How to take control of your career advancement

I WILL never forget the heart-sinking feeling in that boardroom.

- TIFFANY UMAN

Meetings provide the perfect opportunity to build influence and shape conversations.

My boss and I had spent two weeks aligning on a strategic presentation for our CEO. I rehearsed it with her three times. She gave me the green light; I felt confident.I went into this executive meeting thinking we were a team, but what happened next was far from it. The moment I finished my presentation, my CEO pushed back heavily on my proposal. I looked to my boss, waiting for the backup we'd practised. Instead, she pivoted. "You know, I had my doubts about that approach too," she said, looking straight at our CEO.

That was the moment I realised that your boss doesn’t define your career. Maybe you've found yourself in a similar situation with a manager who didn’t have your best interests in mind. Maybe your colleague got the promotion you deserved. Maybe you took on more responsibilities, only to stay stuck in the same role for years. Whatever the case may be, you can’t allow it to continue holding you back from taking control of your progression.

Here are 10 career lessons I wish I had known earlier: