AI and The Magic Loop
Ethan Evans and Jason Yoong of Level Up celebrate a member’s promotion at a major fintech, using their "Magic Loop" framework to illustrate career acceleration. The Magic Loop outlines five repeatable steps—excel at your core role, ask how you can help, deliver on requests, ask again with a promotion goal, and repeat. The post argues that AI tools now amplify each step, from boosting personal productivity to coaching feedback conversations. By integrating AI, professionals can broaden their skill set and demonstrate greater value to managers, keeping the framework relevant in a post‑AI workplace.
The Visibility Gap Holding You Back
A senior technical leader driving a high‑impact, IPO‑linked initiative struggled to secure a promotion because his influence was invisible to senior leadership. Despite expanding scope and cross‑team responsibilities, he lacked formal authority and feared upsetting other leaders. Coaching revealed that...
Leading Through AI Hype
The post outlines how executives can navigate AI hype by focusing on measurable pilots and aligning organizational priorities, rather than chasing coding speed. It highlights that AI adoption is fundamentally a change‑management challenge requiring empathy, discernment, and clear governance. Level...
Why We Suck at Asking Questions (And How It Holds Back Our Careers)
The post argues that career stagnation often stems from a deficit in asking the right questions, not from lacking technical skill or executive presence. It cites research showing senior professionals who ask more, especially follow‑up questions, are better liked and...
The Promotion Tax Nobody Talks About
The Level Up newsletter spotlights a common “promotion tax” in tech: senior engineers feel pressured to work endless hours to earn advancement. In a coaching exchange, senior engineer Jack asks if constant availability is a prerequisite for promotion, and coach...
15 Insider Negotiating Secrets for Higher Compensation
The Level Up post outlines 15 practical compensation‑negotiation secrets, stressing that lasting pay growth comes from increasing personal value rather than clever tactics. It highlights the need for clear visibility of contributions, data‑driven communication, and alignment with senior advocates. The...
Get the Most Out of Your Performance Review
The post outlines how to turn an annual performance review into a strategic career lever by treating it as a personal ownership exercise. It stresses continuous, specific feedback throughout the year rather than relying on a single, recency‑biased meeting. The...
Be AI+: Human Skills for the Machine Age
The post argues that surviving the AI-driven disruption requires mastering AI tools while simultaneously investing in uniquely human soft skills – a strategy the authors label AI+. It outlines three skill buckets: fully automatable tasks, AI‑assisted tasks that still need...