What are some of examples of ways you have been able to get promoted or support your colleagues to get promoted at the same company?

This one is fairly easy, add value. We as Product Managers need to ensure that we are adding value for our organization by understanding the market (and our customers) and guiding the strategy to be successful in that market. It's easy to be a product expert, but we need to focus on being market and strategy experts. In my career, some key examples of adding value are: Knowing My Market Better Than Anybody Else.When I am the expert on what our market needs, both short and long-term, I add signif ...Read More

One way I got promoted at a smaller startup of <200 people, and helped my colleagues do the same, was by smart teamwork and negotiation at a startup. My friend and I were working as Product Managers and felt we deserved to be Senior PMs based on what we were doing and how much we were getting paid. We compared our salaries with the market and found we should be earning $13k-15k more. So, we worked together to make a strong case for our promotion and pay raise. We prepared answers to questions ...Read More

These are two great questions, so I'll address them separately. First, getting promoted... I think the most important philosophy is to focus on what you can control - delivering impact, building relationships, and growing your skills. When business opportunities arise, you'll be a natural choice because you've already demonstrated the capabilities needed at the next level. The things you can control are Drive Business Impact: Consistently deliver measurable value aligned with business goals whil ...Read More

To achieve promotions and support colleagues in their career advancement within the same company, I advocate a systematic framework. First, it involves 'auditing your own skills' to understand one's current capabilities. Next, we 'audit the role' desired, pinpointing the specific skills and experiences required for that position. The crucial step is conducting a 'gap analysis' to identify areas for development. Once these gaps are identified, I recommend the 70/20/10 approach for professional de ...Read More

As part of my self-evaluation, I focus on understanding what the next level demands and identifying the skills or behaviors I need to learn and demonstrate to get there. I actively seek feedback from my manager and trusted peers to gain clarity on expectations and uncover blind spots. Regular self-reflection helps me track progress, align my work with company goals, and recognize opportunities to stretch myself. To support colleagues, I encourage open conversations about career goals, provide co ...Read More

It's important to be transparent with your manager about your career aspirations and then align on the criteria for a promotion. Create an actionable plan to close any gaps and track progress against it. I have had these conversations with my manager several times over the years to prepare for my own promotions, and conversations I've had with my team now as a manager.  At GitLab, we have a career development framework that outlines competencies and levels https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/produ ...Read More