The secret to promotions: 3 little words

Engineers want to grow.
They want to do meaningful work, get recognized, and advance their careers.

But the path to promotion can feel… murky. Even impossible at times.

There’s no universal playbook. But “good work” alone doesn’t usually cut it.

That’s why I teach a simple paradigm:
🔁 The Three I’s — Impression. Influence. Impact.

If you’re strong across these three areas, you’re not just “doing good work.” You’re making a visible impact on results, influencing how others think and act, and have a reputation as someone who elevates the team and the business.

That’s the combination that leads to promotion.

Let’s break it down:

1. Impression: What do people think when they hear your name?

This is your brand. Your reputation.

Do your teammates trust you? Do decision-makers know you? Do people feel more confident and at ease when you’re in the room?

You strengthen your impression by being reliable, helpful, and professional — not perfect, but consistent.
You also build it by investing time in relationships and communication beyond your direct team.

Just as important as how others see you is how you make them feel in your presence.

I’ve seen many brilliant engineers stall their careers because they were impossible to work with. No matter how talented you are, if people don’t want to work with you, your promotion chances plummet.

To reflect:

• Do I follow through on what I say I’ll do?

• Am I someone others enjoy working with?

• Is my work known beyond my immediate team?

2. Influence: How much weight does your opinion carry?

It’s not about being the loudest.
It’s about whether your work and your ideas shape what actually happens.

You build influence by sharing well-reasoned opinions, asking great questions, building trust, and stepping up to lead even without a formal title.

You don’t build influence by being stubborn. You build influence by building up those around you, and learning how to integrate other people’s ideas into your own decisions.

The engineers who lead with fear, arrogance, and obstinance only have the illusion of influence. That type of power may get you your way, but it does not create sustainable new opportunities.

To reflect:

• Have I changed the direction of a project or decision recently?

• Do others come to me for input?

• Does my feedback get taken seriously?

3. Impact: Are you making a measurable difference?

It’s easy to stay busy.
But promotions go to engineers who focus on what moves the needle.

This means working on things that matter, shipping consistently, and making sure your work actually helps the business — whether that’s speed, stability, revenue, or user joy.

This one can be particularly challenging. Even if you are doing great work, if the project is not valued by the business, your growth prospects will likely be limited.

To reflect:

• What business or product outcome has my work improved lately?

• Am I focused on high-leverage problems?

• If I disappeared for a month, would my absence be felt?

The Three I’s form a flywheel

The magic of the Three I’s isn’t in treating them as separate silos. It’s in how they reinforce each other:

• A strong Impression earns you trust and visibility.

• That trust gives your voice more weight — growing your Influence.

• With influence, you can take on higher-leverage work and drive real Impact.

• And as your impact grows, your reputation (Impression) rises even further.

Round and round it goes — each turn of the wheel building more and more momentum.
Keep turning it, and before long, promotion isn’t a question of if**, but** when.

The Three I’s are a Paradigm - not a Checklist

The Three I’s aren’t a checklist. They’re a lens to focus on patterns of behavior and growth that make you an undeniable candidate for the next level.

Regularly ask yourself:

• How am I showing up? (Impression)

• How am I shaping direction? (Influence)

• How am I moving the needle? (Impact)

No 27-page framework required. Just a clear focus on what really counts.

Impression. Influence. Impact.
Simple words — but together they form a powerful paradigm to guide your growth and your career.