It’s a question I hear often: “Why am I not getting promoted?” But the better question to ask is: “What am I doing to earn it?”
Promotions don’t come because of tenure. They don’t come because you show up every day and do what’s asked of you. They come when you make yourself indispensable—when you take ownership of your role, contribute at a higher level, and focus on impact over recognition.
I know this firsthand.
From Admin Assistant to COO: A Lesson in Ownership
Eleven years ago, I took a risk.
At the time, I wasn’t stepping away from an established career—I had already done that two years earlier to support my husband through business school and to be home with my kids. I had gone from leading a major department, managing a team, advising a board of 60, and driving strategic initiatives to step out of the workforce entirely. When I joined Echelon Front, I wasn’t just starting over—I was reentering the professional world in a role that was drastically different from what I had done before.
At that point, Echelon Front wasn’t the company it is today. It was just Jocko, Leif, and me. There wasn’t a clear vision for what the company would one day become. There was no established team, no structure, and no certainty of future success. My role as a part-time administrative assistant meant doing everything—from high-level coordination to the small, seemingly mundane administrative tasks that needed to get done.
It wasn’t glamorous. I went from making high-level strategic decisions to booking travel, handling schedules, answering emails, and managing logistical details. But I never saw those tasks as beneath me. Instead, I embraced them. I asked myself:
“How can I add value?”
“What can I do to contribute to the mission?”
I took ownership of everything within my control. I didn’t just complete tasks—I anticipated needs. I solved problems before they became problems. I made it my mission to ensure that my leaders and teammates had the support they needed to execute at the highest level.
As Echelon Front grew, my role evolved with it. But my path forward wasn’t driven by promotions—it was driven by impact. I never once asked for a title change. Instead, I focused on making the team better, ensuring that I was bringing value in every way possible. Because of that, opportunities followed. I moved into the role of Director of Operations, then ultimately into my current role as Chief Operating Officer.
The path to my own success rested in the principles of Extreme Ownership—taking full responsibility for every task, no matter how big or small, and ensuring that everything I touched was executed at the highest level. That’s how careers are built. That’s how leadership capital is earned. And that’s how promotions happen—by focusing on impact first and trusting that the rest will follow.
Why You’re Not Getting Promoted
If you’re frustrated about not getting promoted, it’s time for honest self-assessment. Ask yourself:
- Am I taking ownership of my role? Or am I just doing the bare minimum?
- Am I solving problems proactively? Or am I waiting for someone to tell me what to do?
- Am I making my boss’s life easier? Or am I adding to their workload?
- Am I focused on the mission and the team? Or am I focused on what I’m not getting?
Promotions don’t come because you want them. They come because you earn them.
Extreme Ownership: The Key to Advancement
The principles of Extreme Ownership apply to every level of an organization. If you want to get promoted, you need to:
- Take Full Ownership – If something is within your sphere of responsibility, it’s your problem to solve. No excuses. No blaming others. Find a way to win.
- Prioritize and Execute – Identify what’s most important to your team and execute on those priorities with discipline.
- Be a Team Player – Promotions aren’t about you—they’re about the team. The more you contribute to the team’s success, the more valuable you become.
- Stay Humble and Keep Learning – Growth doesn’t stop when you get a new title. If you aren’t learning, you aren’t leading.
Final Thought: Stop Asking, Start Acting
If you want to move up in your organization, stop worrying about the next promotion and start focusing on impact. Ask yourself:
- How can I create value today?
- What gaps can I fill?
- How can I make life easier for my boss and my team?
When you take ownership and focus on results, opportunities will come. Because leaders don’t promote people who ask for promotions. They promote the people who make themselves too valuable to overlook.
So, why aren’t you getting promoted?
It’s time to take ownership of the answer.
