Tell the Boss

Does your boss know you want new opportunities and even promotion?  Have you ever mentioned your interests outside the formality of the annual performance review?

People are assigned to special projects and initiatives throughout the year.  Often top-of-mind is the selection process, relying on your boss's intuition about up and coming staff.  Even when there is a formal competition for a temporary leadership position, those who have shown interest on a consistent basis will often be judged as the best candidates.

How do you become top-of-mind?

• Express a "non-predatory" interest in other people's projects.  You don't want to take the project over, but you can ask about their management approaches, their building of team cohesiveness, their contributions to organizational goals, etc.  Later in meetings or conversations with your boss, speak up about this information, acknowledging its source and discussing its value to all.
• In those precious "in-between moments", such as hallway encounters or waiting for a meeting to start, explicitly tell your boss of your willingness to participate in special projects when they arise.  Since you won't know what the projects will be exactly, talk about how you could contribute your management skills even while improving other skills such as negotiation, inter-departmental communication, etc.
• Always arrange your own workload so that it could be assumed by someone else.  Keep your online files in an orderly, easily-comprehended manner, using meaningful folder names.  Complete everything in a reasonable length of time, avoiding the temptation of leaving just a few little tasks until later.  Develop your subordinates to take on responsibilities that increase their management skills.  If you are indispensable in your current position, your boss can't assign you to a special project or task force.