A leader recently told me about her dilemma: Her top performer of four years was asking about advancement opportunities, but with frozen budgets and no open positions, she felt powerless to help. Sound familiar?

This scenario plays out everywhere. High performers hit their stride, ask “What’s next?” and managers default to the same answer: promotion. When that’s not possible, both sides feel stuck.

But here’s what most leaders miss: When employees ask about advancement, they’re often asking for something deeper—to be seen, valued, and recognized for their contributions.

For decades, organizations have made promotion the primary symbol of professional success. It’s become our go-to way of saying “your work matters.” But this creates problems when budgets freeze: managers feel powerless, and employees feel invisible.

The solution isn’t finding more money for........

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