Dave Kline

Become the Leader You’d Follow | Founder @ MGMT | Coach | Advisor | Speaker | Trusted by 250K+ leaders.

Hey, I’m Dave Kline.

I teach leaders how to build All-Star teams and level up their careers.

After decades of leading in pretty intense environments, from Bridgewater Associates to Moody’s Analytics, I know what it takes to be the manager your team remembers (for the right reasons).

Why I can help you is simple:

I’ve been through it.

And to prove it, here’s my background (by the numbers) ⤵️

2: Decades leading high-impact teams in asset management (Bridgewater), consulting (PwC), & financial services (Moody’s Analytics).

4: Years as an entrepreneur. My portfolio includes Skillscouter (an online course & career site), and MGMT Accelerator (a cohort-based management training course).

14: Cohorts of early-career leaders that I’ve taught at multiple companies.

100: Managers I recruited, onboarded & mentored at Bridgewater Associates.

1,000: Performance evaluations with grace and respect for stars and terminations alike.

205,000+: My community across LinkedIn & Twitter interested in management tactics & leadership lessons

385,000,000: My team’s top revenue year at Moody’s.

Now that we’ve covered the why, here’s the how:

- The MGMT Accelerator – an intensive management training course for both new and senior leaders
- MGMT Fundamentals – a course that covers all the need-to-know management basics for rookie leaders
- The MGMT Playbook – a weekly newsletter that gives practical management insights

Through our MGMT courses, my wife Marsden and I have played the assist with over 1,100 leaders so far, who’ve now learned how to:

- Practically tackle the most common leadership challenges
- Build their Management OS’s CODE (Coach, Operate, Delegate, Engage)
- Refine their individual leadership Decision-Making System

With our 30+ years of combined experience, you won’t just get our knowledge.

You’ll get to ask us questions directly and get access to coaching that’s more tailored to your own experience.

We always say – if we could do it like a dinner party, we would.

If you’re interested in leadership advice (that doesn’t just sound nice but actually works), drop me a follow – I post daily.

And if you like what you see, our MGMT courses could be just what you need to level up.

DM me if you’re interested.

Co-Founder

We created the MGMT Accelerator to help managers rapidly develop into trusted leaders by combining the art & science of management. 

This 4-week program consistents of eight 90-minute modules where I share the tactics I learned leading high-performing teams for 25 years. During each session, we tailor those insights together to build your personalized management system together. 

You'll learn alongside ~50 peers and become part of an expert community of more than 300 alums.

The soft skills are sometimes the hardest.

Which is why they're so valuable.

Think about the best person you worked with.
- The one who quietly set the standard.
- The one who made everyone else better. 
- The one you'd want to bring with you.

What made them stand out?

Yes, they were good at their job. 
But there was something more.

It was how they showed up. 

4 Underrated Career Skills:

1. Raise the Energy of the Room
→ Make others feel more capable, not less
→ Add enthusiasm when it's absent
→ Choose optimism

2. Be Enjoyable to Work With
→ Create calm in chaos
→ Blend excellence with enjoyment
→ Become everyone's "go-to" resource

3. Keep Your Commitments
→ Replace "I'll try" with "I will"
→ Build trust through reliable delivery 
→ Promise carefully, deliver consistently

4. Lead Regardless of Title
→ Tackle the problems others avoid
→ Take initiative before it's obvious
→ Make decisions that prioritize progress

The truth about these skills:

They're 100% your choice.
Only 1% do all 4.

And that's your opportunity.

Simple ≠ Easy
That's why it works.

And yes, AI is changing everything. 
Including making these skills more valuable.

⬇️ Which skill has helped your career most?

🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more
♻️ Share to help others grow

Your team doesn't need you to have all the answers,

As long as you ask the right questions. 

Here are 20 questions that:

- Uncover meaningful problems
- Unlock the team's potential
- Unleash breakthrough results

And what you should listen for...

THE WORK (And How Work Gets Done)

1. What does excellence look like?
2. How do we measure success?
3. Name our three critical priorities.
4. Where do you get blocked?
5. Which processes feel unnecessary?

What to listen for:
Can they define exceptional work with specificity? 
Do they know what truly matters versus what's just noise? 
Will they challenge inefficient processes? 

Great teams have clarity and the courage to stay focused.

ENGAGEMENT (What Drives People)

6. What energizes you most?
7. How do you prefer feedback?
8. What skills do you want to build?
9. When were you most proud?
10. Where do you want to be in one year?

What to listen for:
Where does their natural energy flow? 
Do they invite improvement or avoid it? 
Are they driving their own development with purpose? 

Great teams have energy and raise everyone else's.

ALIGNMENT (Staying Connected)

11. How does your work impact our mission?
12. What's our biggest opportunity?
13. Where do you see team friction?
14. What information would help you?
15. What should we stop doing?

What to listen for:
Do they see their strategic value beyond their task list? 
Can they spot future wins and surface hard truths? 
Will they challenge the status quo? 

Great teams have a shared mission and the systems to compound.

MOMENTUM (Progress & Patterns)

16. What's our best improvement this quarter?
17. Where are we falling behind?
18. What problems keep returning?
19. Which changes worked best?
20. "What one change would help most?

What to listen for:
Do they build on wins or just move to the next thing? 
Will they flag real risks honestly? 
Can they spot systemic issues versus one-off problems? 

Great teams have direction and an unstoppable desire to improve.

Remember:

The secret isn't in asking the questions.
It's listening deeply to what follows.

Great questions reveal the truth.
Great leaders do something about it.

Helpful?

🔔 Follow us (Dave Kline and Marsden Kline) for more.
♻️ Share to help others lead with better questions.

The 20 Question to Lead Your Team

Maya Grossman 💪 Career Success Coach

Maya Grossman

I teach high achievers how to break through to executive roles, level up and earn high 6-figures.
My goal is to empower 1,000,000 people to design the career of their dreams.
Why?
Because we deserve to love our jobs, grow and earn our worth. And you can have it all!

CEO, Maya Grossman Group

LinkedIn

Nano Tips On How To Become the CEO of Your Career
In this free course, I'll guide you through how to build an extraordinary career. 
We'll cover topics like:

• 6 ways to get ahead of the career game
• Focusing on outcomes NOT outputs
• The fastest way to grow your career
• How to expand your role by taking on more responsibility
• How to make an impact in your first 30 days
• How to get feedback to grow faster
• How to create your own career opportunities
• How to ditch your limiting beliefs 
• How to become a career athlete

If you go through this course you'll learn how to become the CEO of your own career! 
Take 11 minutes to change the trajectory of your career!

LinkedIn Learning Instructor

Canvas

Joined to build the marketing team, grew qualified pipeline 3x Q/Q, doubled ARR Y/Y, helped secure Series C at $400M valuation.

• Built the marketing team including the recruitment of key departmental leaders.
• Built out demand generation function and process from the ground up, grew qualified pipeline 3x Q/Q.
• Helped double ARR Y/Y (and grow to eight figures) with 25% coming from marketing. 
• Developed a new brand strategy to lead the company's move up market.
• Repositioned the company to become thought leaders and category owners for Diversity Recruiting. 
• Increase brand awareness with thought leadership and features on Forbes, TechCrunch, Fortune, and 50+ more.
• Helped secure a $50M Series C funding round.

Vice President Marketing

Google

Advised Google Launchpad team on building their brand and positioning their offer in the market with differentiated messaging

• Led product marketing including customer development, competitive analysis, positioning, and branding
• Developed go-to-market strategy for North America and Europe expansion
• Advised on marketing programs and launch campaigns
• Advised the entire leadership bench on team management, effective communication, and cross-functional collaboration.

Strategic Advisor, Product Marketing 

Colu

Colu is a VC backed startup ($40M) with a mission to build the future of local mobile payments.

• Executive leadership with full responsibility for branding, positioning, product marketing, demand gen, go-to-market and sales enablement. Hired and led a team of six that drove a 10x growth in SMB customer base
👉 Planned and executed multi-channel launch campaigns for new features 
👉 Developed integrated marketing campaigns for multiple customer segments: 
Improved conversion 0.3% --> 7% & reduced acquisition costs by 15%
• Conceived a viral referral program that accounted for 30% of new users (best-performing acquisition channel)
• Increased retention beyond the industry benchmark (5% to 15%) by developing a new onboarding process & introducing marketing automation
• Empowered the company’s move upmarket by developing a new go-to-market strategy and developing sales enablement programs. Enabled sales to secure the first six-figure deal


Winner: 2018 startup of the year award.

The Brief, A Podcast About Marketing

Microsoft

• Positioned Microsoft’s accelerator program as the market leader and drove thousands of applications per year by developing a meticulously thought out branding and positioning strategy
• Drove Microsoft tools adoption among accelerator startups by leading the development of
engaging case studies and educational content ranging from blog posts to podcasts and videos
• Secured high-profile keynotes, op-eds and drove new partnerships with VCs and enterprise partners through an always-on thought leadership strategy. Featured on The New York Times, CNBC, Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat. Keynotes at MWC & Web Summit.
• Engaged with thousands of potential applicants by developing an extensive video testimonial program (50+ videos) for sales enablement
• Managed internal communications, leading cross-company collaborations with various Microsoft groups.
• Designed sales training for field marketing team
• 2x Accelerator of the Year award winner

Head of Global Product Marketing, Microsoft For Startups

SodaStream International, Ltd.

Joined the company’s headquarters to develop and lead the global digital marketing strategy used in 46 countries. Crafted a strategy to promote SodaStream's products online by understanding the current market environment and developing digital programs to drive customer awareness and consideration.
• Owned all digital aspects of product launch campaigns in North America, UK, Australia, Germany, and Japan.
• Managed demand generation, including content, social media, and paid advertising campaigns, to drive consumer awareness and adoption. Managed more than $1M in media, mostly in the US market.
• Led the development of a new e-commerce product, generating 40% growth in sales YoY.

Head of Digital Marketing

Blonde 2.0

Blonde 2.0 is an award-winning PR and digital agency, with offices in Israel and North America.

• Built and led a strong PR and communications team to support the company’s growth: grew the team from 5 to 25; delivered 10x revenue growth
• Planned and oversaw execution of product launch and go-to-market campaigns for more than 30 clients, including HP, Microsoft, Viber, Yotpo and Mobli
• Built a goal-oriented framework and initiated an ongoing reporting process
• Created systems to hold the team accountable to revenue and customer satisfaction metrics

Executive Director, PR and Communications

ABT is an international travel agency (IL/NYC/LON/HKG) catering to the needs of business travelers.

As one of the first marketers, I initiated the company’s digital marketing strategy 
Built & managed inbound and outbound communications including email, blog & social media 
Worked with the business development team to generate marketing-driven leads.

Previous roles:
Department Head
Travel agent
Travel agent assistant
Customer support representative

Marketing Manager

I will make you VP | Executive Coach and Corporate Rebel | 2x VP Marketing | Ex Google, Microsoft | Best-Selling Author

Hey, I'm Maya 👋
At the age of 27 I hit rock bottom - I completely burnt out trying to overwork my way into a promotion. 
Fast forward 15 years and I gained 10 promotions, worked for companies like Microsoft and Google, landed two VP roles at hyper growth startups, earned high six figures and actually enjoyed my 9-5.

What changed?
I stopped letting my career happen to me, and instead started managing it like a business.
I learned what it really takes to break through to executive roles, stopped making the mistakes that were holding me back, and developed the executive skills that got me noticed.

Today I am an executive career coach and my goal is to help you demystify what it takes to break through to executive roles, and build the bridge between where you are today, and where you want to be in your wildest dreams.

I want to save you the time, effort, and headache of figuring it out on your own and give you the playbook for achieving anything you want in your career.

My mission? To empower 1,000,000 high achievers to build the career of their dreams.


My brag list:

→ International best-selling author. Ranked  #1 new release for career books on Amazon.

→ 150,000+ followers across platforms, 70M views for my daily career advice
 
→ LinkedIn instructor (34,000 + learners, 4.7/5)

→ Named top 50 rising experts (US) and top 12 in Austin in 2023

→ Coached hundreds of high achievers to success on their terms​


If you are ready to level up in your career:

JOIN MY WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: Become VP Ready in 10 Minutes Per Week

Win the corporate game in 2025. Join 50,000+ high achievers receiving weekly actionable guides and proven strategies to level up into executive roles in months not years. 

www.mayagrossman.com/email


SUCCESS BUILDERS: BECOME THE OBVIOUS VP - 3-MONTHS GROUP COACHING PROGRAM

The exact steps to level up from Director to VP in months not years, without an MBA or working 80/h weeks

www.mayagrossman.com/SB


PRIVATE 1:1 COACHING

For senior executives who want to become first time VPs, or crush their first VP role.
I only offer 5 spots quarterly, and they require a 6-months commitment.

DM me for details.

Founder, Maya Grossman Consulting

My business just crossed 7 figures.
Not in 4 weeks.
In 4 years.

And I want to say that out loud because the internet has completely warped people’s expectations of what growth should look like.

When I left corporate, 
I was earning less that I did in my VP roles.
That was true in year 1 and year 2...

and honestly, even year 3…

It was humbling.
It was uncomfortable.
It was the price of starting over and becoming a learner again.

But here’s what nobody tells you.
Every skill you build in that “dip” becomes the reason you rise later.

This year?

I earned more than I ever made in any corporate job.
And now the business will keep compounding.

One of the best things I learned from Alex Hormozi is to think on a long enough time horizon.
Years, not weeks or months.

You don’t plant a seed and panic when it doesn’t sprout by Tuesday.

Same with careers.
Same with entrepreneurship.
Same with reinvention.

The good news is that there is a massive upside.
Once you develop new skills, capabilities and even an identity
You become an expert again.

Only this time the payback is bigger.
And you design it on your terms.

This was the year I’ve earned the most, but worked the least.
So if you’re in the messy middle right now, don’t quit.

You’re not behind.
You’re building.

Skills compound.
Visibility compounds.
Opportunity compounds.
Confidence compounds.

A year from now, you’ll be grateful you didn’t tap out.
Four years from now, you might not even recognize your life.

Keep going.
Improve a little.
Grow a little.

Stay in the game long enough for the work to kick in.
That’s how real transformations happen.

P.S. I wrote this check to myself at the beginning of this year.
Got there before December :-)

No alternative text description for this image

Promotions don’t go to the most qualified person.

They go to the person who looks most ready for what’s next.

After reviewing dozens of promotion cases, I noticed five subtle habits that quietly kill people’s chances:

(Even when they’re doing great work)


1. Doing Your Work in Silence
 
 ↳ Hard work that no one sees doesn’t exist

 ↳ Silence creates an information gap leaders fill with assumptions

 ↳ Share wins as lessons, not bragging: “Here’s what worked and why”

 
2. Ignoring Relationships
 
 ↳ Promotions are political, advocacy drives advancement
 
 ↳ No advocates = no promotion conversation
 
 ↳ Build a power map, start insight chats, add value
 

3. Staying Invisible Outside Your Team
 
 ↳ Strong managers get stuck, enterprise thinkers get promoted
 
 ↳ If your impact stops at your team, execs can’t see you as a peer
 
 ↳ Join cross-functional projects, present at leadership forums

 
4. Over-Explaining Instead of Being Concise
 
 ↳ Execs don’t want the process, they want the point
 
 ↳ Too much detail = tactical, not strategic
 
 ↳ Use BLUF: Bottom Line Up Front
 

5. Sending Low-Level Updates
 
 ↳ “We ran 3 campaigns” = execution
 
 ↳ “We’re on track to exceed Q4 targets” = executive
 
 ↳ Translate tasks into outcomes
 

The truth about promotions:
They’re not just about performance.
They’re about perception.


If you’ve been stuck at the same level, this might be why.

Be honest: Which one have you caught yourself doing recently?

⬇️ Drop the number in the comments.

I was a top performer.

Then my boss broke my spirit with one sentence.

It happened 18 months into my role at the company
After leading a profitable multi-million dollar project

I was presenting my strategy for the quarter when he said:
I don’t think you have what it takes.

I was actually lost for words
And I’m never quiet.

And at first I didn’t see it.
I thought: I messed up
That strategy wasn’t good enough.
I’ll try harder.

But...
Nothing I did from that point on wasn’t good enough.
But the real damage?
I started doubting myself.

It took 6 months to finally realize:
This manager’s behavior was straight up sabotage.

- Dismissing my ideas
- Asking to review every piece of work
- Speaking over me when others are around
- Ignoring my input even when I have data

It seems obvious now 
But it was hard to see it then
My self-esteem was at rock bottom
Because of one person’s opinion.

Here’s how I broke free (and what I teach my clients):
You can’t let one person’s opinion dictate your future.
So just like you do in anything else in life - get a second opinion.

I went back to old managers and asked for feedback.
Spoke with colleagues and other leaders at the company.
The evidence was overwhelming…
I was a star
But I was burning too bright for one person.

So… I left.
Took my incompetence elsewhere and:

Became an award winning marketer
Landed 2 VP roles
Started a successful business

Imagine where I would be now if I had listened to that voice?

So my advice if you are in a similar situation?
Get a second and third opinion.
Prove to yourself you are not the problem.
And find another place to grow.

Your future self would thank you.

One person’s opinion doesn’t define you. Learn how to own your value and lead with confidence → https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

graphical user interface, text, application, chat or text message

You’re aiming for a VP role...

But still showing up like a manager.

Here’s the disconnect:

At the individual contributor level, effort = progress.

At the executive level? Signals = progress.

Where most professionals get stuck:

1️⃣ They work harder

→ But VPs aren’t chosen for output.

→ They’re chosen for decisions, influence, and leverage.

2️⃣ They wait for recognition

→ ICs can hope their work speaks for itself.

→ Executives get promoted because others already see them as leaders.

3️⃣ They think results are enough

→ Truth: Execution is assumed.

→ What matters is whether you can operate at the next level.

The fix isn’t more work.

It’s shifting how you show up.

If your promotion feels “stalled” but you’re not sure why…

Start asking yourself:

Am I sending IC signals or VP signals?

The promotion isn’t waiting for your effort. It’s waiting for your signals. Learn how to send the right ones → https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

li_at

JSESSIONID

Talks about #careercoaching, #peakperformance, #leadershipadvice, #successfulcareer, and #executivecoaching

You’re aiming for a VP role

Quiet excellence is beautiful, but it’s also a trap.


Linda Raynier CPA, CA talks about this in her new book The Quiet Achiever, and honestly, I see it play out with Directors every week.

You work hard.
You deliver.
You stay humble.

You think the results should speak for themselves.

The problem is... results don’t talk.

People do.

And the people deciding promotions only know the impact they see, not the impact you hope they somehow absorb through osmosis.

This is why so many high performers stay stuck one level below where they should be.

If you want to be VP-ready, take the lesson Linda nails in her book:

Make your excellence visible in a way that feels strategic, not showy.

That looks like:

• Turning great work into insights leaders can act on
• Translating your wins into business outcomes
• Sharing progress in a way that helps leaders make better decisions
• Making it easy for them to retell your impact in closed-door rooms

This isn’t bragging.

This is making your value clear.

Executives don’t promote the quietest achiever.

They promote the clearest one.

I loved Linda’s book and I think you will too! 
It speaks directly to high performers who don’t want to shout, but still want to rise.

If that sounds like you, The Quiet Achiever is worth picking up.

Author, “The Quiet Achiever” (Wiley) | Keynote Speaker | Leadership & Communication Coach | Corporate Trainer | Helping Quiet Professionals Express Inner Confidence | 2.6M+ LinkedIn Learners | 998K+ YouTube

I used to think my career was stalled because I wasn’t doing enough.

So I pushed harder:

→ More projects
→ Longer hours
→ Extra responsibilities

But nothing changed.

Leadership still saw me as “reliable,” not ready.

That’s when I realized

I didn’t have a performance problem.
I had a perception problem.

Here’s what that looked like:

→ My results spoke, but not in leadership language
→ My wins were noticed, but not remembered
→ My effort was praised, but not rewarded

That’s the perception gap.

And the longer it goes unnoticed, the more invisible you become.

Everything shifted when I started closing that gap:

→ Speaking like a decision-maker, not just a doer
→ Framing my wins around strategy, not effort
→ Showing up like a leader before I had the title

That’s when people started advocating for me.

That’s when promotions followed.

If you’ve ever felt stuck even though you’re doing everything “right”

It’s not about working harder.
It’s about being seen differently.

That’s what I’ll teach you inside my free masterclass:
How to break out of the high performer → low reward cycle.

Hard work builds results. 
Visibility builds careers. 
Learn how to get both: 

https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

High Performers Stay Stuck for Years

I used to think self-promotion was the scary part.

But that wasn’t it.

The truth?

I was terrified I’d speak up and still be passed over.

Because if I put myself out there and got rejected,

It would feel like confirmation:

Maybe I’m not ready.

Maybe I’m not good enough.

So I did what most high performers do.

I kept my head down, worked hard and waited to be noticed.

And when the promotion didn’t come, I told myself:

"Just work harder. Just be patient."

But deep down, I knew I was hiding.

Avoiding the moment of truth.

Because if I didn’t ask...

I couldn’t be rejected.

And if I wasn’t rejected…

I could still hold onto the hope that maybe I was good enough.

Eventually, I realized something that changed everything:

Fear doesn’t protect you. It guarantees you’ll stay stuck.

The only way to actually know if you’re ready…

Is to make the ask.

Have the conversation.

Put yourself in the room.

Because when you advocate for yourself — one of two things happens:

1. You get a yes
2. Or you get real, tangible feedback you can act on

Either way, you’re further ahead than before.

Advocating for yourself is the test.

Not just of your readiness, but of your willingness to lead.

It’s how you shape perception.

Attract support.

Build momentum.

The real risk isn’t what if I’m not chosen?

The real risk is staying invisible just to avoid finding out.

If you’ve been playing it safe and hiding… ask yourself:

What’s one way you could advocate for yourself this month?

Want some help? Start here: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

At Microsoft, I thought saying yes to everything would make me indispensable.

And it did.

But here’s what nobody tells you:

When you’re indispensable in execution...

You’re also trapped in execution.

And that’s the ceiling.

I was the one solving problems at 11pm.

Running projects nobody else wanted.

Making myself essential.

But the more essential I became at my level, the harder it was for anyone to imagine me at the next.

Here’s the aha:

Executives aren’t measured by what they personally deliver.

They’re measured by the altitude they operate at.

So if you want VP, here’s the move:

→ Stop proving you can do it all.

→ Start proving you can build systems, people, and priorities that run without you.

That’s the paradox of promotion:

The more you show they can’t live without you, the more they’ll keep you right where you are.

If you’re still saying yes to everything, you’re not signaling readiness. You’re signaling you’re stuck.

You don’t get promoted by doing it all. You get promoted by learning what to let go of. Learn how → https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

You can’t get promoted by burning out.

When I first started aiming for bigger roles, I thought staying busy was the answer.

If I could just:
→ Stay ahead of every request
→ Say yes to everything
→ Prove I could handle anything

...then someone would finally see I was ready.

And for a while, it felt like progress.

My calendar was full.
My team leaned on me.
I was the person who got things done.

On the surface? It looked like momentum.
But behind the scenes?
I was running on fumes.

And the worst part?
The opportunities weren’t coming.

It felt like I was doing everything right
But somehow, still being passed over.

Here’s what I didn’t realize at the time:

You can be the most capable person in the room
And still not be seen as leadership material.

Because getting promoted isn’t about staying busy.
It’s about being seen as ready.

That looks more like:
→ Creating space to think ahead
→ Letting go of tasks so you can lead
→ Making smart decisions without over explaining

I had to learn (the hard way) that burnout wasn’t a sign I was close.
It was a sign I was off track.

When you're burned out, you lose your edge.
You get reactive, not strategic.
And you create the wrong perception.
Struggling instead of in control.

And if you don’t shift out of that?
You will burn out.
And have nothing to show for.

Yes. Results matter.
But people also need to see you as someone who can lead at the next level.

Bottom line:
If you are aiming for bigger roles, don't make my mistake.

If you’re doing “all the right things” but still not moving up?

Ask yourself:

Is this really about doing more?
Or is it time to show up differently?

You can start here: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

My path to VP wasn’t linear.

I didn’t check all the boxes.

I wasn’t tapped on the shoulder.

And I definitely wasn’t the “perfect candidate” on paper.

Here’s what it looked like instead:

Skipped for promotion twice.

17 rejections to be a Director.

A sideways move into a role that felt like a step back.

For a while, I thought every detour meant I was falling behind.

But looking back, those “setbacks” were actually the experiences that set me apart:

- The rejections taught me what companies really value at the executive level.
- The sideways move gave me skills no one else on my team had.
- The “not yets” forced me to build resilience I’d need as a VP.

That’s when it clicked:

The fastest path to the top is almost never straight up.

It’s the zigzags that give you leverage when the right door finally opens.

Here’s the lesson:

Linear is safe.

Linear is predictable.

But linear is also a myth.

You don’t have to stay perfectly on track.

You just need to turn moves into momentum.

👉 So if your career isn’t following a perfect line, stop beating yourself up. 
The “messy middle” might be the very thing that gets you to VP.

(That role that felt junior?
It got me into Microsoft, positioned me as an industry expert and then...
Got me my first VP role)

If you’re in the messy middle, this 25-minute masterclass will help you turn every move into momentum: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

Most Directors fail the VP test because they never leave the weeds.

They’re brilliant at execution.
They deliver flawless results.
They’re the people you can trust to “just get it done.”

But here’s the problem:

At VP level, no one is measuring execution anymore.

They’re measuring altitude.

I learned this the hard way.

For years, I stayed close to the details.

I felt safe there.
If I controlled the work, nothing could go wrong.

But the higher I climbed, the more it held me back.

Because while I was buried in details...

The executives were looking for someone who could zoom out.
Someone who could see two quarters ahead.
Who could explain why we were doing something, not just how.

That’s what altitude is:

Lifting above the weeds to see, decide, and direct.

The moment I shifted from being the “executor” to being the “Driver,” the conversations changed.

Suddenly, my updates weren’t just tasks.

They were strategy.
My conversations weren’t just status reports
They were setting direction. 

If you’re aiming for VP, ask yourself:

Are you operating at ground level?
Or are you climbing to the right altitude?

Because promotions don’t happen in the weeds.

This is not an easy shift to make.
Steal my strategy: 

https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

If you are uncomfortable speaking up in meetings...
I hear you. I used to be you.

I would listen to all the executives 
Wait for an opening or something smart to add...
And then lose the courage and stay quiet.

Oh, I also beat myself up afterwards for chickening out.

But the thing is, I needed to be vocal in those meetings.
These are the daily moments where reputation is created.

Because not speaking? 
It sent a message.
"I have nothing to say"

And that doesn't paint a picture of a leader.

Meetings are where reputations are made.
Use them to show strategic clarity.

Use this formula the next time you want to speak, but not sure what to say:

Here is the problem I'm working on
Here is what we've learned
This is what I recommend

This structure says: I don't just execute. I lead.
And it gives you an easy structure to follow.


Try it at your next leadership meetings and you'll see you are not as comfortable as you thought you'll be.

What helps you speak up when there are senior people in the room?

These 3 habits scream you’re not ready for VP
Even if you’re crushing your goals:

1. Saying yes to everything.
 Executives aren’t measured on how much they take on. They’re measured on what they prioritise. If you can’t say no, you look like a doer, not a leader.
 
2. Chasing perfection. 
 At VP level, speed and clarity beat perfection. Leaders are rewarded for moving the business forward, not polishing decks at 11pm.
 
3. Avoiding delegation.
 If you’re still hoarding tasks, you’re signalling you can’t operate at scale. Executives are trusted with *scope* — and that means multiplying impact through others.

I made all three mistakes.

And they nearly cost me my promotion.

The truth?

Self-sabotage at this level doesn’t look like failure.

It looks like overwork.

It looks like doing “too much.”

It looks like playing small while convincing yourself you’re playing big.

When I finally broke those patterns, I went from “reliable Director” to “obvious VP.”

So ask yourself today:

Which of these habits are you still holding onto?

Because doing them better won’t get you promoted.

Dropping them will.

Let me show you how: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

When I was passed over for the 3rd time, I told myself a story:

“Maybe I’m not cut out for VP.”

That story felt safe.

It explained away my disappointment.

But it was also the most dangerous thing I could believe.

Because here’s the truth:

Most people who get passed over aren’t lacking capability.

They’re lacking visibility.

I wasn’t missing skills.

I was missing the perception shift that turns “strong Director” into “obvious VP.”

So I stopped playing the part of the dependable workhorse.

And I started acting like the leader they couldn’t afford to overlook:

- I mapped the promotion criteria nobody talks about.
- I asked senior leaders for direct feedback.
- I learned how to share my wins in a way that made my impact undeniable.

That’s when the narrative flipped.

The same leaders who once said “not yet” started saying:

“We can’t afford to lose her. She’s our next VP.”

Here’s the real lesson:

If you’ve been overlooked, it’s not because you’re not ready.

It’s because they don’t see you as ready.

And if you don’t control that story — someone else will.

👉 If you’re still waiting for your work to “speak for itself,” how many more promotions are you willing to watch pass you by?

Let’s change that. Start here: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

Too many high achievers in tech get this wrong:
(and it’s costing them the next promotion)

They believe their performance is the key to becoming executives.

So they double down on doing more:

→ They take on stretch projects

→ They support cross-functional teams

→ They do everything their manager asks

They basically work around the clock...

But the promotion doesn’t come.

Because… your work only accounts for 10% of the promotion criteria.

According to the PIE theory of success this is what actually drives career growth:

→ 10% = Performance — how well you do your job

→ 30% = Image — how others perceive your leadership potential

→ 60% = Exposure — who knows about your work and connects it to business impact

In other words:

Doing the work is only 10% of what gets you promoted.

That means if you’re spending all your time executing—

You’re missing the 90% that actually moves the needle.

So what can you do instead?
You can’t drop everything you are doing and just work on your image.
But you can start shifting your focus.

Be more selective with what you say yes to.
Delegate, automate or eliminate work that isn’t critical.
Start allocating time for visibility and relationship building.

Over time you’ll shift the balance.
Here’s your benchmark:

At the Director level aim for:

→ 50% on execution

→ 50% on visibility, perception, and strategy

By the time you're aiming for VP:

→ Spend 80% leading across teams, shaping direction, and being seen as a peer to execs

→ Only 20% in the weeds

Bottom line:
This is what builds executive presence.

That’s what gets you promoted.

If you’re ready to stop hoping they’ll notice—and start positioning yourself to lead join my free masterclass: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

Quiet excellence sounds respectable.

Until your louder, less-skilled colleague gets the job, the deal, the raise.

When I was a Director, I thought working harder would fix everything.
Heads down. Crushing it. 
Delivering results that made other teams look slow.

But promotions? Crickets.

Opportunities? Always one step away.

And slowly, the truth started to sting.

Being the best kept secret never pays the bills.

Not in business.

Not in your career.

And definitely not in a world that rewards visibility.

I used to think self-promotion was bragging.

That being good *should* be enough.

But then I realized: It’s not just about being the best.

It’s about being seen.

You can’t help more people if they don’t know you exist.

You can’t lead if no one knows you’re ready.

You can’t grow if no one knows your name.

So here’s what I know now:

The work matters.

But the *story* about the work? That’s what opens doors.

Because in a noisy world, being brilliant *and* invisible is a losing strategy.

Visibility isn’t vanity.

It’s leverage.

And that’s what gets you paid.

Not sure where to start?
Here is your blueprint: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

For a long time, I thought executive presence was all about what you said.

The right words.

The perfect pitch.

The confident answer.

But the truth?

Presence happens before you speak.

It’s in how you show up.

How you carry yourself.

How the room feels when you enter.

→ Your posture.

→ Your eye contact.

→ Your ability to listen without jumping in.

These non-verbal cues?

They speak louder than any title ever could.

I’ve seen people lead a room just by standing still.

Command attention without raising their voice.

Earn respect before saying a word.

Because executive presence isn’t about being the loudest.

It’s about being the clearest.

So if you’re working on your leadership

Don’t just focus on what you say.

Start with what you show:

✔️ Stand tall.

✔️ Hold the room.

✔️ Own your energy.

✔️ Lead with intention.

You don’t need more words to lead.

You need more presence.

The room feels your energy before it hears your words. Learn to lead with both in this 25-minute masterclass: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

I got a VP role without a VP title on my resume.

And no, I didn’t “fake it till I made it.”

I didn’t wait my turn.

And I definitely didn’t get it by applying cold to a job board.

Here’s what actually worked:

I got clear on exactly what I wanted:
Not just “more responsibility,” but the actual title, the scope, and the kind of company where it made sense.

(I knew I had better odds at a startup than a Fortune 100.)

Then I built credibility before I needed it:

→ Wrote for publications

→ Spoke at events

→ Launched a podcast

→ Made my name visible in my niche

Instead of applying online, I started conversations.

Because I knew the moment someone saw “Director” on a resume, I’d get filtered out.

So I skipped the filter entirely.

But what I needed before all the tactics?
I had to believe I could operate at the VP level before anyone else would.

That came from talking to real VPs.

Noticing how they spoke.

What they did.

And realizing I wasn’t far off.
I could hold my own in those rooms.

So I went for it.

Found a company that was willing to bet on me.

And then I worked by b*tt off to prove they made the right decision. 

Here’s my biggest lesson:
You don’t have to wait to wait for the title.

You just need to start positioning yourself for the opportunity you want.

I’m curious: What’s the next role you’re ready for—on the inside—even if your title doesn’t show it yet?

I walk through this full strategy step-by-step in a short 25-minute masterclass: 
https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

How I landed a VP role… when my title said Director

I used to think executive presence was something you either had... or you didn’t.

I believed:
→ If I just keep proving myself, it will happen.
→ If I deliver perfectly, someone will notice.
→ If I’m reliable enough, I’ll be seen as a leader.

But here’s the truth:
That mindset kept me invisible.

Because executive presence isn’t built on harder work.
It’s built on the small, daily habits that change how leaders see you.

Here are 5 micro-habits that shift you from being seen as a reliable doer → to being noticed as VP-ready:

→ Turn updates into strategic highlights connect execution to business impact.
→ Speak first in meetings open with context or perspective to set the tone.
→ Follow recognition with reflection show what made success possible (and repeatable).
→ Ask better questions influence the room by shifting conversations.
→ Narrate your leadership explain the why behind your priorities and decisions.

Executive presence isn’t about charisma.
It’s about practicing these small habits until people no longer see you as the executor… but as the leader shaping the bigger picture.

Because careers don’t scale on hard work alone.
They scale when you learn to lead out loud.

You already have the skills. Now it’s time to be seen as a leader. Start here → https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

Executive Presence isn’t about charisma

"I just need to keep showing up and they'll notice."

The lie I told myself - every week for 18 months.

60-hour weeks. Zero guidance. Feeling invisible.

Here's what a year and a half of overworking taught me:

Hard work doesn't get you promoted.

It just makes you the “dependable one”.

And some days, it quietly burns you out.

No one said it out loud but:

You don’t get noticed for extra effort.
You get relied on.

You don’t get credit for fixing fires.
You get assigned new ones.

You don’t get promoted for loyalty.
You get labeled “not ready yet.”

My reality looked like this:
60-hour weeks
Always on top of everything
But it became the norm, so no reward
So I tried harder
Felt frustrated when no one noticed.

I ate lunch at 4 p.m. because I forgot.

Stayed glued to my desk for 9 hours straight.

Took "quick calls" during dinner.

Updated decks at 11 p.m. - just in case they needed it by morning.

I told myself this was part of earning it.

But deep down, I knew I was stuck.

And nothing changed until I learned what really mattered.

Here's my 4-part Executive Reset Framework:

Positioning Over People-Pleasing
→ Built an executive story around outcomes, not effort
→ Learned to speak in metrics, not tasks

Strategy Over Sacrifice
→ Aligned my work to business goals
→ Stopped saying yes to everything

Visibility Over Volume
→ Shared impact in leadership's language
→ Positioned myself for the room I wanted to be in

Promotion Over Perfection
→ Prepped for the process before it started
→ Understood what decision-makers really look for

The result?

After 17 rejections, I finally got the promotion.
And I worked less, not more.
As a VP I fell into the same trap... but this time bounced back faster.
I worked my butt off, but I focused on the right things.
And I disconnected over the weekend
And took time off (after 4 years without PTO)

You don't earn executive roles by being helpful.

You earn them by being high-impact.

So tell me - how long have you been working hard and waiting to be noticed?

___

Here's my full VP promotion blueprint so you can stop hustling and start positioning: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

taplio

The Battle

Dave Kline

Maya Grossman

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreDave Kline's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMaya Grossman's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Dave Kline

Maya Grossman

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Dave Kline's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMaya Grossman's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreDave Kline's LinkedIn Performance