The Politics of Promotion: What Black Women Need to Know About Leadership, Power and Positioning

In a powerful Network for Black Women Leaders Elevate Session led by executive coach and leadership consultant Sandra Pollock OBE, Black women came together to explore one of the most under-discussed aspects of career progression: The politics behind promotion, and what it really takes to be seen, recognised and rewarded.

Sandra opened the session with a truth many Black women know intimately:
We are often overlooked, not because we lack talent, but because we were never taught how the system works behind the scenes. Too many of us over-prepare, over-deliver, and wait to be noticed, only to find that waiting is not the right strategy.

Drawing on over three decades of leadership experience across sectors, including engineering, government, and entrepreneurship, Sandra guided attendees through the realities of workplace politics and the tools required to navigate them with purpose and power.

Dignity is not given; it is claimed.

Why Black Women Are So Often Passed Over

According to Sandra, promotion is rarely about performance alone.

She outlined some of the reasons Black women can unintentionally limit their progress, including:

Having no clear plan or intention.
Giving away power.
Looking outside themselves for recognition.
Missing opportunities or misinterpreting redirection.
Spending little time developing their inner selves.

These are not personal failings. They are outcomes of navigating workplaces where bias, invisibility and exclusion are woven into the system. To move forward, we must stop waiting for permission and start positioning ourselves deliberately.

Understanding Workplace Politics — Without Losing Yourself

Sandra defines workplace politics as “the competition for power, positions, influence and recognition”.
Rather than something to avoid, Sandra emphasised that politics is a reality to be understood and navigated with intention.

Her first instruction? Know yourself.
Because self-awareness (your values, your strengths, your boundaries) is your compass when power dynamics become complex or challenging.

Five Strategic Pathways to Promotion

Sandra’s framework for navigating workplace politics offers a roadmap for Black women who want to elevate their careers:

1. Build a Leadership Brand That Opens Doors

Your leadership brand is not a tagline. It is the consistent, visible and strategic expression of who you are and what you stand for.
“Well-behaved women don’t make history.” Building a distinctive presence matters.

2. Self-Advocacy: Speaking Up with Power and Purpose

Silence will not save you. Sandra encouraged women to name their contributions, narrate their wins, and advocate for advancement with clarity, not apology.

3. Strategic Networking & Mentorship

Progress is relational. Sandra reinforced the importance of building meaningful networks, identifying sponsors, and seeking mentors aligned with your values.

4. Overcoming Bias, Barriers & Self-Doubt

Sandra addressed the emotional labour many Black women carry: navigating stereotypes, challenging bias and resisting internalised self-doubt. She encouraged attendees to recognise these barriers as systemic, not personal.

5. Recognising Both Sides of Workplace Politics

Promotion is about understanding the formal and informal structures at play. Who holds influence? Who blocks progress? Who champions potential?
Sandra’s advice is to learn to read the room, the relationships, and the power flows in place.

Black women often work twice as hard and still wait to be noticed.

But this is not a strategy.

A Space for Truth, Strategy and Connection

During the Q&A, Sandra offered honest, nuanced guidance on:

Advocating for yourself without fear.
Building influence even when you’re the only one in the room.
Navigating bias while maintaining your dignity.
Identifying red flags when a workplace does not or cannot support your leadership.
Preparing for leadership roles before they’re offered.

Her reflections were rooted in her lived experience, including times she felt overlooked, resisted, or underestimated, and the strategies that helped her rise anyway.

The Core Message

Sandra ended the event with a truth every Black woman in the room felt deeply:

You do not need permission to lead.
Visibility is not about being chosen. It is about choosing yourself.

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Who we are
Our approach

Why Black Women Are So Often Passed Over

Understanding Workplace Politics — Without Losing Yourself

Five Strategic Pathways to Promotion

A Space for Truth, Strategy and Connection

The Core Message

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