How to Ask for a Promotion
Many capable people wait to be noticed. Asking for a promotion, done well, is not pushy. It is taking ownership of your own growth.
To ask for a promotion, spend the months before showing you can already do parts of the bigger role, especially helping the people around you, then request a dedicated conversation with your manager. Say clearly what role you want and why, share specific results and examples, ask what it would take and when you could revisit it, and follow up. If the answer is not yet, ask for a development plan.
I have interviewed and promoted many people into bigger roles, and I enjoy those conversations: learning their goals, why they want the role and what questions they have. But I tell everyone the same thing. The interview rarely wins the promotion. The last year does.
So asking for a promotion really has two parts: the work you do before you ask, and the conversation itself.
Six steps to ask for a promotion
- Do the job first. Especially helping others succeed.
- Request a real conversation. Not a hallway mention.
- Say what you want. The role and why.
- Bring evidence. Specific results and examples.
- Ask what it would take. And when to revisit.
- Follow up. In writing, then in action.
Do the job before you ask
The strongest case for a promotion is that you are already doing parts of the role. For leadership roles, that means helping and developing the people around you, which requires no title. When I ask a team who they see as their next leader, the person who already makes everyone better is usually the answer. See How to Step Into a Bigger Role.
Request a dedicated conversation
Ask your manager for a specific time to talk about your growth. Mentioning it in passing makes it easy to forget. A dedicated conversation signals that you are serious.
Say what you want and bring evidence
Be clear: I would like to be considered for this role, and here is why. Then share specific examples: results you delivered, problems you solved and people you helped. Specific beats general every time.
Ask what it would take
Even if your manager says yes, ask what success in the new role looks like. If the answer is not yet, ask what you would need to show and when you can revisit the conversation. That turns a no into a plan.
Follow up and keep growing
Send a short note summarizing what you discussed and what you agreed to work on. Then do it. If you do not get it this time, see What to Do When You Did Not Get the Promotion.
Taking ownership of your growth is part of my signature keynote, You Are Capable of More. For the bigger picture, read Human Potential: A Complete Guide.
Do the bigger job before you ask, especially helping others succeed. Then request a dedicated conversation, say clearly what you want and why, bring specific evidence, ask what it would take and when to revisit, and follow up.
Frequently asked questions
How do you ask for a promotion?
When is the right time to ask for a promotion?
What should I say when asking for a promotion?
What if my manager says no?
You Are Capable of More
A No-Excuses Guide to Becoming Your Best Self. The bestselling book behind Chris’s keynotes and the 2026 Paris Book Festival winner in the How-To category. Many teams hand a copy to every seller at their kickoff.
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