You Got Promoted. Now What?

What is your pledge for the new role?

One of the most rewarding moments in my executive coaching practice is when a client walks into a session beaming with pride. They’ve just been promoted—often to a role they’ve aspired to for years—and they can’t wait to share the news. Their joy is contagious. I celebrate with them, honoring the hard work and perseverance that brought them to this milestone.

But almost immediately after the celebration comes a familiar question:

“What advice do you have for me to succeed in this new role?”

It’s a tempting moment. As a former executive myself, I can easily slip into “advice-giving mode.” But this is also a trap—one I consciously avoid. My role is not to define their path; it’s to help them uncover it.

The Power of Staying Curious

Instead of offering tips, I choose to stay curious.I ask:

• How do you see this new role impacting you?

• What will be different for your team and stakeholders?

• What do you aspire to achieve in this role?

• What will be your legacy?

These open questions create space for intentional reflection—something leaders rarely give themselves time for, amid the excitement of a promotion. The answers often surprise them.

The Hidden Cost of “More”

When I ask, “What’s going to be different?” most clients initially talk about the “more”:

• More meetings

• More visibility

• More information

• More stakeholders

And that’s when I ask a deceptively simple question:

“Where will the additional time come from?”

This is often the turning point.

Leaders suddenly recognize that stepping into a new role requires letting go of parts of their old one. They can’t keep doing everything they used to do and simply bolt on new responsibilities. Something must shift.

Stop. Start. Continue.

This realization leads many to a powerful reset—a personal Stop–Start–Continue exercise.

• Stop: old behaviors, tasks, or habits that no longer serve the new mandate.

• Start: new responsibilities, leadership practices, or mindsets required at the next level.

• Continue: strengths and values that remain essential and distinguishing.

This framework becomes a grounding force as they transition into their new identity as a leader.

Crafting a Leadership Slogan

Some clients take it a step further. They want the organization to experience them as a “new person,” one who stands for something clear, intentional, and authentic. We work on crafting a 3–4-word personal leadership slogan—a simple but powerful declaration of who they are and how they intend to show up.

It becomes their internal compass and their external signal.

The Year-One Vision

Others respond to the reflection by visualizing a conversation with their manager one year from now. I ask:

“Imagine it’s a year later, and your manager is describing your performance. What do you hope they say?”

This future-back thinking helps clients clarify meaningful goals and align their “start” activities with long-term impact and legacy.

Promotion: A Moment of Celebration—and Redefinition

Promotions are more than career milestones; they are identity shifts.

They invite leaders to ask:

• What will I bring forward?

• What will I leave behind?

• How will the leader I become be different from the leader I was?

• How would I build my legacy?

At this inflection point, most clients realize an essential truth:

What got you here won’t get you to the next level.

But with reflection, intention, and authenticity, what’s next can be even more extraordinary.

Call to Action: Did you recently reach a career landmark and want to discuss with someone to be deliberate and intentional in crafting your next season? Feel free to book a Discovery call from my site: www.SuccessSupport.ca