Asking for Title Change / Promotion

Hi Alex, I would start with making sure your leaders know that you enjoy it, you see a future in it and you are working to build something for the company and yourself.  They probably already know this but make sure you're verbalizing these things. 

Next - think bigger than  just right now. For example if your company has a formal process for creating/assigning titles i doubt they'll want to create a position for "COM & Digital Led Program Manager"  You're either a COM that has added responsibility OR your Led Programmer with added responsibility .  So what title makes sense for the ord.   You are clearly a trusted COM on the team, and stepping up in leadership - So instead of adding Tech Touch Lead - maybe just ask for Sr.  or Team Lead to your title.  Now your title is broad enough you can jump on any new project needed, and its a title that has repeatable value to the department (increase you leave).   Are there already other leadership roles within COM department?  If so see if your new responsibilities fit - they might be more inclined to give you standard promotion instead of newly created title. 

Titles to me mean very little within the organization I'm in BUT they are very important in terms of where i want to go. So if you do get a title, work to make it transferable and promotable outside of your company.  Its nice when the industry quickly recognizes your path and what you're responsible for based on your title.  Its not the end of the world either way, but i try to avoid overly specific titles to make any future job searches a liiiiiitle easier. 

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Ben Bunting
Director of Retention
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-10-2020 16:33
From: Alex Tran
Subject: Asking for Title Change / Promotion

I recently helped with the planning, execution, and launch of my company's first ever tech touch / digital-led customer segment.

I'm currently a Client Outcomes Manager (our version of CSM) and have been for the 1.5 years I've been with the company. I now oversees the tech touch segment on top of managing customers day-to-day.

I'm looking to go to management to request a title change, but not sure how. Some titles I'm thinking of:

1. Client Outcomes Digital Led / Tech Touch Lead
2. Client Outcomes Manager & Digital Led Program Manager

For those of you who have been promoted before, how did you manage this conversation? What was your approach to management?


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Alex Tran
Client Outcomes Manager @ Gainsight
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Hi Alex,

i am not going to comment or attempt to suggest which title to chose because i think you know best what you are looking for and you understand the context better than anyone else on here; however, i would provide some guidance which i have found very useful throughout my career.

It sounds like you are a very driven person and generally people and here i mean managers like that. I am not sure what process you have in terms of talent management within your firm so i would suggest utilising/ exploring that vehicle to ensure you have Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-based (SMART) goals which you and your manager can agree on and which will help you move to the next level. 
By continually assessing your progress, your manager will quickly discover one of two things, that she/he either has someone whom she/he can rely on and who is going to consistently deliver or that she/he is dealing with a person who's after a quick promotion just to make more bucks and possibly use that to move to the next firm down the line... One thing i know from having managed multiple teams over the years is that the true intention shows eventually. 
In short talk to your manager and agree on what you need to do to go you up the ladder. 

"Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before the defeat." Sun Tzu

Emmanuel