Promoted? Here is How to Lead at the Next Level

It’s promotion season. Across industries, year-end often marks the culmination of hard work, dedication, and relentless effort. And now, it’s your moment. You have been recognised and elevated to a new role – one of greater responsibility and greater possibility.

But after the celebratory calls, the congratulatory emails, and the WhatsApp messages settle: Now what?

Research shows that nearly 50% of leaders underperform in their first 18 months after a promotion – often because they try to work and lead the way they always have. A promotion isn’t just a reward for past success but an invitation to step into new challenges, to grow and to lead differently.

At Selion Global, where we guide leaders through pivotal career transitions, we know that thriving in a new role requires intentional reflection, the right mindset, and proactive growth. Here is how to ensure your promotion becomes the launchpad for lasting impact.

1. Reframe Success for Your New Role

Your promotion signals a shift in expectations – not just for what you do but how you think. Moving into broader leadership requires stepping back from the operational details and focusing on strategy, vision, and long-term outcomes.

Practical Tip: Take time to pause and reflect on what success looks like now. Schedule a conversation with your superior or the board if you are now the CEO, to clarify priorities and objectives, identify knowledge gaps, and understand how your performance will be measured.

2. Evolve Beyond Your Old Success Habits

The skills that made you successful before may not serve you now. For example, excelling as an individual contributor doesn’t necessarily translate to leading and empowering a team. Leadership at higher levels requires letting go of control, amplifying others, and focusing on influence rather than execution. Curiosity and an open mindset are key.

Practical Tip: Conduct a self-audit to identify habits that might hold you back. For instance, are you too focused on perfectionism or control? Focus instead on developing leadership behaviours like strategic thinking, active listening, influencing others, or creating an empowering team culture. Seek out development opportunities, such as leadership coaching or participate in transformational leadership retreats, to grow into your new role.

3. Earn Trust in a Changed Dynamic

If you are now leading former peers, your relationships will inevitably shift. Credibility as a colleague doesn’t automatically translate into trust as a leader. Navigating this change with humility and transparency is key.

Practical Tip: Address the shift in roles openly. Acknowledge the change with your team and express your commitment to their success. This proactive approach clears the air and builds trust from the start. Build a ‘floor’ of open conversations and invite all kinds of thinking. Diversity in thinking can lead to unlimited opportunities.

4. Embrace the Learning Curve

Your promotion is not the finish line – it is the starting point of accelerated growth. Expect moments of uncertainty and self-doubt as you navigate new challenges. But discomfort is a sign of growth, not failure.

As Amy Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, reminds us: “Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating the conditions where others can excel and where learning is embraced as part of progress.” True leadership is about stepping into the unknown and fostering a space where growth - for yourself and your team - can thrive.

Equally, as Manfred Kets de Vries, Distinguished Clinical Professor of Leadership Development and Organisational Change at INSEAD, puts it: “Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. It is precisely that simple, and it is also that difficult.” Embracing this transformation means learning to let go of old habits, challenging yourself, and leaning into the discomfort of change.

Practical Tip: We can’t stress it enough: surround yourself with mentors, peers, or coaches who have been through similar transitions. Their insights can provide perspective and guidance when the path forward feels unclear. Trust yourself, embrace growth, and use challenges as opportunities to evolve.

5. Lead Yourself First

Leadership begins with self-leadership. In the whirlwind of new responsibilities, it is easy to neglect your own well-being. But burnout can creep in quickly if you don’t intentionally prioritise your health, boundaries, and perspective.

Practical Tip: Block time on your calendar for personal reflection and self-care. Whether it’s a daily workout, journaling, a few days break in-between or quiet thinking time, these moments help you recharge and show up as your best self for your team.

6. Celebrate the Journey, Not Just the Destination

Leadership is a continuous evolution – not a static achievement. Your promotion is part of a much larger story, one that is shaped by the lessons you learn along the way. Avoid looking at it at the end-station of your career.

Practical Tip: Take time to reflect on how far you have come. What lessons from past roles prepared you for this one? Gratitude for the journey strengthens resilience for the challenges ahead. And don’t forget to celebrate the progress – every milestone deserves recognition!

And Finally

Your promotion is not just about stepping up – it is about levelling up. It is your very moment to embrace change, reaffirm your purpose, and inspire those around you. So don’t just ask, “Now what?” Ask, “How will I lead in a way that leaves a lasting impact?”

At Selion Global, we have helped countless leaders transition into new roles with clarity, confidence, and impact. If you are ready to make your promotion the starting point of your next great chapter, we are here to help. Our leadership coaches help you to push through the transformation with ease and help you discover the answers to your questions.

Here is to stepping into the future with confidence, clarity, and courage. And last reminder, don’t forget to celebrate.