly:

"Through my work on [project], I came across a few findings that may be relevant to your team. I’d love to share them live." 

Prepare one clear insight from your work.  The best ones often come from the voice of the customer. The higher the leaders are, the more detached they can become from the front lines.

2- Send your boss the “so what”. Instead of emailing what you did, share the insight behind it. What idea, outcome, or observation have comne up from your work in the past few weeks? 

Frame it as a perspective or possible new approach.  It can become a strong discussion starter for your next 1:1 and lead to a more strategic conversation.

3- Share an insight in a meeting. Pick a meeting you already have next week and make a point of sharing one of the insights you developed above.
It shouldn’t be random, of course. But if the setting and audience are right, what you share can benefit everyone.

Some of the strongest leaders I worked with at Google did this consistently.

You own the visibility and influence of your work, and it all starts with small, consistent actions.

----
If you want to become the obvious choice for your next role,
start reading Daily Edge, accelerating your promotion one minute per day 
https://lnkd.in/dFYww-b7

----

Want the executive promotion faster?  
Start doing what 95% won’t.

We all know the things we should be doing. I'll tell you why most people don't do them and, if you are willing to do them, how they will accelerate your next promotion. 

--
1 - Follow-up - the lazy version is sending an email after a meeting for a project update, a status report, action items, or a link to a project tracker.
But are we sure people really understood your idea? Are you sure they are on the same page? Are you convinced now that "they are in motion?" 

There's one rule I lived by during my 15 years at Google: always assume people are not on the same page (even if they should, after all you have done!). I was rarely surprised.

Instead of sending a "recap email", schedule a 10-minute chat (whether it's in person or remotely, the same applies) and double-check whether they understood what you think should be clear to them. Apply genuine curiosity and active listening, as always.

It takes time, and especially with "tough" stakeholders, it's uncomfortable. That's why 95% of people shy away from this.

---
2 - Follow-through - You can't pick and choose the things you will do if you have committed to something. Following through, in a timely manner, with your commitments models the expectations. 

Follow through with the action items that are most important to others, likely the stuff that you don't enjoy doing. Most people just do the stuff they want to do, and they leave behind or delay excuting on the things that are important for others. 

You are laser-focused on your own objectives; that's why you do the stuff that matters to you first. But the top 5% knows that you'll get stuff done only through others, and they prioritize what's important for them first.

----
3 - Offering help - When was it last time that you asked: "Is there anything I can do for you, that would help you?" More importantly, do you consistently offer your help? 

We are way too busy to add "things" to our plate for others, aren't we? 
Well, remember that every time you do something for others, you deposit goodwill in a bank account that you will eventually withdraw from when you need it.

If in the moment of need the bank account is empty, you are going to be in trouble. 

The secret is to do these three things consistently over time. Avoid being sidetracked by the "next new shiny thing", and drop everything else to chase what everyone wants to work on for visibility. 

Be boringly consistent in follow-up, follow-through, and offering help, and you'll become the obvious choice for your next promotion.

-----
📌 One more thing you may want to do is start reading Daily Edge
to uplevel your career in 1 minute per day.
Join hundreds of leaders who are on the fast track.
https://lnkd.in/dFYww-b7

When corporate leaders are known to be excellent in their field for a long time, they have a hard time escaping the cage they've built for themselves

because they keep repeating what the system rewards with words, but not with an executive role.

I often speak with corporate directors or senior managers who are considered reliable and trusted "fixers".

If there's a problem, they are the ones who can make it go away quickly and effortlessly. That's a fantastic skill to have, and I am not advocating for stopping being a problem solver.

However, if that's ONLY who you are in the eyes of others, you'll never be the obvious choice for your next executive role. 

Start breaking that pattern:

1. Don't meet your stakehodlers only when there's a problem to fix - if you show up only when there's a problem to sort out... guess what, that's the image you cement in their mind. Start showing up to discuss ideas, bring novel points of view to an existing idea, or bring up something that hasn't been done before. From problem discussion to opportunity discussion.

2. Be clear on what the outcome of your work is - it seems easy, but the higher you go, the fewer words you have to describe the impact you bring to the business. The two biggest levers are usually revenue increase and cost savings. Can you frame your impact in any (or both) of those dimensions? Even if your "product" is a contributor to any of those, make the effort to quantify your impact accordingly. 

3. Be a mobilizer - The biggest quality in a senior leader is their ability to attract and move people without authority. How can you communicate your vision so clearly and simply that others want to follow, and how can you make it easy for anyone to take the first step towards it?

You won't upgrade the image people have of you if you keep doing the same stuff, or more of the same, or even better. 

It's about rethinking what is "your job description" and what are the characteristics that would make you the obvious choice, long before your name gets on the promotion list.

If you are in that season, with everything else outside of work to take care of, and you feel like "it's too much work anyway," let's have a chat in the DMs.

Here's what sets apart those who get promoted
(after seeing 500+ promo candidates at Google)

The desire is there. I see it, and I speak with many people who are working towards their promotion.

Most of them recognize their blockers, the symptoms of why they are stuck. 

I see one frequent pattern, though:

Looking for tips, tricks, and advice to solve the situation quickly. Unfortunatly it doesn't work like that.

Imagine going to the doctor:

"Doctor, my leg hurts."
"Ok, here are 10 pills you need to take daily."
"Hmmm... wait, don't you want to run some tests first and understand what's going on?"

That's what happens when you ask for high-level advice. You end up with something you don't need, for a problem you may not have.

What sets apart those who get promoted is the following (with some best practices to make it happen):

1 - They schedule time to reflect: One hour per week, they analyze how the week went, which meetings were successful and which ones failed, and why, which stakeholders they should focus on more, and so on. Not on a Friday evening, because likely it's going to be pushed out and ultimately cancelled. Set a Monday lunch with yourself, and while you eat write down your reflections

2- Move from symptom to root cause: 99% of the time, what you observe and feel is the symptom of something else. Spend some time asking yourself: What is the reason behind what's happening? What's useful is to have someone to discuss and unpack things with. It's really hard to read the label when you are inside the bottle.

3- They put the extra work: This is last, but arguably the most important factor. Imagine getting to 5 or 6 pm after a day full of meetings and work. You know you need to get to work on your promotion strategy, but who feels like mapping out your stakeholders after a long day of work? That's what it takes. 

No magic formula. A process, a method, for sure, but no one is going to do the work for you. Some advice on this: treat it as you'd treat a project at work. Set milestones, deadlines, review meetings with yourself and so on. 

It often happens that clients tell me "I hate you, Simo" then they follow with
"When you push my thinking. But that's when I know I am growing."

Which one are you (and want to be)?

If you hate me a bit today for what I wrote. I did my job.

---
If you want to become the obvious choice for your next promotion, start reading Daily Edge for one minute per day. 
I share insights and reflections, along with some fun, for those who want to put work toward their career.
https://lnkd.in/dFYww-b7

---

After building and running teams at Google for 15 years
I know what build trust at scale really is

Most leaders confuse being liked with being trusted

"I have a great relationship with them"
"They hear what I have to say"
"The come to me for advice"
"We get along well"

That's not havig a trusted business partner
That's the definition of a work buddy

For how nice that can be, we need deeper trust to get things done in today's corporate environment.

Also, how do you build trust at scale and at a distance?
How do you build trust with those who don't like you?

Join me and Richard Moore this Friday to unpack what really means building trust, and doing it at scale as you grow as a senior leader.

There are no hacks, no shortcuts, no AI that will do it for you.

Come and join us to find out how.

https://lnkd.in/d4HiDCbW

I train founders in the psychology of high-trust deal-making and sales | Creator, Art of Sell | 3× LinkedIn Top Voice | 5 x LinkedIn Learning Instructor

You can’t scale your leadership without scaling trust.

At small scale, people know you. They see you. They understand how you think.

But at a larger scale, that can all disappear.

At that level, people start to interpret you from a distance:
- Through your decisions
- Through your communication
- Through your consistency

And if trust isn’t there, all your results can start to slow down

This Friday I’ll be live with Simone Schiassi, a former Google Global Director, to talk about how trust is actually built and maintained as you grow into more senior leadership roles.

We’ll be sharing practical experiences from inside complex organisations and answering your questions live.

Friday 27 February
UK: 2pm to 3pm
ET: 9am to 10am

If you lead a team, or plan to, join us live.
And let us know below: what questions do you have for the live stream?

--

#RichTips

Marco Zima Simonella, Jeff Abracen and 1 other connection attending

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