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The Virtual PM

The scary truth about staying where you are 😨

Published 4 months ago • 1 min read

Hello Reader,

Here’s something I learned the hard way

Leadership isn’t just about being good at your job. It’s about being seen as someone who can handle more.

There was a time in my career where I was doing everything right. I was dependable. Organized. Got things done. I thought that was enough.

But I stayed stuck in the same role for years.

Why? Because I wasn’t showing up as a leader—I was just performing the tasks in front of me. No one was going to pull me aside and say, “You’re ready.”

You have to claim that.

And when I finally did? Everything changed.
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Suddenly, I was invited into meetings I never had access to before.
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I was trusted with bigger projects—ones that impacted the whole department, not just my corner of it.
My input started to carry weight. People began asking for my perspective.
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And my paycheck? 💰 That reflected the shift, too.

So here’s my advice to you: If you want to move up, stop waiting to be chosen. Start building your leadership muscle now.

That’s why I created the Leadership Jumpstart Toolkit. ​
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​Inside, you’ll find:
✅ A Leadership Skills Assessment to identify what you already bring to the table
✅ Templates to help you delegate and prioritize like a pro
✅ Tools to engage your team and lead with confidence—whether you have the title or not
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If you want more responsibility, more recognition, more pay—you need to be seen as someone who can drive results through people.
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Remember, your future leadership role starts with what you do today.
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—Donna Franklin West

The Virtual PM

Donna Franklin West | Project Manager | CEO of The Virtual PM

Get the latest in Project Management with The Virtual PM newsletter: expert tips, tech trends, leadership insights, and tools like checklists, assessments, templates. 👉🏽 www.thevirtualpm.org 👉🏽 www.thevirtualpm.digital

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