This episode is all about taking control of your own career development instead of waiting for your manager to hand you opportunities.

Traci shares personal lessons learned from influential leaders and her own journey as both an HR professional and podcast founder. You'll walk away understanding that career growth—whether vertical promotions or horizontal skill-building—is ultimately your responsibility, not your manager's.

As part of our greatest hits replay series, we're revisiting this powerful solo episode that continues to resonate with our audience about owning your career destiny.

Spoiler alert: The best way to get promoted isn't to ask your manager to promote you. It's to demonstrate you're already ready for more.

What We Cover:

– Your development is your own—taking ownership as the first step toward growth

– Why managers can't (and shouldn't) solve your career problems for you

– The distinction between vertical growth and horizontal growth—and why you need both

– How to shift from "I want more" to "Here's what I'm doing to get there"

– The role of self-awareness and honest feedback partners in identifying your gaps

– Mentorship, stretch assignments, and seeking feedback as accelerators

– Why advocating for yourself matters—especially when negotiating salary

– Setting boundaries without sacrificing your value or contribution

– Aligning your career vision with your life goals so they work together, not against each other

– How filling your own tank outside of work fuels your performance inside of work

Key Quote: "Our development is our own. We own every stage of our development. If I want to do more, I can do more. If I want to go beyond the scope of my role, I can go beyond the scope of my role."

Connect with Traci here: https://linktr.ee/HRTraci

Disclaimer: Thoughts, opinions, and statements made on this podcast are not a reflection of the thoughts, opinions, and statements of the Company by whom Traci Chernoff is actively employed.

Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products or services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.