Peak Performers by Tiffany Uman

I did everything right and my boss still blamed me

February 16, 2026

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I’ll never forget the feeling of the blood draining from my face in that boardroom.

My boss and I had spent 2 weeks aligning on a strategic presentation for our CEO. I rehearsed it with her 3 times over. She gave me the green light. I felt confident.

I went into this executive meeting thinking we were a team, but what happened next was far from it.

The moment I finished my presentation, my CEO pushed back heavily on my proposal. I looked to my boss, waiting for the backup we’d practiced. Instead, she didn't just stay silent...she pivoted.

"You know, I had my doubts about that approach too" she said, looking straight at our CEO.

I couldn't believe it. The room went cold. I was left out to dry, blamed for a strategy she had signed off on 24 hours earlier. In that moment, I felt more than just anger. I felt a deep, gut-wrenching disappointment. I realized that my hard work was being used as a shield for her own insecurity. And it stung!

But then, something even crazier happened.

A Director from another department, someone I’d built a strong cross-functional relationship with, spoke up and supported my recommendation. She came to my defense, meanwhile my own boss protected her own ego instead of me.

That was the moment I realized that your boss doesn't define your career. The quality of your support system does.

If I had only focused on pleasing my direct boss, my reputation would have died in that room. But because I had built strategic visibility across L'Oréal, my work ethic spoke louder than her betrayal.

I don't want you to learn this the hard way.

Maybe you've found yourself in a similar situation with a boss who didn't have your best interests in mind. Maybe your colleague Mike got the promotion you deserved.
Maybe you took on more responsibilities, only to stay stuck in the same role for years.
Maybe you've kept quiet in meetings out of fear of sounding stupid or saying the wrong thing.

Whatever the case may be, I don't want this to hold you back. Not anymore.

Today, I'm sharing 25 of my biggest lessons so you stop getting overlooked, underestimated, or left behind from the visibility and opportunities you've earned.

Knowing these helped my client make a massive career move after recognizing her current company was stalling her promotion. I prepared her personalized roadmap to close her growth gaps fast and, with the 1:1 coaching support with me and my team, last week she secured her Director promotion, 30% raise, and negotiated her sign-on bonus from $70K to $140K. 🤯

25 career lessons I wish I had known earlier

1. Self-advocacy isn’t arrogance. It’s necessary. No one will ever care about your career as much as you do. I used to think my results spoke for themselves, but silence cost me opportunities. If you don’t speak up, you risk staying overlooked for the roles you deserve.
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2. If you don’t claim credit, someone else will. I remember watching one of my male coworkers at L'Oréal repeat my idea in a meeting and get all the credit for it. It taught me that credit flows to whoever owns the narrative, not always the one who earned it.
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3. Being the hardest worker doesn’t guarantee promotions. Being visible does. I burned years thinking long hours were the path upward. The truth? Promotions go to the ones leaders see as ready for more, not the women stuck in the weeds.
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4. Your boss isn’t a mind reader. State your ambitions clearly so they don’t assume. Earlier in my career, I thought my performance alone would show I was ready. Instead, I was passed over. It wasn’t until I clearly said "I want that next role" that the plan to get there became clear and actionable.
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5. Hope is not a strategy. Proactive action is. I used to hope my boss noticed my late nights, the extra effort, the wins I brought. Hope gave me comfort, but not results. I came to realize that taking charge of my career myself, like advocating, networking, and asking, created the most traction.
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6. Being a workhorse keeps you focused on busy work. Shift to strategic leader. At L'Oréal, I spent countless weeks buried in execution, but would be told I need to be more strategic. Workhorses may be essential, but it keeps you stuck in busy work, not promotable impact.
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7. Oversharing diminishes your authority. Practice concise, decisive communication. Earlier in my career, I thought more words meant more credibility because it showed I knew my stuff. But I learned influence comes from clarity. Say less with conviction and leaders will lean in more.
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8. The more they need you, the less they promote you. Being the "glue" only goes so far. I was once told I was "too valuable" in my current role and they couldn't afford to lose me. This stalled my growth despite overdelivering. Don’t become so invaluable that you stay stuck in place.
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9. Meetings are key exposure moments. Use them to influence, not just inform. For years, I treated meetings as updates. That said, I noticed that the leaders who got noticed used them as moments to shape conversations, shift perspectives, and leave a mark. That’s how influence is built.
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10. Every "no" gets you closer to a "yes" so ask specific questions to bridge that gap. Rejection used to crush me. I would internalize this feedback as if it meant something about me or that I did something wrong. I soon recognized that a "no" for now, didn't mean a "no" for never. By gaining clarity and asking open-ended questions, it helped me secure my next goals much faster.
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11. Playing it safe is the riskiest move. Take calculated risks beyond what feels safe. Comfort zones feel secure, but they hold you back from the woman you're meant to become. My biggest promotions came from risks I nearly talked myself out of. What's 1 risk you've been putting off?
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12. It’s not just about who you know but who knows you. Nurture relationships across levels.​
    One of my target promotions was denied. It felt like a punch to the gut. Despite my boss supporting me for it, my boss' boss blocked it. In that moment, I realized that perceptions are being formed every day and building 1:1 relationships with senior leaders is a non-negotiable. Once I fixed that, I secured my promotion 8 weeks later.
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13. When speaking with execs, focus on an “us” vs. “the challenge/opportunity” mindset. I stopped positioning myself as an individual contributor and started framing myself as a business partner. I used to get so intimidated thinking it was "me" vs. "them", when in reality, I recognized my role was to help us, together, make the most informed decisions. That 1 shift was a game-changer.
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14. Imposter syndrome is a good thing as it proves you’re pushing past your comfort zone. Every time I felt imposter syndrome, I was stepping into something bigger. Fear became my signal that I was growing so I went all in, which led me to get promoted every year for 10 years.
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15. Burnout isn’t a badge of honor. Set the right boundaries to sustain impact. I once burned out so badly I could barely think straight. My sleep and health were badly affected and I felt backed against a wall. No promotion is worth sacrificing your health. In fact, setting the right boundaries garners you more respect because it shows you know your limits. Over-extending yourself only leads to frustration and mismanaged expectations of what your true capacity is.
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16. Promotion decisions are made by multiple stakeholders. Build allies consistently. I learned that it wasn’t just my boss’s vote that mattered. It was multiple people across hierarchy levels and teams. Don’t wait until review season to build advocates. Keep it always-on.
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17. Don’t over-rely on your boss to advocate on your behalf. Own your career narrative. Bosses change. Priorities shift. The only thing consistent is the story you tell about yourself. Make sure it’s being heard the way you want.
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18. Feedback is a gift, not something to take personally. I used to take feedback as a personal attack and internalize it. But remember, feedback is exactly what helps you get ahead faster. Not asking for feedback is never the answer. You'd rather ask and be able to action it rather than turn a blind eye and stay behind.
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19. "I don’t feel ready" is a lie we tell ourselves instead of doing the things we’re meant to do. I was terrified before my first director role. I didn’t feel ready but I grew into it fast. Readiness comes after the leap, not before it.
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20. Don’t confuse inexperience with inability. They’re not the same. Just because you haven’t done something yet doesn’t mean you can’t. I learned faster by saying yes and figuring it out along the way, without needing to have all the answers off the bat.
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21. What got you here won’t get you there. Upgrade your skills before they’re needed. Every big career move I made came because I invested in skills a step ahead of my role. That way, when the opportunity showed up, I was actively considered for it.
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22. Leadership isn’t about titles. It’s about your ability to influence, inspire and mobilize others. Some of the strongest leaders I’ve known didn’t have the title yet. Don't let that stop you either.
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23. Failure isn’t a bad thing. You either win or you learn. My biggest setbacks taught me lessons success never could. Each failure became a stepping stone to the next level. I encourage you to view it in the same way.
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24. The one who controls the narrative controls the outcome. Tell your story before others do.​
    Silence gives space for others to define who you are and what you want. They don't always get it right so don't hand over that control. Your career is too important for that.
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25. If you’re not in the room where decisions happen, make sure your name is. Build sponsors.​
    It's not enough to just work hard. You need the right people who speak your praises when you're not around. Only then will your career growth truly transform. Pro tip: Get clear on your biggest differentiators and reinforce those in your projects, updates and exposure moments.

Which lesson hits home most for you right now? Just email me back, I'd love to know!

Career growth doesn't happen by accident, especially for women. It's a function of how you decide to show up strategically, intentionally and unapologetically.

Here’s to your growth and to all the women who refuse to stay stuck.

You've got this! ❤️️

PS. In the last week alone, 5 of my clients secured $250K-$525K senior-level roles and promotions. I'm sharing my exact step-by-step system for women in corporate in my free, live masterclass so you can do the same. Seats are limited and going fast! Save your spot now.

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