Grant Lee Profile picture
Nov 3 12 tweets 3 min read
10 years in leadership taught me this:

Most people have no idea how to get promoted.

Here are 10 strategies to get you promoted above everyone else:
#1: Ask for what you want.

Want a promotion?

Ask for it.

You may be surprised at how well this works.

It works best when you present data supporting the promotion.

Your boss will have no choice but to promote you with a solid proposal.
#2: Deliver more than is asked of you.

If you want to get to the next level, deliver on your responsibilities plus some.

Show you aren’t coasting in your role and that you really want to take on more.
#3: Be a leader no matter your title.

Associates who demonstrate strong leadership skills are promoted 3x more often than those who don’t.

No matter your job, showing you can lead others and drive change is a hack to being promoted quickly.
#4: Don’t wait for direction.

Know your job and expectations inside out.

If your boss has to ask you for updates or tell you what to do, you are failing.

Instead, do your job so well your boss wonders why everyone else can’t be as good as you.
#5: Be flexible and open to change.

“That’s not my job” should not be in your vocabulary.

People with that mindset are not only NOT promoted, they are a major annoyance for any boss.

When new opportunities arise, jump on them with intensity.
#6: Be a kind and decent human being.

Simply not being a jerk can go a long way.

If people want to be around you, they’ll cheer you on as you go for promotions.

Your boss will see this support from your peers and the choice to promote you will be a no-brainer.
#7: Get a mentor.

The people best equipped to tell you what it takes to be promoted are the ones already in the position.

Reach out and ask them for advice on:

• Certifications
• Training
• Books

Ask to set up recurring meetings to discuss your progression and development.
8. Fix annoying problems.

In every job, there are processes, tools, and much more that annoy associates.

• They complain about them all the time
• They wish someone would fix them
• They’re waiting for a solution

YOU are the solution.

Find it. Fix it. Celebrate it.
#9: Develop an ownership mindset.

Normal people think:

• It’s always been that way
• That’s not my problem
• They need to fix it

Normal people don’t get promoted, you do.

Challenge these mindsets and don’t fall prey to them yourself.

Bosses love people who take ownership.
#10: Become the expert.

You should be the go-to person on your team for questions + guidance.

A great first step is to create documentation on common annoyances/problems + share it with the team.

They’ll see you know what you’re talking about + come to you in the future.
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More from @thisisgrantlee

Nov 1
In the past 10 years I've been part of 3 successful startups:

• ClearBrain as COO
• Optimizely as CFO
• Gamma as cofounder (in progress)

But each time, I've made mistakes.

If I had to do it all over again, here are 5 things I'd do differently:
#1: Don't drink your own Kool-Aid.

At the start, I thought backing myself constantly was a good idea.

It wasn't.

It led to going down the wrong path, not being open to other ideas, + making avoidable mistakes.

Instead, I would remember to stay humble.
#2: Know when to stop fundraising.

I really thought raising more funds would make me successful.

It didn't.

Instead, I'd know when to stop.

I learned much later it's easy to:

• Lose sight of the direction
• Develop blinkered vision
• Think the answer lies in more money
Read 8 tweets
Oct 25
10 must-watch TED talks for every entrepreneur:
#1: Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable by Luvvie Ajayi Jones.

• Choose between speaking up and quieting down
• How to get comfortable pushing boundaries

ted.com/talks/luvvie_a…
#2: Two Reasons Companies Fail and How to Avoid them by Knut Haanaes.

• Why simply doing more of the same isn't the answer
• How to find the balance between exploring new ideas and exploiting existing ones

ted.com/talks/knut_haa… Image
Read 12 tweets
Oct 24
I helped build a startup to $100M in annual revenue.

But when the time came to leave, I made a terrible financial decision that almost ruined me.

Here’s what happened (+ some valuable lessons):
As with many startups, I was given stock options when I came on.

So, when I eventually left, I needed to exercise the options, but I couldn’t afford the cost to do it.

Bad decision time:

I took out a non-recourse loan. Let me tell you why this was so bad…
Here’s how the loan worked:

A 3rd party covered the entire cost plus taxes.

In exchange, they would get a portion of future proceeds AND they held the shares I exercised as collateral.

I wouldn't have to pay them back even if the company went under. How great!

Well…
Read 8 tweets
Oct 22
17 pieces of startup advice after 10 years in the industry:

1. If you aren’t deeply passionate about your product or service, you will fail.
2. Adaptability is a superpower. Don’t force your will, when all signs are pointing to something else.

3. Think long term, execute short term. Your actions each sprint should clearly align with your long-term vision.
4. Surround yourself with people who energize you, complement your strengths, and cover your weaknesses.

5. Your founding team should align fully with your principles and values.

6. Create opportunities to challenge one another on decisions. Invite openness and honesty.
Read 10 tweets
Oct 21
10 incredible websites that will revolutionize your next presentation (and will cost you nothing):
#1: Use templates for seamless slide design with SlidesGo.

Slidesgo.com

Don't start your slides from a blank page.

Instead, use the wisdom of designers:

• Search by color, style, or topic
• Download in the right format
• Open the file to use
• Edit as needed Image
#2: Choose awesome font pairs with FontJoy.

FontJoy.com

It's hard to know which fonts go well.

Take the friction away:

• Lock in your fonts
• Or browse suggestions
• Generate fonts that pair well

Now you have fonts you KNOW work well together. Image
Read 13 tweets
Oct 20
In the last 10 years I've:

• Helped manage a successful acquisition
• Scaled a business from $10-100m ARR
• Fundraised >$100m

But the best business lesson I ever learned is from my Mom:
My parents moved from Taiwan to New York.

They could barely speak English.

They had no money.

They were alone.

They set up a restaurant in New York.
At the time it was a pretty crime-ridden city.

They weren't wanted there.

Gang members threatened to take over the restaurant.
Read 8 tweets

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