A Tale of Two Performance Reviews
A look inside how promotion decisions are actually made and how to position yourself for the next one.
Welcome to Reframed, where high-achieving professionals come to rethink their careers. Because doing things the “right” way only works if it’s actually right for you.
I'm Ashley Rudolph—a former tech executive turned coach for leaders and next-gen execs in the creative, tech, and lifestyle industries.
If you’re ready for summer, I’m right there with you. Here’s to the best season in NYC.
I was talking to a friend in HR last week.
She sits on the compensation committee at her company and performance review season was in full swing. She shared a story with me that made my ears perk up. It wasn’t shocking, it was just….familiar. And, honestly? I couldn’t resist sharing it with you.
The story goes like this. Two high-performing women were up for promotion.
Both respected. Busy. Smart. Relied on. You know the type.
But, one got promoted. The other didn’t.
The difference wasn’t title, talent, or effort.
The difference was how their contributions were perceived by decision makers.
It’s a familiar story, right?
Maybe you’re thinking, not every hard worker gets promoted—we get it. But what made this one interesting was that I got to hear what happened behind the scenes, from the decision-makers in the room. The kind of closed-door conversations that shape careers, but rarely get recounted out loud.
Here’s what happened.
STORY TIME: TWO HIGH PERFORMERS AND THEIR REVIEWS
A Peek at How Decisions Get Made
Let’s start with Person A.
She was the one everyone could count on. She filled gaps. Stayed late. Took pride in keeping the team running, even when others dropped the ball. Her manager praised her drive, said she really wanted the promotion.
The story that was being told? She worked hard.
As the committee dug in, people had questions and observations.
“We haven’t heard much from her in executive meetings.”
“What kind of decisions is she making?”
“Is she leading this work stream or just executing?”
There was a client situation that hadn’t gone well. No one had a clear sense of how she handled it. And outside of her direct team, no one could speak confidently about her leadership.
She had done the work. But she hadn’t shaped the narrative or the strategy surrounding her work stream. She had gone above and beyond, but oftentimes in silence.
And so, the people with the power to promote her didn’t have the evidence they needed.
She was seen as dependable, but not as someone setting direction.
Not yet.
Her promotion wasn’t approved.
A BRIEF PAUSE
Now, I want to pause right here.
If you’ve ever found yourself in Person A’s shoes, you know how this feels. I’ve been there myself and it sucks. Not getting promoted after going above and beyond is not just disappointing.
It’s disorienting.
It hurts even more because you didn’t do a bad job. You weren’t slacking.
You were over-functioning in hopes of being seen.
You think:
How did I work this hard and still get passed over?
What more was I supposed to do?
The fix is making your value legible to the people who make decisions.
I share this to name something that often holds others back and, if you’re feeling this way, maybe no one’s ever put words to it before.
I spent a lot of my early career feeling like most people didn’t get my experience. And now, I work with so many high achievers who carried the same weight, quietly.
They’re doing great work. And, sometimes, they’re wondering why they still feel stuck.
Naming this dynamic often helps people move past it.
Okay — so, here’s what happened with Person B.
The moment her name came up, the energy in the room shifted.
People nodded.
They recalled a big client save. They quoted her follow-up emails tying her results to business goals.
She wasn’t louder. She wasn’t performative. But she was intentional.
She made her work visible. She spoke up in cross-functional meetings. She offered ideas, even when they challenged the perspectives of leaders in the room. She asked thoughtful questions of senior leadership. She made it a point to connect her outcomes to broader strategy, not just her efforts.
She didn’t assume it was only her manager’s job to socialize her wins.
She was operating like someone at the next level:
Strategic in what she took on
Aligned with leadership priorities
Known and trusted beyond her immediate team
And because of that, her manager didn’t need to make the case for her.
The committee already had what they needed:
Evidence of her readiness
A reputation that extended beyond her function
A pattern of behavior that signaled she could lead in new, more complex contexts
She was promoted.
REALITY CHECK →
This approach is effective.
It doesn’t require putting anyone down or sucking all the air out of the room. It’s about taking a few extra minutes to share your work.
Think about it this way. You know how great marketing campaigns pull consumers in? The quick task of amplifying your work is the equivalent of that. It’s marketing your efforts. It’s owning your professional brand. It’s setting yourself up to win.
THE WHY: A CLOSER LOOK AT THE OUTCOMES
Same Effort. Different Outcomes.
Two women.
Same drive.
Same commitment.
But very different outcomes.
Person A made work everything, without making work work for her. She gave more and more, hoping it would be noticed. But at the next level, it’s not about doing more. It’s about doing the right things and making them count.
And Person B? She was still generous with her time and energy. But she was strategic. She knew her value and made sure the people who mattered knew it too.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT →
If you’re looking for guidance on how to position your work effectively, I wrote about it in detail in this post.
ZOOMING OUT: THE CONTEXT THAT MATTERS
It Feels Personal Because You Care
Performance reviews rarely come down to effort alone. They’re not about just doing your job. They’re about how clearly others can see you stepping into the next one.
And when they don’t happen, other factors can absolutely be at play.
Yes, bias exists.
Yes, politics can play a role.
And yes, some companies are deeply extractive. And if that’s the situation you’re in sometimes the most strategic move is to leave or stop trying to prove yourself.
In my work with high-achieving clients (and from my own experience) when you’re delivering strong results and doing great work, you often have more control over your career outcomes than you think.
You may face friction. You may face obstacles. But I’ve seen that with small tweaks to positioning, prioritizing, and even how you talk about your work— new opportunities open up.
That’s why I write Reframed.
Because if you’ve been showing up like Person A, you’re not stuck. You’re standing at a pivot point.
TAKING ACTION: WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
Here’s How To Pivot
The temptation to check out after not getting what you want is real. But if you’re teetering, let me convince you of this—
Don’t check out. Show up a little differently.
Ask yourself:
What am I doing that’s above and beyond and is it being seen?
How often am I tying my work to business outcomes?
Am I actively managing how my impact is perceived?
Do I make space to give myself credit or am I waiting to be discovered?
Don’t give your all hoping someone will eventually reward you.
Make work work for you, not just because you’re ambitious, but because you’re allowed to ask more of the relationship.
You don’t need to prove yourself with more effort. You need to be savvy.
And if that’s something you’re ready to do—I’m here to help.
Good luck! See you on Thursday for the next edition of Open Tabs.
Ashley
WORK WITH ME
If you’re stuck in that Person A pattern → doing the most, delivering great work, but still feeling overlooked, it’s time to pivot.
In my 1:1 coaching, we focus on turning strong performance into visibility, and impact into influence, so you’re not just seen, you’re sought after.
Ready to change the story they tell when your name comes up?
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Ashley, this was a really helpful look into shaping your narrative at work! Would you consider a follow-up post about what speaking to your accomplishments in meetings/emails would look like? Or please let me know if you've already covered this :)
Amazing post! Yes, once you start trying to reach certain leadership levels, it is important that your work is seen and that you are actively communicating it to the decision makers. I think a follow up post on HOW and WHEN to do this would also be helpful to everyone reading this.
Thank you!