📈 How to Move from "High-Performing" to "Promotion-Ready"

3 actionable frameworks to start now for a promotion in the next 6-12 months

👋 Happy Saturday, my dear UX friends, Marina here!

Today, let's help this talented designer who's feeling a bit lost in the crowd ↴

"Hi, I'm a senior UX designer at [big tech company]. Our UX team is massive (over 100 designer) and everyone's incredibly talented. I know I do good work, but I feel invisible when it comes to promotions…

How do I stand out without playing office politics or burning myself out?"

Basically, we’ll be looking for an answer to ↴

What's the difference between high-performing UXers and those who actually get promoted?

First, let's break down this critical distinction that often determines career trajectory—

→ High-Performing UX Designer

(a.k.a "The Reliable Expert")

Focused on:

• Delivering excellent design work

• Meeting project deadlines

• Solving immediate user problems

• Maintaining design consistency

• Following established processes

→ Promotion-Ready UX Designer

(a.k.a "The Strategic Impact Driver”)

Focused on:

• Identifying organizational opportunities

• Creating scalable design solutions

• Building team capabilities

• Driving systemic improvements

• Measuring and communicating impact

Why UNDERSTANDING this difference is crucial ↴

Many UXers excel at creating beautiful, user-friendly experiences. They consistently deliver high-quality work and meet deadlines.

However, getting promoted requires more than just being good at your job.

The designers who advance fastest are those who can:

• See beyond individual projects to identify systemic opportunities

• Create impact that scales across teams

• Build capabilities in others

• Measure and communicate their impact effectively

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Let's explore 3 frameworks that will help you transition from “high-performing” to “promotion-ready”: