Bridging the Visibility Gap: Jill Avey on How Directors Earn Executive Promotion

In a recent LinkedIn post, Jill Avey offers a compelling perspective on why many capable directors are overlooked for promotion, attributing it not to underperformance, but to a failure in communication. Avey argues that the language used to describe day-to-day accomplishments often doesn’t resonate with executive-level priorities, creating a “positioning gap” rather than a performance deficit.

Avey’s core thesis is that while directors excel at managing complex operations, fixing problems, and protecting revenue, these efforts are not the primary metrics by which executives evaluate potential leaders. The key, according to Avey, is to translate operational successes into the language of strategic impact.

“Executives don’t reward effort. They reward strategic impact. And if you don’t translate your work into that language, it gets filed under ‘reliable’ instead of ‘promotable.’”

This distinction, Avey emphasizes, is crucial for career advancement. “This isn’t a performance gap. It’s a positioning gap,” she states, highlighting the need for a deliberate shift in how directors communicate their value.

Shifting from Activity to Impact

Avey outlines a strategic approach for directors to reposition their contributions. The fundamental shift she advocates for is moving from reporting on activities to communicating capital impact.

1. Quantify Outcomes Before Commencing Work

Avey stresses the importance of defining success metrics upfront. “If you can’t quantify the outcome, it will never be seen as strategic,” she writes. Directors should tie every major initiative to one of three core executive priorities: revenue growth, cost control, or risk reduction. Initiatives that don’t align with these, Avey warns, will struggle to gain executive attention.

2. Lead with Consequence, Not Completion

The way results are presented is critical. Avey advises against simply stating that a task is completed. Instead, she recommends framing the update around the tangible benefits or consequences of that completion. For instance, instead of announcing a completed vendor audit, a director should highlight the financial implications identified.

“Don’t say: ‘We completed the vendor audit.’ 🟢 Say: ‘The vendor audit identified $2M in cost savings, supporting our margin target for Q4.'”

This approach, Avey explains, aligns with how executives think—in terms of trade-offs and targets.

3. Cultivate Visibility Beyond Your Immediate Sphere

Promotion decisions, according to Avey, are often influenced long before formal discussions take place. She advises directors to proactively build relationships and demonstrate value to senior leaders outside their direct reporting line. Identifying a senior leader who benefits from their work and proactively showing how their outcomes support that leader’s priorities can significantly boost visibility.

4. Empower Your Advocate

Avey challenges the assumption that a manager will automatically champion their subordinate’s promotion. “They’re focused on their own survival and targets,” she notes, advising directors to provide their manager with clear, concise language that highlights their strategic value. This makes it easier for the manager to advocate effectively during succession planning discussions.

In conclusion, Jill Avey’s insights on LinkedIn underscore that career progression at the executive level hinges on strategic communication. As Avey puts it, “The Directors who get promoted aren’t working harder. They’re making their strategic value impossible to ignore.” By adopting these communication strategies, directors can effectively bridge the visibility gap and position themselves for advancement.