Below is the first of a two-part posting on getting promoted.

1. Do what you say.  Finish what you start.  Be on time.  Say please and thank you.  Be friendly.  Smile.  While a lot more is needed to have success in a job, it’s rare to consistently miss one of these and zoom your way to the top. 
2. Over perform.  It’s said a person behaves as though they’re in the position above them before they get a promotion.  If you’re not sure of the job standard or what’s expected, ask.
3. Proactively help.  There are a lot of moving parts in an organization.  Those that step up and create solutions for problems without being asked, get noticed.
4. When help’s requested, step up.  When opportunities arise to help on something outside of your current role, do it.
5. Put the firm first.  When it comes to decisions that could “go either way” – in favor of you or in favor of the firm – err on the side of the firm.  If you’re in a responsible organization and they see you doing this, they’ll probably offer up what you wanted in the end.  Don’t work the edges, live in the grey area, or shirk responsibilities.
6. Show care.  When it comes to events in the lives of your co-workers or team members, show concern.  If they’re having issues, demonstrate your care and offer support and help.  Be there for the big events.  The former mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani, said, in response to attending events of his employees “Weddings are optional.  Funerals are mandatory.”
7. Promote your firm.  Say good things.  If you’re a writer or speaker, do so on behalf of your firm.
8. Build cooperation.  It’s rare to get something done in an organization (including getting promoted) as an island.  If you need cooperation, ask for it.  If people say they’ll support you, they’ll want to follow thru on that commitment.  In 1987, a social scientist named Anthony Greenwald asked voters on election-day eve if they’d vote.  100% said yes. On election day, 86.7% of those asked went to the polls compared to 61.5% of those in the “control group” who were not asked. 
9. Be liked.  Some might say—ala Patton or other stern leaders—this doesn’t matter.  It does.  Author and social scientist Robert Cialdini, said, “People prefer to say ‘yes’ to those they know and like," People are also more likely to favor those who are similar to themselves or give them compliments.   According to Cialdini, in 2005, Randy Garner mailed out surveys to strangers with a request to return them. The request was signed by a person whose name was either similar or dissimilar to the recipient’s. For example, Bob Johnson might receive a survey request from Rob Johnston.  According to the study in Yes!, "Those who received the survey from someone with a similar-sounding name were nearly twice as likely to fill out and return the packet as those who received the surveys from dissimilar sounding names."
10. If you want to be in leadership, know what leadership means.  Dale Carnegie does a great job making leadership, a word that’s overused, tangible.  According to Carnegie, leaders:

• Define a vision
• Build understanding of the vision throughout the team
• Create strategies and work plans to accomplish the vision
• Align the goals of individuals to execute the strategies and work plans
• Delegate and define performance standards
• Hold team members accountable to standards and work plans
• Plan
• Communicate
• Praise team members
• Gain cooperation
• Solve problems
• Take sensible risks
• Help grow the skills of team members
• Celebrate success

Look for tips 11-20 in a follow-up posting...