The best leaders don’t stumble into the new year, they design for it. Start with your "self-review!"
After rejecting 100+ candidates as a Bar Raiser, I started reading self-reviews differently.
Most read like task lists.
Those who get people promoted? They read like hiring packets that seal deals. Same structure. Same impact focus. Same ruthless clarity.
BLUF: You’re not just documenting the past; you’re selling your future.
Here’s the Bar Raiser framework that helped people get hired and will help you get promoted:
📊 1. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮-𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 (𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀)
Bar Raisers scan for impact in 10 seconds. Your manager does too.
❌ "Led cross-functional initiative."
✅ “Reduced customer escalations 47% by redesigning the intake process, saving 200 hours quarterly.”
Every bullet should answer: “So what?”
If you can’t quantify it, qualify it:
• “Became the go-to person for [specific expertise]."
• “Unblocked [critical project] when [specific crisis]."
• “Influenced [key decision] that avoided [specific risk]."
🎯 2. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝘆
Situation → Task → Action → Result (+ a “durability statement”)
But here’s what most miss: The Result needs a “durability statement.”
Not just: "Increased efficiency 30%"But: “Increased efficiency 30% — process still running 8 months later with zero degradation."
Bar Raisers look for lasting impact. So do promotion committees.
💡 3. 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 "𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁."
Bar Raisers ask: "What makes this person irreplaceable?"
Answer it for them.
One sentence that captures your unique value:
"I translate technical complexity into executive decisions."
"I turn dysfunctional teams into high performers."
This becomes your promotion narrative.
📈 4. 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲 “𝗨𝗽𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁” 𝗘𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
We rejected candidates who only managed down.
We hired ones who influenced up.
Document how you made your manager’s job easier:
• Problems you solved before they reached them
• Stakeholder relationships you managed independently
📝 5. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 “𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲” 𝗢𝗻𝗲-𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿
At Amazon, we created one-page summaries for hiring committees.Create one for your “promotion committee.”
Include:
• 3 quantified wins
• 1 leadership example
• 1 innovation delivered
• … all with proof points
Make it forwardable. Make it quotable. Make it undeniable.
🚀 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗿 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁
Here's what most people miss about promotion decisions:
We didn't look for perfect candidates.
We looked for trajectory.
Show yours:
Q1 baseline → Q2 improvement → Q3 acceleration → Q4 transformation
Promotion committees don’t reward past performance. They bet on future potential.
Write your self-review like you’re selling that bet. Because you are!