In the time since my final police Promotion Masterclass of 2023, some attendees have had their promotion boards, passed with flying colours, and were kind enough to let me know. This flurry of successes saw some strong performances, e.g. top 5 places, including being so good it warranted a congratulatory call from the Chief Constable!
This blog is an example of some extensive and insightful feedback I wanted to share with you as a case study. I’ve added some insights from my own perspective, to support your thinking and approach if you are one of the many officers across the UK aiming to progress their career via promotion and looking for support. Here’s a snapshot…
“It’s such a competitive process, which I think people underestimate especially the higher up you go. You have to devote a lot of time to it, take a long hard look at yourself & understand exactly why you are doing it.”
Confidential Coaching…
Confidentiality is a principle in professional coaching. Whilst lots of successful candidates provide feedback saying they don’t mind me using their full name and force together, I normally remove force details and second names when newly promoted individuals send me unsolicited feedback and testimonials. This measure provides a balance around confidentiality when publishing a growing list of successes with countless unsolicited testimonials arriving in my inbox from officers promoted to formal leadership positions of Sergeant, Inspector, and beyond.
Occasionally, I am asked to use a pseudonym or to attribute the comments or feedback anonymously. This can be for a variety of reasons, such as individuals in specialist/covert roles, or simply not wanting to ‘shout’ about their success (despite being elated). But it’s also because of the taboo that stills exists within policing when it comes to seeking CPD support from outside the force around career progression opportunities, especially when the outcome is repeated success in the postcode lottery of force selection processes.
In contrast with the above, and in the following instance, I have generous and explicit permission from the successful candidate to use both her name and force to attribute the testimony. Elizabeth’s considered feedback provides a valuable case study for others. It offers a perspective for officers looking to convert their leadership aspirations into promotion success and meaningful insights to inform their own approach. Elizabeth wanted to ensure as many officers as possible could share in her own experience of promotion and take from it what they wish.
If you, (like many cops) are juggling life, family, and work commitments, while also aiming to progress your career aspirations, some options, tips and guidance can make the difference in levelling the playing field when it comes to preparing effectively ahead of a promotion selection process. Meaningful insight from your own Chief Constable and listening to different perspectives can support, challenge and provoke your thinking in how you approach your promotion opportunities.
Below, I convey Elizabeth’s story and experiences, following success in her force promotion board process from Sergeant to Inspector.
Elizabeth’s Journey to Inspector…
Here’s Elizabeth’s (Liz’s) story in her own words, peppered with support links should you find yourself in a similar position, or wish to follow in her footsteps via support options alluded to. I’ve broken her thoughtful, kind, considered feedback into several sections, to share some insights and thoughts of my own.
“I joined Staffordshire Police in May 2003, I passed my Sgt exams in March 2008 & I was promoted to Sgt in Oct 2008. Life took over a bit, I got married had 3 children & to be honest really enjoyed being a Sergeant. With the children being a little older I decided now was the time to go for promotion as I had the time needed to commit to it. I passed my Insp Exam first time in October 22, I started listening to Rank Success podcasts & reading the free blogs shortly after following recommendations from colleagues…”
Insights: Whilst various challenges and barriers are still faced by aspiring women leaders in policing, achieving promotion(s) in the service can see officers taking different pathways over varying timescales. Liz alludes to enjoying being a Sergeant, while recognising the ‘time needed’ to then commit to applying for promotion to the next rank of Inspector. And it can take time!
This ‘time aspect’ is something candidates can often underestimate or may overlook when deciding to ‘go for promotion’. Many successful candidates allude to six months or more of solid focus and hard work to get ‘match fit’ ahead of a selection process. That’s a tough ask, especially around shift work, family, and other life commitments.
If you are aiming for promotion, try giving yourself a longer ‘run up’, allowing for a depth and breadth of preparation. This avoids the breakneck speed or overwhelming approach typically adopted by many, who commence meaningful preparation only once their force announces a that a promotion selection process is to be held.
Listening on the go to relevant police leadership and promotion content is one way you can easily start preparing today, barely even noticing you’re reflecting and absorbing meaningful CPD! Rank Success leads in this arena. For example, here’s my exclusive free interview with Staffordshire Chief Constable Chris Noble, as part of my free ‘Inspiring Police Leadership’ series of interviews with senior officers.
“…I really enjoyed listening to the podcasts & I have listened to everyone – some several times, I enjoy the interviews a great deal especially the ones with Chief Constable Noble & CC Freeman. I like Steve’s manner & how he talks so passionately about policing, he is current & clearly works hard to make his content accessible for all. The short videos on YouTube are a godsend highlighting key areas on important changes, HMIC reviews or summaries of reports such as the Casey Review or the OK well-being survey. Lots of runs, walks & car journeys listening/reading or watching Steve, he’s like an old friend…”
Insights: Preparing for a promotion process does not have to be all hard work. We all learn differently and have different preferences for absorbing information. Whether that’s easy listening via free (and premium) podcasts, reading topical blogs, or watching informative videos. They’re all geared to raise your awareness, close your knowledge gaps, and build your confidence to aid your career insights and prospects. Many officers tell me they listened to the Rank Success podcast for months prior to nailing promotion success in their force, including on their commute to work, whilst out exercising or walking the dog.
Officers are frank in admitting they don’t always have ‘time to read’. Yet, ‘environmental scanning’ as mentioned in the CVF, includes reading from a broad range of sources and materials. You’ll then remain up to date and informed as part of your leadership responsibilities, to aid critical thinking and underpin your CPD.
To support this, my bespoke promotion toolkits for PC to Sergeant and Sergeant to Inspector and Chief Inspector, offer a structured and comprehensive approach to preparation. These are tried and tested options, offering timely, targeted support to aspiring candidates to aid effective promotion preparation, going far beyond any free content to fuel your momentum. It’s why successful clients have described these bespoke resources as a ‘super briefing’ on promotion.
And yes, supporting officers to become better leaders (and subsequently achieve promotion success) is something I am passionate about, to the extent I’m often described as an anorak (Which I take as a compliment!). I can remember when no such support existed. Even today, meaningful support to explain promotion processes and frameworks (resulting in tried, tested and repeated success) is patchy at best. I do enjoy helping to ‘level the playing field’, influencing or contributing to future police leadership for the better.
In a way for me, it’s about giving something back; sending the lift back down after my own policing career. During that time, especially as a young officer, I was lucky enough to be led by some excellent leaders who left a personal legacy. Real professionals, who cared in setting, communicating and reinforcing standards. Their leadership resonates still, today – long after they died. I learned from their example and I stood on their shoulders for years.
But back to Liz’s story…
“…I committed to the masterclass & all the toolkits in August 2023. The digital toolkits are well structured, easy to read & follow, covering all the keys areas. I fully digested the toolkits & CVF explainer video before attending the masterclass. I had a really good day when I attended the masterclass. The day cemented the background work I had done & also some added extras, bespoke handouts & a really good book around management. I would highly recommend the toolkits & masterclass, they are 100% worth the money…”
Insights: A look at the salary increase shows return on investment (ROI) for successful candidates is often realised in the first paycheque in their new rank. That’s a considerable ROI for a digital toolkit and/or my comprehensive promotion masterclass. It’s leadership CPD that will last your career. Bundle offers make the proposition for the all-inclusive toolkit more appealing, however I provide support to suit any budget.
The guides simplify and distil information, helping candidates work ‘smart’ not just hard. This is especially important if you’re under time pressures. They also include specific, tangible examples of promotion evidence at the level of the rank. Refreshed for 2024, this material is valuable to help line up your sights, recognising what good looks like and then applying the knowledge to your own experiences.
“…I fully committed to Steve’s way of working to get through the promotion process. I wrote all my evidence out, Steve even checked one of them to make sure I was on the right lines offering guidance & feedback. I did the work around rear- & forward-facing questions & the wider work around policing locally, nationally & worldwide. Once I committed to it, I did work every day as I wanted to pass the process first time. The promotion board in my force was advertised in November 2023, we have a competency-based application process and due to the work I had already done, that wasn’t that difficult to do as I was prepared, in large part down to Steve’s toolkits & masterclass. Having passed the application phase I started to work on the question bank. When I got the toolkits in August 2023, I read the questions & thought god these are really hard. Having done the work, when I returned to the questions in late December early January 2024, I could have a pretty good go at all of them…”
Insights: Liz alludes to something I encourage promotion candidates to do (most don’t): Draft out your promotion examples in writing well in advance of a process, even if your force doesn’t require a competency application. Otherwise, all you have, are abstract bits of evidence in your head to piece together, which is harder when it comes to articulating what you want to say in your interview.
Writing your evidence down makes it tangible, helps you understand it, and enhances your chances of conveying key points confidently in interviews, presentations, or briefings. When it comes to thinking through and practising your responses to potential questions on a promotion board, being thoroughly familiar with and easily able to recall some of your key evidence as structured examples can aid your confidence and delivery.
Liz also alludes to my simple, unique, yet effective ©ENAMEL interview response structure, designed to support both forward- and rear-facing interview questions alike. ENAMEL is easy to remember, and with practice will encourage you to consider the wider context of what you’re being asked; especially important for the more strategic ranks of Inspector and beyond! It supports a more ‘conversational style’ response too.
Rank Success offers more than simply a faceless transaction. Whilst that suits lots of customers who download a bespoke Sergeant or Inspector toolkit, I understand a quick conversation can clarify issues. Especially if you are ‘stuck’ or have a particular query or question about content or even your own force process. So I am at the end of the phone (call me on 07581 299532) should you need to chat something through. That may translate into a confidence boost or reassurance around your intended approach.
“…I started to do mock interviews daily with the long-suffering husband who, thankfully had recently done his Sgt board so knew what was required. First time dreadful, but I kept going, timing my evidence using ENAMEL as best as I could, getting better each time. I linked in with Steve before my board & he gave me some tips for the last few weeks of prep which really helped. I passed my promotion board first time. Yes it was hard work & I put that hard work in, but Steve’s support, guidance & products really helped me focus where I needed to focus…”
Insights: Liz clearly applied herself to getting better every day and challenged herself using the time she had available to incrementally improve. Mock interviews can help with confidence building, your sense of timing, and provide insights into how you sound and feel when answering practice questions from a colleague, friend or loved one. You’ll find a bank of practice questions in my Interview Success guide (refreshed for 2024), and you can even gear a personal coaching session with me to a mock interview (with feedback).
You can also experiment with structures for your responses, like using ENAMEL to incorporate strategic aspects. This aspect of the Inspector’s role is frequently overlooked by aspiring Sergeants. Some forces may even lay on mock boards to support candidates. Treating this valuable development opportunity formally is important, including preparing seriously for it; otherwise, your feedback simply reflects lack of effort. Mock interviews can be a great way to enhance focus, even just a couple of questions at a time to get you ‘in the zone’.
As Liz alludes to, serious candidates, applying themselves and committing at this level, will naturally have questions and may want a ‘sounding board’ as they are refine and distil aspects of their approach. Promotion interviews and assessment processes often seem daunting. Even well-prepared candidates can experience a last minute ‘crisis of confidence’. When that happens, I’m happy to talk issues through and offer reassurance.
“…Did it go to plan on the day? Maybe not, but the wider work I’d done really helped. I was able to answer any question, I knew the role, I understood me & what I would bring to the table. Steve is a genuinely nice man who cares & I would recommend rank success to anyone considering promotion. I will continue to listen to the podcasts going forward, as it’s easy listening & will help me keep my knowledge up so I can help others with their promotion process…”
Insights: In the military, there’s a saying ‘No plan survives first contact with the enemy’.
Did it all go to plan on the day? “Maybe not” says Liz. That said, she gained a solid foundation from her depth and breadth of preparation. Such groundwork clearly equipped her ability to adapt, improvise and overcome on the day.
On reflection, Liz adds: “It’s such a competitive process, which I think people underestimate especially the higher up you go. You really have to devote a lot of time to it, take a long hard look at yourself & understand exactly why you are doing it.”
There are many candidates who put themselves forward for promotion opportunities who don’t know or can’t talk about the role they are asking to be promoted into. They often lack self-awareness (an element of the CVF competency emotional awareness), and struggle with being verbally proactive about what they WILL do (forward facing).
When asked the classic question “Why you?” (or a similar version of it), are you clear on what you can bring to the table? This takes development of your self-awareness through introspection e.g. What’s it like to be led by you?
Confidence can be built incrementally to address these points. Listening to my podcast, perhaps starting with the episode ‘Going for Promotion’, gets you thinking and reflecting on promotion themes and issues. You may then choose to subscribe and work through the extensive premium episodes. In these, I’m taking a deeper dive into some aspects of leadership, supervision and topical issues around promotion to support your thinking. The digital toolkits of course are there at any time, should you wish to hit the ground running and develop meaningful traction and momentum.
A Simple Calculation…
Officers who aspire to promotion usually have considerable experience, but have significant knowledge gaps in their approach to a promotion process. These knowledge gaps are what can affect personal confidence levels. I put it down to a simple calculation for success, even easier than calculating the return on investment in yourself I mentioned earlier:
Knowledge + Experience = Confidence
So, what happens when these gaps are closed? With effective preparation ‘in the bank’, a promotion board should essentially be a professional conversation. A conversation you are ready for and looking forward to giving a good account of yourself within.
This kind of approach and attitude is how you can weigh the odds in your favour, given extensive competition for vacancies.
Food For the Soul…
I am humbled by the lovely remarks within this feedback. I believe officers should be able to access affordable, bespoke support in converting their leadership aspirations into promotion success. It’s still a postcode lottery for many. While debate, arguments and criticism continue around whichever promotion process is in place, I aim to fill the void, offering a range of free and premium options to help aspiring police leaders convert leadership aspirations into promotion success – wherever they are on their promotion journey.
I am most grateful to Elizabeth for her feedback, and to every individual who chooses to share their success story with me. The main reason I started Rank Success was to positively influence future police leadership and give something back. Feedback is food for the soul, whilst building a meaningful legacy to policing I can be proud of.
Kind Regards, Steve
Want to go further right now? Hit the ground running with your promotion preparation. Get your personal digital promotion toolkit, and/or my Police Promotion Masterclass. You can also contact me to arrange personal coaching support.
