You’ve put in the hours, delivered results, and earned the respect of your peers. But when it comes to moving up, the biggest obstacle isn’t performance or policy—it’s your boss.

Managers often hold disproportionate power over career mobility. Research shows they can become the gatekeepers who decide who advances and who stalls. Gallup finds managers account for up to 70% of the variance in engagement, and half of employees say they left a job to escape their manager. Add to that the fact that companies fail to pick the right person for the job 82% of the time, and it’s clear why bad bosses cost organizations billions in lost productivity, stalled growth, and attrition.

Take Tiffany, a senior director at a global consumer goods company. After years of strong performance, she was eager to step into a vice president role. Her track record spoke for itself: She built high-performing teams, led revenue-driving initiatives, and earned praise across the organization. Yet, every time a new opportunity surfaced, her boss deflected it. “We still need you here. Let’s revisit this next year.” Tiffany realized she had to look beyond her immediate manager to advance.

We’ve seen this scenario repeatedly (Jenny as an executive advisor and learning and development expert, and Kathryn as an executive coach and keynote speaker). When your boss is blocking your promotion, it’s tempting to see it as a dead end. But you have more agency than you think. These six strategies can help you shift the dynamic, expand your influence, and chart a path forward—whether inside your current organization or beyond it.

One of the most common reasons managers stall promotions is that they can’t imagine losing their top performer. Managers often block promotions to avoid weakening their own team.

To........

© Fast Company