How to get promoted, and what to do if you aren't

Set yourself up for a promotion by documenting your contributions -- no matter how small -- letting your superiors know about them and sharing your ambitions with management so they know you're ready to move up, writes Octavia Goredema, the CEO of Fire Memos. If, however, you're passed over, podcast host Kathleen Davis advises you to ask your boss for feedback you can put into action and consider whether this job is still right for you.

Put it into practice: Spend time each week recording how you have improved your company's processes or taken key actions and the outcomes they produced, Goredema advises. If you didn't get the promotion, consider if this company is offering what you're seeking, writes Davis, and resist the urge to feel resentful for the one who got the promotion.

Self-awareness of how your past experiences have shaped your values, being honest with yourself about old patterns and biases and working on your weaknesses can make you the kind of leader that others trust to make good decisions, writes LaRae Quy. "Since self-awareness makes it possible for leaders to understand the impact of their actions on others, it also helps them develop a natural compass for guiding their decisions," Quy writes.

Put it into practice: Improve your decision-making skills by doing your research, staying curious, seeking advice from those more knowledgeable and questioning your assumptions, Quy advises. "Self-awareness enables leaders to remain calm and focused, preventing personal feelings from clouding their judgment."

Using emojis in work communications can provide needed context in the right situations, writes Marian Scala, vice president of external communications at NTT DATA, such as to communicate emotion or images using sign language or wheelchairs to help people with disabilities better communicate. "By tapping into the nuances of an evolving workplace and including more and more diversified emoji options, employees and clients can enjoy an increasingly inclusive experience with brands," Scala writes.

Put it into practice: If you're using emojis, be aware of the audience, and whether they will accurately convey the emotion you're trying to convey, Scala recommends. "As the world becomes more digital, more globalized, and more connected, these icons are shifting from cute to crucial in productive and inclusive workplace communication." 😊

Olga Fleming, CEO of Marina Maher Communications, describes her leadership style as "collaborative" and tries to inspire her team "to paint outside the lines and take calculated risks" by creating a safe culture of innovation that encourages vulnerability. "Leaders must be comfortable embracing vulnerability to foster an environment where diverse ideas can flourish, taking risks and embracing differing viewpoints to drive progress," Fleming says.

Watching all of a 10-minute YouTube video leaves viewers more engaged and satisfied than scrolling through short videos or fast-forwarding through longer ones on social media, scientists report in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. The findings contradict the study subjects' consistent belief that digital switching, or swiping through short videos, would relieve boredom, and the researchers point out that chronic boredom has been linked to anxiety, depression and risk-taking.

I've worked with bosses -- and colleagues -- who displayed little, if any, self-awareness. They never seemed to understand (or care to understand) how their actions and decisions affected others. I often wondered if they even had a moral compass because they never seemed guided by a sense of gain for anyone but themselves. To them, everyone else just seemed to be a chess piece on the board for them to move as they saw fit.

In contrast, I've also worked for and with deeply self-aware people, and they were just as LaRae Quy describes. They were confident, trustworthy and always acted with integrity. They thought through how their decisions would affect not just them but those around them. Often, they'd make decisions that didn't benefit them personally but did benefit most of the people in the company.

Knowing yourself at a deeper level by examining your biases, triggers and values can make you a top-notch leader that people want to follow because you'll project credibility. People can smell a phony a mile away. But, if you're dedicated to working on your weaknesses and keeping others' interests in mind, you'll build a reputation as a calm and steady leader others can trust to make decisions that will benefit almost everyone.

If this newsletter helps you, please tell your colleagues, friends or anyone who can benefit. Forward them this email, or send this link.

What topics do you see in your daily work that I should know about? Do you have any feedback you'd like to share? Drop me a note. And while you're at it, please send me photos of your pets, your office and where you spend your time off so we can share them.