So, you’re heading into THAT meeting with your line manager. It’s time to discuss your next move—whether you’re aiming for a promotion or hoping to negotiate a pay rise. You want to make a persuasive case, so you leave with what you deserve.

But here’s the thing: it’s not enough to simply rely on the length of time you’ve been in your role, the number of people you’ve been managing, or how much business you’ve generated. This is just part of the story. To really stand out, you need to demonstrate the value you bring beyond these numbers. What matters more is showing the impact you’ve made.

But how do you do that? Rachel Dunford, also known as the Impact Specialist, helps individuals and organisations to have a better handle on their impact. Here, she breaks down her top five tips to guaranteeing your next step at work…

Get clear about your intended impact

For many of us, it can be difficult to articulate our impact. Often, we default to defining ourselves by using our job title, industry, or by listing out numbers like ‘I’ve developed 26 brands this year’ or ‘I’ve brought in £50k in sales.’ While these metrics are important, your impact is so much more than that.

It’s the difference you make to the people you serve, work with, and support. Impact is all about change—it’s about solving problems, creating transformations, and leaving things better than you found them.

The first step is to think about what success looks like in your role. What transformation are you influencing through your work? What high-level problem are you solving? This is the foundation of defining your impact.

Break down high-level goals into shorter-term changes

Achieving a big goal can often seem overwhelming, and it might take time. In fact, sometimes, the impact we’re trying to make may never fully materialise as a ‘final’ achievement – our roles often contribute to ongoing progress, creating impact that continuously evolves.

So, when it comes to making your case for a promotion or pay rise, it’s important to show that you’re making an impact along the way. This means breaking down your high-level goals into smaller, more tangible changes that happen over time.

For example, if your goal is to increase retention in a membership programme, the immediate impact won’t be a fully engaged, thriving community overnight. Instead, it might look like:

• More members attending live sessions
• Higher open rates on emails as members re-engage
• A change in how members talk about their experience in feedback

These smaller, incremental changes matter – they’re the stepping stones that add up to the bigger goal. Then ask yourself what the smaller, incremental changes that take place as a result of the work you do?

Note these down – this is where you are going to look for proof of your impact.

Track and measure your contributions

If you can’t prove it, it didn’t happen! Well, that’s not really true of course, but being able to demonstrate your impact is vital, particularly when it comes to making a solid case to your managers.

So, where do you find this proof? Look at the list of changes that have occurred as a result of your work. Maybe it’s a shift in someone’s behaviour, improved knowledge, or progress within a larger project. It could also be more personal – helping someone feel more confident or influencing someone’s visibility within the company.

Build a growing evidence base that makes it easy for you to showcase these smaller changes when the time comes. Here are a few simple ways to track your impact:

• Set up a folder on your phone or in your computer to quickly jot down successes, no matter how big or small.

• Screenshot positive feedback, emails, testimonials, or messages that show the results of your work.

• Keep a running list of before-and-after scenarios—what wasn’t working, what you did, and what changed as a result.

Having everything in one place makes it easy to access the evidence you need when you’re making your case.

Make your impact impossible to ignore

To make your case even stronger, it’s important to demonstrate not just your personal impact, but how that impact contributes to your team, department, or company.

When you align your individual impact with your organisation’s goals and priorities, you transform yourself from someone who simply does good work into someone who drives meaningful change that supports the bigger picture.

Before heading into that meeting, take time to reflect on all the positive evidence you’ve collected. How does the work you’ve done align with the company’s current objectives or strategy?

When you can link your individual contributions directly to the broader business goals, it’s much easier to make your impact undeniable. And don’t forget to share these insights with your manager during the conversation!

Make sure your impact keeps growing

It’s important to recognise that impact isn’t always positive. Sometimes, things don’t go as planned, or we fall short of what we hoped to achieve. This is completely normal. What matters is that we acknowledge when things didn’t go right, learn from it, and work on improving.

To continue making an impact, you need to remain proactive in your development. Talk to your peers and managers. Stay engaged with the industry, network, and actively seek opportunities to enhance your knowledge and experience. You can also address areas where your impact could improve. This shows you’re committed to continuous growth—and your manager will notice that.

Having a growth mindset is key to long-term success. So, when things don’t go as expected, use it as an opportunity to communicate your plans for improvement. Make sure your manager knows that you’re dedicated to ensuring your impact keeps evolving.
So, what have we learned from all of this? That by focusing on the measurable impact you’ve made, and showing a commitment to continued growth, you’ll position yourself for career success. Remember, it’s not just about what you’ve done – it’s about the difference you’ve created and how you’ve contributed to the bigger picture.

With the right evidence, the right mindset, and the right language, you’ll walk into that meeting with confidence, knowing that you’ve earned the next step in your career.

About the author:

Rachel Dunford, also known as the Impact Specialist, helps individuals and organisations to have a better handle on their impact. She enables them to articulate, measure, prove, demonstrate and maximise the value they create through their work.
Originally a management consultant, Rachel went on to set up her multi-award winning over 13 years ago. Her flagship service, the Rapid Impact Review, enables businesses to see how their clients perceive them by capturing powerful evidence of their impact and making constructive recommendations to increase their impact and value.
She also delivers a range of talks, webinars and training programmes to empower and educate people on the importance of impact.

Rachel runs a free online network for bold, ambitious and values-driven women who want to be known for making an impact. You can join them here. Find Rachel online here, or on LinkedIn here or Instagram here.