One of the more common reasons clients (and prospects) come to me as a career coach is to secure that long-due promotion that they felt they are owed. Most of the clients tell me about the re-orgs that have happened to scuttle their prospects for a promised promotion. The constant manager “musical chairs” that happen from these re-orgs often compounds this.

In a typical scenario a client works hard to meet all the obligations that their job requires. They carry out all their boss’ assignments with diligence and are solid performers in every way. So, at their Annual Performance Review (APR) they march into their manager’s office anticipating something more than the typical 2-3% salary increase; they expect to get to their next level. They are disappointed that their manager demands more from them than they are already giving. Their manager then lists to them all the things that they should be doing, but are not, despite their hard work. Typically this list includes new initiatives that the client is not doing on their own. The client walks away disappointed because they do not see a way out of their plight to get to the next level.

But, in a more familiar scenario, a typical ambitious client jumps in and volunteers for a great cause to take their manager’s challenge: A new initiative, either proposed by their skip-level boss in concert with their manager, or something that they have initiated themselves because now they see a staring opportunity to make a mark. In a typical scenario this plays out as a discussion with their manager or their skip-level boss (or often, both) and when their bosses see this as an opportunity to showcase their own leadership to the company management they exploit my client’s eagerness to jump in and deliver, often with a promise that if the client now came through for them, getting a promotion would be a breeze.

Not so fast!

Eager—even anxious—clients get seduced by the prospect of a promotion and jump in head first, without setting themselves up for success in what they bargained for. So, for the next year or two they sacrifice their family life and work even harder than before to now deliver what they promised to their immediate chain of command. As they near the end of their task, a tsunami hits them—a new org, with old manager(s) replaced by someone completely unknown, new, or outsiders. The outsiders often arrive with their own lieutenants, suddenly leaving you in the lurch, wondering even if you can keep your job, just as you’re about to reach your promised land.

This scenario is so common, especially in the Silicon Valley, that every time a client comes to me complaining about their yet another scuttled promise of promotion I can write their script that would be right most of the time.

What are some of the ways to avoid this setback leitmotif and to get what you were promised in the first place? Let us count the ways:

When managers make a promise with their boss(es) in concert to get you going on something that will mostly benefit them in their standing with the upper management they have very little risk in promising you a promotion. Unless you take charge of the situation from the get-go and stay in the driver’s seat you are likely to get the short end of the stick. Even if a re-org does not happen and you deliver on your commitment your boss(es) can easily weasel out of the promise by invoking any number of excuses: “We did not say you’d be promoted if you completed this task, but merely said that we would consider you for it. We are! Or, Things have changed as we are in a process of a merger and we do not want to present ourselves as a top-heavy business before the due diligence is done. And on and on!”

On the flip side when the new managers arrive after a re-org everything resets to zero (much like what happens when a paradigm shift occurs!). Even though you have championed and marshaled your project with diligence and shown the results of its success the new manager(s) are not likely to be impressed because of their revised agenda. Your initiative may or may not register on their radar as they are searching to for their own agendas to make a mark in the new regime.

So, what are some of the ways that you can avoid this outcome and keep your career on track with the periodic promotions to help your résumé? Here are some tips that have worked with my clients:

1. Merely doing what your job requires and working hard at it does not deserve—or warrant—a promotion. In addition to working hard and delivering results you must make sure that those in the know are aware of your contributions and what value you bring to the organization. So, you must learn how to make your work visible throughout your ecosystem, making sure that no one hijacks away your success.
2. If you do not have any original idea to work on that will propel you on a promotional track, ask your HR manager to give you the Competency Matrix. This matrix is a table of competencies that are clearly described at each level and title. So, if you are a manager going for a director promotion look at the list of things that are required for the director to be doing from this matrix and start doing them as if you were a director. Have a discussion with your boss and make them aware of why you are taking on this course of action and get them to help you with it.
3. When you have an idea that will improve things that matter—a more efficient work unit, a better customer experience, fewer defects going out, etc.—make sure that you frame your initiative so that it aligns with your manager’s and their manager’s agendas. Develop a clear plan, timeline, and dependencies as if you are running a bona fide project. Get it OK’d by your boss and theirs to make sure that the outcome matters to their welfare, not just yours. When you reach this stage get a verbal agreement that if you are able to deliver this outcome that you’d get your next promotion. If you do not get this agreement in place beforehand it is your problem.
4. Once you have this “meeting of the minds,” write an email to your boss with a cc to their boss about this agreement and thank them for giving you this opportunity. They will not respond to this email either way, which is your license to put this agreement in place. This is a crucial step, without which you have nothing to hold your management accountable for your fate when you deliver on your promise.
5. When you complete your project and deliver on your objectives remind your manager about the promise that was made and show that email (from #4) to remind them of their obligation.
6. If a new regime takes over, as you’re about to complete your project, you still have that “IOU” from the previous regime to promote you. If the new management ignores that promise, do not fight your way upstream, but make sure that your new boss is aware of what has happened to you through this change (now you can see why that email from #4 is so important).
7. Make a new compact with your current management and extract another promise with yet another initiative. Send yet another email documenting the new agreement and wait until you are at the finish line.
8. It is unlikely that your “new” management will again ignore your agreement and pass you over without giving what they promised.
9. As you start navigating through the new undertaking make sure that your contributions and work stay visible to the higher ups. Learn how to do this well without jeopardizing your brand and your reputation; learn how to do this to enhance them, instead.
10. Make sure that you give credit to all those who helped you on your team and throughout the ecosystem to make you successful on your project before you go marching into your boss’ office to claim that promotion.

Securing a promotion takes a lot more than diligent work and producing consistent results. You must learn how to make your chain of command look good in their roles so that they feel compelled to pull you up with them.

Good luck!