Let’s talk about two managers: Peter and Alice. Both joined the same company, at the same time, in the same role, and were talented. Ten years later, Peter is still in middle management, drowning in meetings and tasks. Alice? She’s on the senior leadership team. What happened?
Take the case of Peter Kalema.
Peter is good at his job. He knows his processes inside out. His team likes him. He meets KPIs consistently. But that’s all he does. Peter gets stuck in the “execution trap.” He’s a dependable workhorse. Always the go-to guy for putting out fires. But here’s the problem: he never steps back to ask why those fires exist in the first place.
Senior leadership appreciates Peter and sees him as essential but not strategic. He’s a conductor, not a driver. When promotion discussions come up, Peter’s name never does. Why? He’s great at his job but he doesn’t challenge the status quo. He is more about collecting fares and issuing tickets, but not defining the most profitable routes. Leaders want people who see the bigger picture to drive results.
Now consider the case of Alice Birungi.
Alice works differently. She does her job but never just her job. She solves problems above her pay grade. When her team hits targets, she doesn’t just celebrate; she dissects what could’ve been done better.
She takes risks. Sometimes she fails. But senior leadership notices. Alice isn’t stuck in the weeds. She’s asking the right questions:
How does my work align with company goals?
What’s the bigger picture?
How can I make my boss’s job easier?
And here’s what sets Alice apart even more:
She knows when to say, “I don’t know,” “I need help,” and “I was wrong.” This makes her an ideal team player. People feel comfortable around folks who ask them for help.
She admits when she’s wrong. Owns her mistakes. Learns moves on.
She chooses her moments to speak up and when to stay quiet.
As Mr. Strategy loves to say, “You cannot hide an elephant.” When work is truly well done, even if your boss takes the credit, people notice. The real elephant always stands out. Great people can’t easily be undermined.
What’s the Difference?
Peter is tactical. Alice is strategic. Peter does what’s asked. Alice looks for what’s needed. Here’s the hard truth from my years of interacting with many leaders doing your job well isn’t enough. Competence is the baseline. To climb, you need at least three things visibility, strategic thinking, and humility. Let me explain.
Visibility. If no one knows what you’re doing, it doesn’t matter. How do you strategically self-promote? Once I traveled to South Africa for a conference, I made sure I said something in the conference else my travel costs would be wasted. I put up my hand and asked a question I had written during my pre-conference planning. It made me look smart and indeed I was noticed by a top honcho.
Strategic Thinking. Stop focusing on “how to do this.” Start asking “Why does this matter?”
Humility with Strength. Know when to admit gaps, but don’t shrink from showcasing wins.
Most people believe promotions are about hard work. That’s half true. Hard work keeps you where you are. The difference is smart work. That’s how Alice got ahead. And she continues breaking the ceiling.
Now ask yourself: are you a Peter or an Alice? Be honest. Then decide what needs to change. Need a mentor? inbox.
