Inside the Promotion Room

Courtney O'Connell
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Careers

Inside the Promotion Room is a career advancement and leadership podcast for corporate professionals who want to get ahead. Because, there's a conversation happening right now in a room somewhere in your company about who's getting promoted next, and you're not in the room. Most people never are. Inside the Promotion Room is the show that changes that. Every week, host Courtney O'Connell (a former Fortune 500 SVP and Head of HR with 23 years inside corporate America) sits down with senior leaders, executives, and career trailblazers to pull back the curtain on what really happens when talent gets assessed, careers get made, and promotions get decided. This isn't a show about working harder. It's a show about working smarter and understanding the unwritten rules that separate high performers who plateau from the ones who rise. Each episode goes inside the real stories: the pivotal moments, the relationships that changed everything, the mistakes that almost derailed great careers, and the hard-won wisdom that most leaders only share behind closed doors. What you'll hear every week: → How leaders actually climbed the ladder (and not the polished version - We go deep!) → What decision-makers are really looking for in up-and-coming talent → The role of executive presence, visibility, and reputation in getting ahead at work → How successful people navigated setbacks, politics, and work-life reality → The conversations that happen in rooms you're not in and how to make sure your reputation is clear and deliberate Inside the Promotion Room is for every high-achieving leader who is ready to become the undeniable choice for that next big opportunity.

  1. 2d ago

    What Gets You Promoted? Darrell Fincher-Crusan on the Truth About People-Pleasing and Career Pivots

    Courtney reconnects with a former Bank of America colleague for a conversation that goes further behind the promotion room door than most. Darrell spent nine years as a bank collector before making the pivot into HR, eventually rising to head of HR roles across financial services and biopharma, and he's candid about what it actually took to get there: the degrees earned while working full time with two small kids at home, the jobs he didn't get despite being "ready," and the toll of being what he calls a recovering people pleaser. "You can lie to your brain, you can lie to your heart, but you can never lie to your body," he tells Courtney, and the two of them dig into what happens when ambition outruns self-awareness. This episode earns its place in the promotion room because of what Darrell has seen from the inside of actual talent discussions. He names the exact behaviors that quietly take people off the list for bigger roles, the difference between being productive and being strategic, and why "how you do things is more important sometimes than what you do." They also get into sponsorship as a two-way exchange, why executive presence is really about the energy you're putting off without realizing it, and the one question that separates a good career pivot from a bad one: are you running away from something, or running toward it? Whether you're managing a team for the first time or eyeing the next seat up, this one leaves you with a real audit to run on yourself, not just a feel-good takeaway. Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome back and reconnecting after years apart 00:24 - How Courtney and Darrell first crossed paths at Bank of America 02:58 - The trajectory Darrell thought he was on, and the one he found instead 03:36 - The man behind the resume: growing up in South Bend, Indiana 04:40 - Wanting to wear a suit, and finding his own path there 05:14 - Leaving college, coming home, and landing in collections 05:43 - Nine years as a collector, then the pivot at thirty 06:38 - Learning to trust intuition instead of the plan 08:19 - Self-inflicted pressure versus family pressure 09:00 - Unpacking people pleasing: what it cost him 09:39 - "You can lie to your brain, but you can never lie to your body" 10:31 - The Body Keeps Score, and Courtney's own health wake-up call 14:51 - Head of HR at a fintech during an economic downturn 15:33 - Rebuilding HR from scratch at a biopharma company 16:58 - His biggest regret, and learning to let go of the work 19:03 - Tactics versus strategy: why busy isn't the same as effective 21:01 - The three biggest Achilles heels holding strong leaders back 23:06 - Is being likable actually a career strategy? 24:38 - The manager who shaped how Courtney leads 26:40 - The leader who taught him the wrong way to win 29:46 - Discretionary effort: the real payoff of leading with respect 30:14 - Sponsors and mentors: luck, intention, or both 32:42 - Courtney's take: there is no luck, only self-audit 33:12 - Knowing when it's time to leave 36:22 - Journaling, reflection, and the advice that changed his next move 37:38 - Running away from something versus running toward something 38:07 - What actually gets discussed behind closed doors in talent reviews 39:39 - Why sponsors beyond your own boss matter so much 40:41 - The right way to build relationships with senior leaders 42:21 - Executive presence, and why people are always watching 43:32 - Emotional containment without losing authenticity 45:15 - The one thing to start doing this Monday 46:15 - Book recommendation: The Untethered Soul The Untethered Soul Book Here ~Be sure to link and follow so you never miss an episode!

  2. Sep 15

    Mandy Wong on being coachable, self-mastery, and rising through corporate leadership

    Mandy Wong on being coachable, self-mastery, and rising through corporate leadershipCourtney speaks with Mandy Wong, a Canada Post leader with 15 years in the same organization, about career pivots, taking risks early on, and what actually drives promotion: coachability, trust, and self-awareness. The conversation is especially useful for ambitious professionals trying to balance confidence without tipping into arrogance.We discuss how Mandy moved from a child, youth, and family relations degree into marketing and product roles, why she believed in taking the risk on a one-year term role, and how she reframed fear as a signal to proceed with caution rather than stop. Mandy also shares what changed when she moved from manager to director, and why executive presence is really just presence plus self-mastery. And...why she stopped looking at being an introvert as a professional handicap and started recognizing her style as the superpower that it is. Timestamps00:00 - Welcome to the promotion room and why Mandy’s background matters02:17 - Wanting to make an impact, not just choosing a childhood dream03:11 - University, co-op, and realizing teaching was not the right path06:04 - Supportive family, temp work, and the first step into marketing07:41 - Landing at Canada Post and taking a role without list experience09:35 - Why a one-year term role still felt worth the risk11:13 - Advice to younger professionals: twenties are for experimenting13:56 - Fear as a yield sign, not a stop sign16:12 - The manager to director transition and imposter syndrome19:04 - Why coachability mattered more than list experience20:51 - Confidence without needing to be right23:29 - Self-mastery as the better measure than performative competence26:00 - EQ, self-awareness, and reading the room at higher levels30:01 - The trust equation: credibility, reliability, intimacy, self-orientation32:08 - Building intimacy without being naturally extroverted35:56 - The belief that introversion was the barrier37:25 - Why presence is the real core of executive presence41:17 - Communication as a career accelerant43:38 - Self-promotion, team wins, and sponsorship 47:25 - Career ownership belongs to the person seeking growth50:23 - Planting seeds in others and saying yes when ready53:31 - Surrendering control and letting trust drive outcomes56:09 - Why The Gap and the Gain is one of Mandy’s favorites57:21 - Measuring success by progress, not by what is still missingLinks & Resources Connect with Mandy on LinkedIn here Book: The Trusted Advisor here Book: The Gap and the Gain here Be sure to LIKE and FOLLOW so you don't miss an episode!

  3. Sep 8

    Ben Brooks on getting hired, standing out, and taking the initiative to create the career you want

    My conversation with Ben Brooks focuses on how to create opportunity, prove hunger, and become the person a boss would fight to keep. In this episode, Ben shares specific lessons from merit-based environments, career pivots, and the difference between being technically good and being promotable. He also explains why clarity, attitude, and visible initiative matter more than polished resumes.Timestamps00:19 - Growing up in Austin and northern Colorado02:26 - First jobs and the pull of corporate life03:49 - Why Enterprise was a powerful first internship04:19 - Meritocracy, metrics, and branch rankings06:24 - Sales training through rental-car discovery07:57 - Handling customer frustration and operational failures09:49 - Why first jobs shape executive instincts10:36 - Losing a dream job and regrouping after graduation11:31 - How a professor and alum helped him land at Lockheed12:27 - Security clearance, classified work, and a rough start13:55 - Learning contracts, vendor management, and Lean Six Sigma16:32 - Why the government program eventually collapsed18:07 - Mentorship, variety, and deciding to leave Lockheed20:00 - Choosing consulting over a longer corporate path21:42 - Finding Mercer through industry curiosity and a bold target23:33 - Writing a direct pitch to a group President 24:58 - The FedEx package and an unexpected response26:14 - Why specificity and value matter in networking27:09 - Hustle, anxiety, and being committed without being attached28:52 - “You’re going to get what you work for”30:27 - Evidence of hunger versus vague ambition32:28 - Rejection, experimentation, and building enough surface area for luck35:29 - Threshold skills versus differentiating behaviors37:26 - Surviving the financial crisis and pitching internal change38:26 - Co-founding an LGBT employee resource group39:22 - A one-slide pitch that led to an executive response in minutes40:48 - Landing an HR rotation and later becoming an HR executive42:50 - The biggest gut-punch mistake: choosing fun over importance43:34 - Doing the ugly work that removes pressure from your boss45:11 - The idea of being someone your manager would fight to keep46:31 - A simple question that changed manager relationships47:38 - What executives really notice in promotion decisions48:37 - Why emotional regulation matters as you move up50:45 - Book recommendation: Four Thousand Weeks53:20 - Clarity on what you want and how to get itKey Takeaways Be specific about what you want in your careerShow evidence of hunger through actions, not just wordsAsk your boss what is keeping them up at nightTake on the ugly work, not just the visible or fun workBuild relationships before you need themUse rejection as a signal that you are actually tryingLinks & ResourcesConnect with Ben on LinkedInWhat Color Is Your Parachute Book here  Four Thousand Weeks Book here  #Networking #CareerAdvice #Leadership #PersonalBranding #Promotion 🎙️ Subscribe for more career growth & leadership insights!

  4. Sep 1

    Michelle Martin on Self-Belief, Office Politics, and the Real Path to Promotion

    Michelle Martin's career didn't start in a boardroom. It started as a temp garbage collector at a waste management company in Hamilton, Ontario, a job she took because she needed the money, not because she had a plan. Decades later, she was a Director of Fleet Maintenance at a Fortune 500 environmental services company, one of the few women to reach that level in a male-dominated industry.In this episode, Courtney sits down with Michelle to trace that entire arc: coming back from maternity leave and asking her manager, point blank, what she needed to do to get promoted; hitting a wall with a senior leader who made it clear he wasn't rooting for her; and the moment in an interview she knew she wouldn't win where she realized she was no longer asking for anyone else's validation.Michelle and Courtney get specific about what it actually takes to move up once the work itself stops being the differentiator, including how to talk to senior leaders in the language they respond to, why the questions "who do you want to be" and "how is this place better because of your leadership" belong on a recurring calendar reminder, and why letting go of doing the work yourself is often the hardest transition in a leader's career. They also dig into a feedback moment that caught Michelle off guard: a new supervisor telling her that her actions made it seem like she thought her employees weren't smart, and what it looked like to sit with that instead of defending herself.If you've ever wondered what's actually said behind closed doors about who gets promoted, or you're dealing with someone at work who has already decided you're not getting the job, this conversation is for you.Timestamps- 00:15 - Welcoming Michelle Martin- 00:38 - Growing up in Hamilton, Ontario, and wanting to be an ER doctor or a cop- 02:03 - Dropping out of high school and starting out as a temp garbage collector- 05:38 - Coming back from maternity leave and asking directly for a path to promotion- 08:08 - The turning point: "But do you believe in yourself?"- 14:12 - The interview she knew was already decided, and the boss who wasn't a fan- 17:25 - Dealing with a blocker who won't get out of your way- 19:57 - What Leadership and Self-Deception taught her about letting go of the fight- 21:42 - The move to the US and the career acceleration that followed- 26:58 - Becoming a Director in a male-dominated industry- 30:57 - The three questions Michelle revisits every year- 35:16 - Letting go of doing the work yourself: patience, empathy, and delegation- 40:50 - The feedback that caught her off guard: "You think less of your employees"- 45:38 - Dale Carnegie, likability, and why asking for help builds relational capital- 50:45 - What's actually said behind closed doors about who gets promotedConnect with Michelle on LinkedIN  - The Speed of Trust - Stephen Covey here- Crucial Conversations - Stephen Covey here- Crucial Accountability here- Leadership and Self-Deception - The Arbinger Institute here

  5. Aug 25

    Richard A. Hinton on Career Growth, Intuition, and Leading With Authenticity

    Richard A. Hinton on career growth, intuition, and leading with authenticityCourtney sits down with Richard A. Hinton for a candid conversation about his path from early jobs in customer service to a long corporate HR career. They discuss the role of intuition, the reality of being “the only one” in the room, and how leadership, belonging, and self-awareness shape promotion and growth. Key topicsRichard reflects on how strong leadership, authentic managers, and a CEO who truly practiced what he preached influenced the kind of leader he wants to be.Richard and Courtney compare notes on identifying good and bad managers, including why coaching, EQ, and multiple data points matter when evaluating a leader in an interview process.He opens up about feeling “other” as a Black, Jamaican, Indian, gay man in corporate spaces, the pressure to mask, and the emotional cost of trying to belong by overperforming and people pleasing.Richard discusses the identity reckoning that came after George Floyd’s death, how it forced him to confront self-hatred and burnout, and how he began rebuilding through self-awareness and self-compassion.He shares how intuition shows up in his body, why coaching helped him trust it, and how that inner voice ultimately led him to launch his own business.Timestamps02:21 - What Burger King taught him about customer service 05:32 - A Gillette internship that confirmed a future in HR 06:59 - Breaking into recruiting after college 12:48 - Why he almost ruled out construction too soon 13:31 - Trusting his gut and recognizing the right culture 15:54 - Why authentic leadership changed his career 18:31 - Learning from leaders with technical strength but low EQ 20:31 - How to evaluate managers before accepting a job 24:07 - How intuition feels in the body 26:53 - Coaching, journaling, and quieting the noise 28:56 - When the mind protects you too much 30:15 - Naming the inner critic and managing self-sabotage 33:46 - The lifelong learning mindset and becoming a better version of himself 34:32 - Early childhood experiences of feeling different 36:29 - Masking, people pleasing, and the pressure to blend in 37:44 - The emotional impact of identity loss and burnout 41:36 - How his identity crisis affected career choices 42:41 - What he would tell his younger self 43:49 - Slowing down, feeling emotions, and building self-awareness 45:14 - Losing a job and realizing career had become part of his identity 46:55 - What promotions conversations are really about behind closed doors 48:49 - Why business strategy matters for future-ready talent 51:16 - One simple Monday morning habit that builds trust and presence Links & Resources Connect with Richard Hinton on LinkedINThe Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown hereLet Them by Mel Robbins here

  6. Aug 18

    Personal Branding at Work: Control Perception & Build Authentic Leadership With Lisa Williams

    Personal Branding at Work: Control Perception & Build Authentic Leadership with Lisa Williams Key topics: Lisa's diverse career trajectory, from collections at a bank to internal coaching leadershipThe importance of self-awareness, values, and authenticity in career developmentStrategies for effective interview preparation and self-promotionHow to develop and control your personal brand within professional settingsThe role of mentors, sponsors, and relationship-building in career successManaging perceptions and modulating behavior for authentic leadershipLessons learned about leadership humility, listening, and decision-makingThe significance of presence, vulnerability, and letting go of outcomesRecommendations for fostering curiosity through informational interviewsInsights on building influence and sponsorship behind closed doorsTimestamps: 00:00 - Welcome and Lisa's background in HR and consulting 02:00 - Lisa's first jobs and early career insights 04:42 - The significance of self-awareness and career trial-and-error 06:39 - Navigating job transitions and learning from adversity 08:24 - Mastering interview prep with depth and impact 10:21 - Moving from finance to HR and consulting insights 12:50 - Morphing without losing authenticity 14:56 - The importance of values and authentic leadership 16:37 - Intentional mentorship and relationship strategies 18:19 - Defining success through choices and self-awareness 19:52 - Gaining clarity on career paths and future planning 20:22 - Building curiosity through networking and informational interviews 22:32 - Preparing for effective informational interviews 24:09 - Clarity and goal-setting in short conversations 27:26 - Managing personal brand and perception in leadership 29:11 - The importance of creative thinking and innovation in roles 32:48 - Authenticity and modulation of presence in different settings 35:35 - Behind-the-scenes truths about promotion and sponsorship 36:53 - Building influence and sponsorship relationships 39:08 - Leading and developing others before formal authority 41:50 - Wisdom for younger self: presence and letting go of control 44:56 - Favorite books: psychological thrillers and business insights 47:21 - Final thoughts and advice for career growth and self-awareness Resources & Links: Connect with Lisa Williams: LinkedIn#PersonalBranding #ExecutivePresence #CareerGrowth #Leadership #SelfPromotion |  Subscribe for more career growth & leadership insights!

  7. Aug 11

    Grit, Influence, and Boundaries: How to Get Promoted Faster With Denise Moss

    Denise Moss climbed from bank teller to VP of HR, but not before spending years stuck at the director level, watching less-qualified peers get promoted around her. In this episode, Courtney O'Connell sits down with Denise Moss (aka "Your HR Homegirl") to unpack exactly what changed. Denise shares the real story behind her rise through corporate HR: starting as a temp receptionist, getting promoted to HR administrator in six months, and later volunteering for the systems implementation project no one else wanted (one that finally put her name in front of the C-suite). She and Courtney break down why grit is a skill you can build (not just a trait you're born with), why "no" is a complete sentence, and why self-promotion isn't bragging, it's how decision-makers actually find out you're ready for more. In this episode, you'll learn: Why being great at your job is not the same as being visible for promotionHow to build the confrontation muscle if pushback doesn't come naturally to youThe exact project-volunteering strategy that got Denise noticed by her company's COOHow to set boundaries and protect your time without damaging trustWhat executive presence actually looks like in the room (hint: it's not arrogance) If you've ever felt like you're doing the best work of your career and still getting passed over, this conversation is for you. About the Guest: Denise Moss ("Your HR Homegirl") is a former VP of Human Resources with a career built on grit, reinvention, and knowing when to raise her hand. About the Host: Courtney O'Connell spent 23 years in corporate HR, rising from administrative assistant to SVP sitting in the room where promotion decisions were actually made. She now coaches high-performing leaders on how to get seen, get sponsored, and get promoted. Links: The 5am Club Here The 48 Laws of Power Here Grit Here Connect with Denise Here 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes of Inside the Promotion Room every week 👉 Learn more at thepromoted.com Keywords/Tags career advancement, how to get promoted, corporate career growth, HR career tips, executive presence, workplace confrontation skills, career coaching, women in leadership, stuck at director level, how to get promoted at work, building visibility at work, career grit, corporate promotion strategy

  8. Aug 4

    The Leadership Skills AI Can Never Replace With Former CIO Michael Kubit

    What if the biggest thing holding you back from your next promotion isn't your technical skills… but how people experience you as a leader? Today's guest is Michael Kubit, former Chief Information Officer and executive leader with decades of experience building teams, leading transformation, and making high-stakes leadership decisions. In this conversation, we unpack why emotional intelligence is becoming more valuable (not less!) in the age of AI, how to make the difficult transition from individual contributor to leader, and what executives are really looking for when they decide who's ready for the next level. Main Topics: Michael’s non-traditional career path and key learnings from early rolesThe role of emotional intelligence and vulnerability in effective leadershipBuilding organizational culture through trust, conflict, and clear communicationRecognizing when it’s time to pivot professionally based on values and environmentThe impact of technology evolution and skills to focus on in the age of AIStrategies for developing executive presence and impactful communicationThe significance of self-awareness and team fit in leadership success Timestamps: 00:00 - Introducing Michael Cubit and his background 02:03 - Lessons learned from early roles in hotel maintenance and transferable skills 03:45 - How DIY problem-solving influences professional problem-solving 05:06 - From music tech to IT: The evolution of technological involvement 06:13 - The early days of university-based dial-up modems and internet progress 08:21 - Skills to prioritize in the age of AI and technological disruption 10:12 - The importance of soft skills and emotional intelligence in leadership 11:36 - Perception management and deliberate career development 12:45 - Recognizing organizational misalignment and knowing when to move on 14:10 - Navigating virtual communication glitches and resilience during remote recordings 20:23 - The significance of brand and reputation in career success 22:13 - Developing leadership authenticity and the balance between self-control and presence 33:48 - Communicating effectively and managing power dynamics as a leader 36:28 - Building trust and fostering healthy team conflict (Lencioni’s model) 44:38 - Moving from doing to leading: the evolving leadership pie chart 52:26 - The ability to distill complexity and demonstrate executive presence 54:45 - Understanding and managing emotions for better leadership impact 57:31 - The art of toggling authenticity — reading the room and showing up deliberately 60:27 - Recommended books for leading change and understanding energy and spirituality (Switch by Chip & Dan Heath, Becoming Supernatural by Joe Dispenza) 63:30 - The grounding power of nature and staying connected to self amidst professional demands Resources & Links: Switch by Chip and Dan HeathBecoming Supernatural by Joe DispenzaLencioni's Five Dysfunctions of a Team Connect with Michael Kubit: LinkedIn #EmotionalIntelligence #CIO #TechLeadership #CareerGrowth #Leadership 🎙️ Subscribe for more career growth & leadership insights!

See All (13)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Inside the Promotion Room is a career advancement and leadership podcast for corporate professionals who want to get ahead. Because, there's a conversation happening right now in a room somewhere in your company about who's getting promoted next, and you're not in the room. Most people never are. Inside the Promotion Room is the show that changes that. Every week, host Courtney O'Connell (a former Fortune 500 SVP and Head of HR with 23 years inside corporate America) sits down with senior leaders, executives, and career trailblazers to pull back the curtain on what really happens when talent gets assessed, careers get made, and promotions get decided. This isn't a show about working harder. It's a show about working smarter and understanding the unwritten rules that separate high performers who plateau from the ones who rise. Each episode goes inside the real stories: the pivotal moments, the relationships that changed everything, the mistakes that almost derailed great careers, and the hard-won wisdom that most leaders only share behind closed doors. What you'll hear every week: → How leaders actually climbed the ladder (and not the polished version - We go deep!) → What decision-makers are really looking for in up-and-coming talent → The role of executive presence, visibility, and reputation in getting ahead at work → How successful people navigated setbacks, politics, and work-life reality → The conversations that happen in rooms you're not in and how to make sure your reputation is clear and deliberate Inside the Promotion Room is for every high-achieving leader who is ready to become the undeniable choice for that next big opportunity.

Information

  • Creator
    Courtney O'Connell
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Courtney O'Connell