Securing a promotion in a tech giant like Google or Meta can feel like an intimidating mountain to climb, but Andrew Yeung, a former employee of both behemoths, has some unconventional wisdom that propelled him up the corporate ladder with lightning speed. Renowned for his legendary tech parties in Silicon Valley, he unveils his secret to success – the art of ‘eating the frog’ for his boss.
Yeung’s meteoric rise from intern to directly working with the CEO and Chief Strategy Officer of a global advertising agency with over 20,000 employees is nothing short of awe-inspiring. His strategy revolves around identifying niche issues in his role and solving them to establish trust and credibility with his manager. He fondly refers to this approach as the ‘eat the frog’ method.
The ‘eat the frog’ strategy is deceptively simple yet absolutely ingenious. Yeung unwraps it into four steps:
1. Master your current role
2. Uncover the tasks your manager loathes
3. Learn how to tackle those responsibilities
4. Execute them impeccably
The first step entails excelling at your current duties and finding ways to streamline processes or automate certain tasks. Yeung recounts how he honed his ability to craft top-notch presentations and product briefs quickly, consequently freeing up time and mental space for fresh opportunities.
Identifying the tasks that your manager detests is the golden ticket to stepping in and providing immediate value. Observing how your manager allocates their time and comprehending their priorities can yield valuable insights into where you can make a significant impact.
Once you pinpoint these tasks, it’s paramount to learn how to tackle them with finesse. Whether it involves shadowing colleagues, asking informed questions, or devouring documentation, the ultimate goal is to seamlessly relieve your manager of these burdens with minimal intervention.
Finally, executing these tasks with the same zeal and precision as your core responsibilities is non-negotiable. Yeung stresses the importance of maintaining unwavering quality while taking on new projects.
For Yeung, ‘eating the frog’ is the foundation for building trust and credibility. This approach has not only propelled his own career at major tech companies but has also empowered him to counsel and guide early career professionals to adopt this framework with resounding success.
The crux of Yeung’s story is that by shouldering the tasks that your manager dreads, you can cultivate trust and credibility, ultimately positioning yourself for a promotion or raise down the line.
Andrew Yeung’s extraordinary career trajectory from Meta to Google, coupled with his extensive expertise in product management, business strategy, sales, and operations, has equipped him to dispense invaluable career advice. Today, through Andrew’s Mixers, he continues to impart his sagacity and assist individuals in navigating their careers in the tech industry.
