Why Your Manager Doesn't Support Your Promotion (And How to Fix It)

Have you ever felt frustrated because your work is exceptional, yet your manager doesn’t seem to notice or support your promotion?

One reason - often overlooked - that keeps many professionals stuck is this:

You’re not speaking their language.

Imagine for a moment that you speak only Portuguese and your manager speaks only Vietnamese. Unless you take ownership and learn their language, your communication won’t bear results.

Of course, this is a metaphor.

The language here refers to understanding what resonates with your manager, how they perceive value, and aligning your communication to address their priorities.

This was the key insight for Anita (name changed for privacy), a senior leader in a consumer goods company, during our coaching sessions.

The Problem: What Anita Was Doing Wrong

Although Anita’s work and results were excellent, her interactions with her manager weren’t driving the outcomes she wanted. Here's why:

1. No focus on impact: She never connected her contributions to the broader organizational goals or demonstrated the tangible impact of her work.

2. Lack of vision: She didn’t communicate a strong and inspiring vision that showcased her potential for bigger results and leadership.

3. Ineffective messaging: Her updates were simply a list of completed tasks and projects, peppered with complaints and demands for a promotion.

The result? Her manager didn’t see her as a strategic leader. Instead, she became increasingly invisible, particularly in a remote role where she and her manager were in different geographies.

The Fix: Shifting the Narrative

Through our coaching sessions, Anita began to transform her approach. We focused on frameworks like my signature value-vision-ask framework that empowered her to:

1. Articulate her contributions with impact: Anita started framing her updates to highlight how her work directly addressed the team’s and organization’s biggest challenges. She emphasized measurable outcomes, making her manager see the value she brought to the table.

2. Communicate a clear vision: She began sharing her vision for her role in a tangible, precise manner, and how it aligned with the organization’s future. By doing so, she positioned herself as a forward-thinking leader.

3. Speak their language: Anita learned how to tailor her messaging to align with her manager’s priorities, goals, and concerns. She transitioned from reporting tasks to showcasing how her efforts advanced her manager’s objectives and the company’s success.

4. Elevate her executive presence: By shifting the focus of her conversations, she demonstrated thought leadership and provided strategic advice, building trust and authority.

5. Engage meaningfully despite distance: Even in short and hurried meetings, Anita learned to deliver impactful messages that resonated, making every interaction count.

The Outcome

With these shifts, Anita’s manager began to see her in a new light - not just as a capable professional but as a peer and trusted advisor who could be relied upon for strategic input.

This perception change had a ripple effect:

• Her manager recognized how promoting Anita would also benefit his own leadership goals.

• She gained authority and visibility across the organization.

• Promotions and salary hikes followed as natural outcomes of her elevated presence.

The Lesson

If you want your manager’s support, don’t just share data or tick off tasks. Communicate in a way that shows your audience - whether it’s your manager, peers, or senior leadership - how they will benefit from your contributions.

Because promotions aren’t just about what you do, they’re about how well you make others see the value you bring.

Meet the author

Hello, I’m Meera Remani. I specialize in coaching leaders to enhance their confidence, executive presence, communication, and influence - enabling them to drive impactful career growth with clarity and purpose. My expertise is trusted by Fortune 100 executives and organizations dedicated to fostering visionary and game-changing leadership.