LinkedIn Success: I got promoted five times using this meeting strategy

You want to climb the ladder? Get that next promotion? It’s tough, right?

I get it. I started at LinkedIn after college. Six years later, I was leading marketing for enterprise tech. Five promotions in between. How? One simple strategy.

The Secret Weapon: The “Pre-Read”

Most people dread one-on-one meetings. They show up, wait to be told what to do. Big mistake.

Managers are busy. Really busy. They juggle tons of people. You need to make their lives easier. That’s where the “pre-read” comes in.

I realized my manager asked the same questions every week: How’s it going? What’s next? Where do you need help?

I started sending a short email *before* the meeting. I called it a “pre-read. ” It had three parts.

Crafting the Perfect Pre-Read

Here’s the breakdown:

• Wins of the Week: What went well?
• Next Week’s Focus: What are you working on?
• A New Idea: A suggestion for the team.

I’d bring a copy to the meeting. It guided our conversation. My manager loved it. He even asked the whole team to do it.

Step 1: Show Your Wins

Create a “wins” folder. Any compliment, any success, goes in there. Did a sales leader praise your questions? Into the folder!

Why? Because visibility matters. You could be doing amazing work. But if nobody knows, it doesn’t count.

I also kept a running document of my wins. It made performance reviews a breeze. And helped build my case for promotions.

Step 2: Take Charge of Your Workload

Don’t just wait to be assigned tasks. Tell your manager what *you* think you should be working on. Share ongoing projects. Pitch new ideas.

Have career goals? Let your manager know. Ask for projects that build those skills.

Anticipate problems. What could go wrong? Who do you need to connect with? Ask for help proactively.

Don’t just present problems. Offer solutions.

Step 3: Be an Idea Machine

The most important part? One new idea. Every week.

Look for frustrations. Inefficiencies. Things with simple fixes. Then, offer a solution.

The ideas don’t have to be huge. Small is good. You don’t want to burn out. Or neglect your core responsibilities.

Once, my team was killing it. But nobody knew. I suggested a quick, monthly newsletter. My manager loved it.

I took ownership. Shared team updates. Reached leaders in other departments. They were impressed. My manager got the credit… sort of.

He made sure to say, “It was her idea. I didn’t even ask her to do it. ”

It’s Worth the Effort

That hour of prep? Worth it. Every single time.

I’ve used this process in every role. With every manager. At LinkedIn. And now at Google. The feedback is always amazing.

Even now, as a senior leader, my team loves my weekly updates and new ideas. They see me as a partner. Not just a report.

Want to get noticed? Make your one-on-ones count.