7 Mindsets That Are Slowing Down Your Career Growth
7 Mindsets That Are Slowing Down Your Career Growth #
Excerpt #
And how to reframe them into empowering alternatives
Dear gentle readers,
In my 1-1 coaching work, I often hear from clients: “I do all the right things, but somehow I still am not getting put up for promotions. Why is that?”. After digging deeper, I can usually spot what’s getting in the way, and it’s often related to a mindset issue.
In today’s article, we’re breaking down 7 of the most common mental barriers and reframing them into empowering alternatives so you can take your career anywhere you want it to (whether it’s a promotion or other pursuits).
Before we jump into discussing the 7 mindsets, I want to tell you that I’m back and I missed you. I’ve been MIA here and on LinkedIn because I decided to give my brain a much-needed creative break. Some exciting things have happened in the meantime:
My promotion rejection story got featured by Business Insider, and was later reshared by msn.com
Cohort #4 graduated from my course “Impact through Influence”!
Incredible progress made with my 1-1 coaching clients (you know who you are)
Many cool projects are incubating (I will share more in due time).
Thanks for sticking around, now back to today’s article!
1. Solo Contributor Mindset #
Have you ever been told that “getting things done” is the key to career success? It’s an excellent advice, but I find it incomplete.
Getting things done matters at a team level more than at an individual level.
You might be the best individual contributor on your team, delivering flawless work. However, if your team isn’t launching products, your efforts won’t get the recognition they deserve.
Why is that? Because promotions reward measurable impact. Without a successful project launch, there are no active metrics to highlight your contributions. Your work needs visibility and tangible outcomes to truly make a difference.
Alternative mindset: I will prioritize get things done with others, not just by myself.
Help your team thrive, and your achievements will shine even brighter.
2. That’s Not My Job #
This one’s a classic. We all have job descriptions, but sticking rigidly to them can be limiting.
There were countless times I had to step out of my software engineer role to keep projects on track. I created spreadsheets, sent internal newsletters, and even wrote a roles and responsibilities contract. Without going out of my way, we would’ve faced misalignments, conflicts, and delays.
Stepping up when needed can be a game-changer. Think of it as “glue work” — the stuff that holds everything together. Sometimes, it’s these out-of-scope contributions that make you indispensable.
Alternative mindset: I am willing to do things outside of my scope to make my projects successful.
Your willingness to go the extra mile shows leadership and initiative, key traits for any promotion.
3. My Work Will Speak for Itself #
Ah, the silent worker’s mantra. You might think that putting your head down and churning out excellent work is enough. People will see your good work and you’ll get the recognition you deserve.
Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case. If you don’t make your efforts visible, they might never be acknowledged at all.
Alternative mindset: I need to do the work and say that I did the work.
This isn’t bragging. It’s helping others see your contributions. So speak up, share your successes, and let your work be seen.