In a recent LinkedIn post, Jill Avey discusses a common career paradox: how excelling at your current role can paradoxically prevent you from advancing to the next level. Avey highlights the tendency for high performers to become indispensable in their current positions, which, while earning praise, may not position them for future leadership opportunities.
The Trap of Deepening Expertise
Avey identifies a pattern where individuals repeatedly take on challenging projects and shield their teams, consistently delivering exceptional results. While this dedication is often recognized in performance reviews, it can lead to being overlooked for promotions.
“You keep getting better at the thing you’re best at. And it keeps rooting you deeper exactly where you are.”
This deep-rooted expertise, Avey argues, can make an individual appear too valuable in their current role to be moved. The feedback often received in such situations, such as needing to “be more strategic,” can be confusing without clear guidance.
Promotions as a Bet on the Future
A central theme in Avey’s post is the nature of promotions. She asserts that advancements are not simply rewards for past accomplishments but rather investments in an individual’s potential for future contributions.
Rethinking the ‘Prize’ Mentality
According to Avey, senior leaders are not primarily looking at last year’s performance when considering candidates for higher roles. Instead, they are assessing an individual’s readiness and potential to succeed in the next position.
“A promotion is not a prize for your past. It’s a bet on your future.”
The focus on being the dependable, indispensable person in the current role can inadvertently signal that the individual is not yet ready for broader strategic responsibilities. As Avey points out, “every late night that proves only you can do this just makes you the dependable one. Not the one they build around.”
The Counterintuitive Shift Needed
To break this cycle, Avey suggests that the most effective move often feels counterintuitive: intentionally doing less of the very thing one excels at.
Strategic Reallocation of Effort
This doesn’t mean underperforming, but rather strategically shifting focus. It involves stepping back from being the sole problem-solver for every intricate task to create space for developing broader strategic capabilities and demonstrating readiness for a different type of leadership.
“The move that finally changes it is the one that feels backwards. It’s doing less of the very thing you’re best at.”
Avey encourages professionals to reflect on their strengths and identify areas where they might be over-investing, potentially at the expense of developing new skills critical for advancement. She poses a question to her audience: “Which of your strengths have you been watering every day? And which corner of the garden do you keep walking past?”
By reframing promotions as bets on future potential and by strategically adjusting where one focuses their energy, Avey suggests individuals can move from being consistently overlooked to achieving the promotions they deserve.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Jill Avey on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on July 23, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →