Peak Performers by Tiffany Uman

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Why being reliable is blocking your promotion

September 15, 2025

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You’ve been told reliability is the key to success.
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Show up. Be a team player. Pick up the slack. Be the person everyone can count on.

But here’s the harsh truth I see so many smart women face. Being reliable is often the very thing preventing your promotions from happening faster.

In fact, according to MIT Sloan research, women were 14% less likely to be promoted than male colleagues despite having higher performance ratings, and being overly reliable plays right into it.

Here’s what it looks like in real time:

→ The guy hired 6 months ago just got promoted into the role you’ve been unofficially doing for 2 years.
→ You’re asked to train the external hire who landed the senior job you applied for.
→ Your ideas get repeated by colleagues in meetings and they walk away with the credit.
→ You get vague feedback like “You need to be more strategic” with no clear explanation as to what that actually means.
→ You’re told you’re the pillar on the team and so invaluable, aka. it's too much of a hassle to move you than to just keep you where you are.
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Sound familiar?

​This was exactly the cycle my client was stuck in for over a year. She was overdelivering, getting great results and the person everyone came to for help. And yet, she was unable to secure her promotion. Together, we mapped out her biggest growth gaps and put in place clear actions that got her the visibility she deserved and positioned her as a strategic leader. Within just 8 weeks of working together, she secured her Director level promotion.

Because here's the real cost of not making a change.

After years of overdelivering, it feels like betrayal. You start to wonder "Am I not as good as I thought?"

One part of you is feeling immense frustration. The other part battles imposter syndrome. Together, they drain your energy.

The worst part is that this resentment follows you home. You find yourself snapping at your partner over small things, zoning out with your kids because you’re still ruminating over today’s meeting. Even with friends, you can’t fully celebrate their wins without feeling down about your own stagnation.

It’s exhausting to give 110% for diminishing returns. And deep down, you know it’s not sustainable.

So consider this shift...

The problem isn’t your talent or work ethic.
It’s the belief that being reliable will eventually translate into being promotable. Wrong.

The more invaluable you are in your current role, the harder it is for leadership to imagine you anywhere else. Reliability may keep the wheels turning, but it doesn’t get you noticed as a leader.

What gets you promoted faster isn’t being the go-to fixer. It’s showing up as a strategic partner who sets direction, pushes back when needed, and makes an impact that goes beyond the tasks on your desk.

Your career deserves more. You deserve more. Let's go get it 💪

5 actions to shift from workhorse to strategic leader

1. Anchor your work to business impact

Working hard only takes you so far and is often considered table-stakes. Showcasing your strategic impact gets you promoted and the way you communicate it also elevates your exposure for the right reasons.

Every deliverable should ideally tie back to revenue, efficiency, or growth.

[Check out my free LinkedIn Learning nano-course How to Advocate for Yourself in Your Career]

2. Say no like a leader

Leadership is about setting the right priorities and knowing when to say no.

By pushing back on non-value added busy work, you're able to set a new precedent for yourself that actually garners more respect.

Saying no with context shows discernment, not resistance.

3. Claim leadership moments early

Don’t wait until you’re promoted to act like a leader.

You don't need a certain title to showcase your people leadership skills. This can come through your day-to-day actions in how you influence, inspire and empower those around you.

Step forward before you're ready, even if it feels uncomfortable.

This is a key area we supported our client on who had taken on more work during key restructures in her company. Despite all of that and stepping in where they needed with her team, she was struggling to get the support towards her next promotion. Together, we refocused on more proactive efforts and reinforced her visibility and relationships with key decision-makers, fast-tracking her path to promotion.

4. Ask proactive, intentional questions

Asking thoughtful questions that move key decisions forward positions you as a strategic thinker.
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It's not just about being getting things done, but always thinking a few steps ahead to anticipate needs proactively.

Here's a few other of my favorite guiding questions:

• What’s the ultimate outcome we’re driving toward with this?
• How does this align with our broader business goals?
• If we had to prioritize only 1 thing here, what would it be?
• What’s the risk if we don’t address this now?
• What data or feedback do we still need before we decide?
• How will success be measured on this project?
• Who are the key stakeholders we need aligned before moving forward?
• What’s the tradeoff of saying yes to this versus other priorities?
• What potential roadblocks should we anticipate and how can we get ahead of them?

[Check out my free LinkedIn Learning nano-course Nano Tips to Fast-Track Your Career]

5. Build alignment, not just buy-in

Workhorses execute instructions. Instead, unite people around a shared outcome.

Gaining alignment is about pulling the right people in before decisions are made so they feel ownership in the solution. It also prevents resistance down the road and positions you as a connector who sees across the business, exactly what leaders are trusted to do.

You've got this!

PS. I'm hosting a free, live masterclass for women in corporate where you'll learn how to break through growth ceilings and land $150K-$450K+ roles, achieve faster promotions and speak with confidence. With special guest Tricia Dallahan, former VP of Walmart Global Tech, and some amazing surprises for live attendees, you don't want to miss it. There's less than 4 months left of the year and you get to choose how they play out. Don't be the one to look back wishing things had played out differently. Save your spot now!​

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This week’s mission: Shift from reliable to promotable with these 3 moves.

• Spot the trap. Notice when you’re defaulting to "workhorse mode" when saying yes to everything, quietly fixing problems, or overdelivering on tasks no one else wants. Write down 1 instance this week when reliability kept you stuck.​
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• Ask a bigger question. In that moment, practice 1 guiding question that shifts the conversation beyond execution. For example, "What’s the ultimate outcome we’re driving toward?" or "How does this align with our top priorities?"
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• Claim a stretch moment. Choose 1 opportunity to show up as a leader, not just the reliable one. That could be volunteering to lead a project kickoff, reframing your update around business impact, or proactively aligning stakeholders. Keep it simple and intentional.

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