What To Do When You Are Promoted From Within

A leader who is promoted from within their own organization is often said to have many competitive advantages compared to a leader from the outside. The internal leader already knows the organization, the culture and the key players. They often already have informed ideas about how to change the organization for the better. And they (and others) often expect themselves to be able to hit the ground running, moving straight to execution mode with the insights gleaned from their previous position.

In many cases, an internal promotion gives you a head start, but you also face unique challenges that comparable external hires do not. Internal hires are typically not automatically granted the luxury of a diagnostic period, and they often have to navigate challenging political tides to establish themselves as a leader where once they were a peer.

If you find yourself internally promoted, this video should help you think about three typically overlooked action items to help get you off to the right start in your new leadership role. Good luck!