#3 A Corporate Ladder Revelation
“You've got to be the champion before you become the champion”
– Maya Raichoora
💛 LIFE NOTE
Ever had that weird feeling where you learn something new, and suddenly you see it everywhere?
That's the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, aka "frequency illusion" or the Meinhoff paradox.
It's not that the thing is actually happening more; it's that our brains are now wired to notice it. 🧠
Something I learnt as a UX Researcher, is that our brains have their own funny ways to keep us safe and lazy. One of their many tricks to do so are cognitive bias.
According to Cambridge dictionary, cognitive bias refers to ”the way a person understands events, facts, and other people. Which is often influenced by their own beliefs and experiences, and may not be completely reasonable or accurate.”
Here are 3 most common cognitive bias we experience out of the 180+ referenced so far:
Confirmation bias: we seek out information that support our beliefs, making it harder to dismiss evidence that contradicts them.
Anchoring bias: we rely heavily on the first piece of information presented when making decision.
Hindsight bias: we believe, after an event has occurred, that we could have predicted it all along.
What's interesting is how their combinations can lead to different patterns of decision-making.
For instance, when combining the Meinhoff paradox with our confirmation bias, we find ourselves in a position where something we've been exposed to, becomes very difficult to be “unseen”.
🚨 Be forewarned!
Once we understand what it takes to climb the corporate ladder, once we see the clear path forward.
We can't unsee it!
The decision becomes ours; whether we take that new track - or stay on the one we know.
I trust you'll choose wisely 😌
Let’s do this ⚡️
PS: I hope this post is your Meinhoff paradox 🔮 to notice more cognitive bias 🧠
👩🏻💻 CAREER NOTE
A Corporate Ladder Revelation
Ever heard, or said 🙄:
“I've been working here for so long, I deserve that promotion! (and pay raise)”
“Why are they giving the role to this new person, when I know the product/team/company better!”
“I didn't get it, even after all these extra hours! They say I need to be 'more visible', 'work on more impactful projects'. But I don't choose my projects!”
Between us, do you actually believe that seniority, exposure or over time alone will get you to the next level?
As much as most corporate workers wish this was true, it simply isn't. 🙅🏻♀️
Let me share another perspective - plus 3 actions to steer your chances for promotion next year! Hopefully, this will make sense, and you'll never think of the corporate ladder the same way.
Take a look at another industry. Sport & elite athletes. 🥇
What does a professional athlete has to do, to receive a golden medal?
What makes a champion? 🏆
Think about any name, any team you consider “a champion” - whatever the discipline.
What got them there? Why do they deserve such status/title?
Here's my hot take on this 🔥
Anyone can become a champion.
Yet, no one becomes a champion just because they want to.
And no champion is guaranteed the next championship medal.
To illustrate this, I created a formula - which I hope, reflects the hardship involved to become a champion:
🏆 CHAMPION = [(CLARITY 🥅 + PRACTICE 🥊 + COACH 📣) x (RESULTS ✅ + RESILIENCE 🔂 + OBSESSION ❤️🔥)]^mindset 🧠 + LUCK 🍀
Let's break it down.
A champion has to:
1- Master the basics - get comfortable:
CLARITY 🥅 - learn the rules to win, know the role & responsibility of each player, tap into natural strengths
PRACTICE 🥊 - train physically & mentally daily, put in the hours, the efforts, intentionally
COACH 📣 - have a mentor, a feedback loop to improve, know what to focus on, gain momentum with motivation
2- Stand out from the crowd - drive results:
RESULTS ✅ - positive or negative, they inform the next decision
RESILIENCE 🔂 - ability to bounce back, repeat the same thing, over a long period of time
OBSESSION ❤️🔥 - constantly learn, grow and improve every tiny details
3- Develop an unfair advantage:
MINDSET 🧠 - control self belief, self worth, visualize the goals
4- Acknowledge the external, uncontrollable factor
LUCK 🍀 - because nobody can deny it. whether it serves you (+) or not (-)
In other words: it is clear that the path to becoming a champion is not easy, and long.
But it is ours to choose and walk through.
With that in mind, I invite you to read this quote I'm obsessed with:
“You've got to be the champion before you become the champion”
– Maya Raichoora
Does it make sense? 😃
Now, back to our corporate ladder.
It doesn't matter our role, our industry. If we want to reach the next level, we've got to adopt the champion's attitude.
We've got to become the next level, before we get the promotion - and the compensation that comes with it. 👀
It took me about a decade to see this. As painful as it is to admit, I was just playing around. I wasn't training for the championship. 🤦🏻♀️
Understanding the champion analogy allowed me to train for the right role. That's how I got a Director role at UBS (Swiss bank), driving various initiatives for Global Banking - before I turned 35.
Let’s be honest, are we on the path to becoming the champion?
Or are we simply entertaining - yet expecting, a champion medal?
Here are 3 actions to train like a champion 🥊
1- Gain clarity from manager, peers, or mentor - about what needs to be proven
What is required of me to become [insert corporate level you're after]?
What have I already done? What else is required? What's the next right thing to do?
2- Take intentional, daily action
What's one thing I can do daily (even for 2 mins) to show I'm already acting as the next level would?
Is it about learning a new skill, mentoring someone, networking or maybe showcasing my work?
3- Get support, build a network
Who could be my mentor, coach? (internally or externally)
Let's ask them! Get them onboard with my mission.
Each corporate operates slightly differently.
No one knows all the rules.
But we can put the odds in our favor by becoming proactive, asking questions and taking actions. 🤝
First things first - Learn the rules of the game you're playing.
I’m curious to learn more from your experience.
What are some insights you've seen and cannot unsee in your workplace?
Until next time, remember: You've got this! 💪
I’ve got you.
Your friendly, Tech Career Energizer ⚡️
PS: I’m not really a fast reader, but I love reading non fiction books. Especially on topics around productivity, career growth, performance, leadership, collaboration .. and a few other things.
One book that changed how I develop my Mental Fitness is Visualise by Maya Raichoora 📘
The only resource teaching you how to leverage the power of mental imagery to your advantage.
It's about practical tools to build confidence, achieve your goals and develop emotional resilience. 🧘🏻♀️
If you're curious about the power of visualisation, I'm sure you'll love it too. 🪴
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