Here's an exercise that will tell you more about your career prospects than any performance review. I call it the Narrative Test.
 
 Imagine you're not in the room when a promotion decision is being made. Someone mentions your name. What happens next?
 
 Best case: multiple people nod. Someone says "she's been exceptional" and lists specific examples. Someone else says "I've worked with her on a cross-functional initiative and she has real strategic depth." A third person says "she's already operating at that level." The narrative is clear, specific, and shared by people across the organisation.
 
 Worst case: your name gets mentioned and there's silence. Someone says "she's good at her job, but I'm not sure I've seen enough." The narrative is vague, uncertain, or absent.
 
 Which scenario is closer to your reality? And what would need to change to shift it?
 
 The story that surrounds you in your organisation is the single most important thing you can manage. Because narratives are sticky. The person labelled a "workhorse" will have to work twice as hard to be seen as a strategist. Managing your narrative isn't fabrication. It's curation. Making sure the most accurate, most strategically valuable version of your story is the one that gets told.
 
 There's a free 5-minute diagnostic at www.ovdlab.com that reveals exactly what's between you and your next role. Worth five minutes of your Thursday.

Are you ready to join us?