Management Matters | Notes from an HE Coach

In this episode of Walk Into Your Next Grade, I’m responding to a question from a senior manager who is thinking about the Grade 9 step change and feeling stuck in an unsupportive environment.

I recorded this one while out on a walk, so you’ll hear a bit of real life in the background. It felt fitting for a conversation about working things out in motion rather than waiting for perfect conditions.

This episode explores what you can do when you’re not getting the career development support you want from your line manager, without defaulting to blame or resentment.

I talk through the difference between mentoring and sponsorship, and why being clear about your ask really matters. Mentors often offer perspective and advice based on their own career path. Sponsors are the people who advocate for you in rooms you are not in and put your name forward for opportunities. Both can be incredibly valuable, but only if you approach them with intention rather than hope, and with a clear sense of where you’re trying to go.

I explore secondments as a career move and when they genuinely help. Secondments can be a great way to diversify your experience and move sideways strategically. Where they can become a red herring is when they are used mainly as a way to escape a difficult situation. In those cases, a cleaner and often braver option may be to make a more decisive move rather than staying psychologically tied to a role you know you don’t want to return to.

A central theme of this episode is the invitation to take your own development seriously. Even good managers are often holding a complex set of responsibilities, and in the current HE climate many simply don’t have the headspace to prioritise individual career progression in the way we might hope. I reflect on a pattern I see again and again in more senior leaders. Many have progressed because they stopped waiting. They made plans, sought out support, and invested in their own development rather than relying on the system to provide it.

If you’re feeling stuck If you know you want to progress and you’re feeling disappointed or frustrated by a lack of support, this episode is a reminder that it is your career. You are allowed to take ownership of it, make deliberate choices, and seek the development you need on your own terms.

If this episode resonates and you are actively preparing for progression, my programme Getting Ready for Your Next Grade is designed to support exactly this kind of work. You can find out more here: https://www.fionabicket.co.uk/getting-ready-for-your-next-grade

The Grade 9 cohort is currently open, with the Grade 8 cohort opening soon.

If you have a question you’d like me to explore in a future episode, or you want to talk through whether the programme is a good fit for you, you can email me at: [email protected]

Thanks for walking with me in this episode.

You're brilliant at your current job. Maybe too brilliant.

You're managing teams, solving complex problems, and keeping everything running smoothly. But when it comes to promotions, you're stuck being "not quite ready" while someone less experienced steps into the role you know you could do.

Here's what nobody tells you: being too good at your current grade is exactly what's keeping you stuck.

In this episode of Walk Into Your Next Grade, I'm tackling the question: "How do I embody leadership at the next level without burning out by doing two jobs at once?"

This is especially relevant if you're a Grade 8 manager looking to step up to Grade 9 (or any professional services manager preparing for senior leadership).

What you'll learn:

This isn't about working harder or taking on more. It's about working differently and making sure the right people notice.

If you're tired of being brilliant at your current grade but invisible when it comes to promotions, this episode will show you exactly what needs to change.

Mentioned in this episode:

Next episode preview: How much do mentoring, networks, and secondments actually help your career progression? And what do you do if you're working in an unsupportive environment?

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