Incept Your Boss Into Promoting You, Leo DiCaprio Style

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Think of yourself as a human iPhone.


In your teens you're running OS Girl 1.0. By your 20s, you've upgraded to Girl 2.0. Maybe by your 30s, Woman 1.0 but then, if you've had the opportunity to refine your processes, leverage some resources, change can happen faster. Maybe now, in your mid-career you're embarking on Woman 2.0 and in some cases 3.0.


These upgrades all come with new features, and in some cases, entirely new packaging. Over the years your internal engineers have been tinkering. Within, you feel your run speed quicken, your features sharpen. You even have more inclusive & culturally relevant emojis. 👩🏾‍⚕️ 🧑🏻‍🎤 👩‍👩‍👧 🥟 🛺


Unlike an iPhone, you don't have a multi-million dollar marketing strategy to disseminate the news of your transformative new features. You've got you, responsible for understanding and marketing your story. And for that, it helps to have consistency.

Did you ever see the movie, Inception?


Confusing as it was, I'm pretty sure the plot was about a bunch of thought ninjas who went into the dreams of powerful men and "incepted" ideas into their minds so they would do things their clients wanted. Or not. For the purposes of this mixed metaphor, it will be.


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Until we develop nanotech capable of blasting Leo DiCaprio into your subconscious, we must fid our own way to do what I call "incepting your boss."

To begin you:Until we develop nanotech capable of blasting Leo DiCaprio into your subconscious, we must find our own way to do what I call "incepting your boss."

To begin you:

  • Know what we are about, our value

  • Vocalize it consistently

  • Back it up with relevant actions & projects

So that everyone in your org knows, believes and disseminates the key message that you're doing a great job and should be rewarded to the point where your boss wakes up come promotion time and says "Gee, [insert your name] is doing a great job and should be rewarded."

Is this manipulative or just a clean understanding of how the human mind makes decisions?

I have my thoughts.

Your boss wants to promote you.

They just may not know it yet.

Help them.

Alex Cooleyjob promotion, when to apply for a promotion, how to get a promotion, how to get my boss to like me