Approaching my first annual review as a PM and suddenly realizing I have zero visibility outside my immediate team. The veterans talk about ‘managing upward perceptions’ but how exactly? Heard horror stories about missed promo cycles due to silent vetoes from other departments. Would appreciate raw stories about what NOT to do when preparing promotion packets. What blindspots should new PMs watch for during evaluation seasons?
pro tip: your ‘stakeholder collaboration’ metric means jack if the sales vp doesnt know your name. start cc’ing directors on every minor win 6 months before cycle. yeah it’s slimy but the game’s the game.
Critical mistake to avoid: Focusing solely on product metrics. Your promo packet needs cross-functional impact narratives. Example: Instead of ‘Shipped X features,’ frame as ‘Aligned engineering, marketing, and CS to increase adoption by Y% through Z process.’ Quantify diplomacy.
Don’t stress! Your passion shines through 
Maybe create a shared wins doc with collaborators? Celebrate others and they’ll champion you!
Analysis shows PM promotion candidates with 3+ mentor relationships across functions succeed 68% more often. Recommendation: Schedule monthly coffees with engineering leads and sales ops - document insights in promo materials as cross-functional alignment evidence.