Sismai Roman works with women in sales who are no longer just executing deals, but quietly carrying leadership responsibility without formal recognition. This stage, between a high-performing individual contributor and a recognized leader, is one of the most consequential and least defined phases of a sales career.
In high-growth sales organizations, advancement is often framed as a function of numbers. But Sismai Roman has seen repeatedly that leadership progression is shaped just as much by perception, visibility, and influence as by quota attainment. Many women reach a point where their performance qualifies them for more responsibility, yet their role, title, or authority does not evolve at the same pace.
This gap is not a lack of ambition or ability. It is a transition that most organizations fail to name, guide, or support.
From High-Performing IC to Recognized Leader
Leadership in sales rarely begins with a title change. It begins when expectations shift.
Sismai Roman observes that women often start leading long before they are officially promoted. They stabilize deals, mentor peers, and become trusted points of contact across teams. Yet because these contributions are informal, they are frequently treated as “helpfulness” rather than evidence of leadership readiness.
During this phase, feedback often becomes less about results and more about style, presence, or communication. Without clarity, women may begin to question whether they are doing too much, not enough, or the wrong kind of work to advance.
According to Sismai Roman, this is the moment where careers either accelerate or quietly plateau.
What Leadership Looks Like Before the Title Changes
Based on her experience advising women in sales organizations, Sismai Roman outlines a consistent set of behaviors that signal leadership long before it appears on an org chart.
Leading without the title often includes:
- Taking ownership of complex or high-risk deals
- Informally mentoring teammates and shaping how work gets done
- Acting as a bridge between sales, finance, legal, and operations
- Anticipating problems and resolving them without escalation
- Setting the tone for preparation, accountability, and execution
These contributions are valuable, but they are not always recognized unless they are visible and understood as leadership behaviors.
When Leadership Work Goes Unrecognized
Sismai Roman frequently works with women who are already operating at a leadership level but are still evaluated as individual contributors.
A common scenario involves a salesperson who consistently runs large, complex deals and supports peers through strategy and execution. She is relied on by managers and teammates alike, yet when promotion conversations arise, she is described as “strong” but “not quite ready” to lead.
In Sismai Roman’s experience, this disconnect is rarely about capability. It is about how leadership is framed, discussed, and perceived within the organization. When expectations are unclear, leadership work can disappear into the background.
Bias, Perception, and the Cost of Staying Invisible
Bias in sales environments is often subtle and cumulative. Rather than explicit exclusion, it shows up in repeated patterns, vague feedback, shifting expectations, or disproportionate scrutiny around communication style.
Many women respond by minimizing friction: speaking less, pushing back less, or adjusting their presence to avoid negative labels. While this may reduce short-term tension, it often slows long-term growth. Sismai Roman emphasizes that leadership presence is built through consistent visibility. When contributions are not articulated or contextualized, perception fills the gap.
Strategic Communication as a Leadership Skill
As women move toward leadership, communication becomes less about delivery and more about positioning. Sismai Roman frames this not as scripting conversations, but as developing the ability to clarify expectations, reinforce impact, and align work with business outcomes.
Strong leaders do this instinctively. They redirect conversations toward results, ask for specificity when feedback is vague, and address patterns before they harden into reputations. These behaviors signal readiness for broader responsibility.
For many women, this skill must be developed intentionally because the margin for error is often narrower.
Imposter Syndrome as a Career Signal
Imposter syndrome often intensifies during this transition phase. Sismai Roman reframes it not as a personal confidence issue, but as an indicator that roles and expectations are misaligned.
When leadership responsibilities increase without formal recognition or guidance, self-doubt fills the space. Clarity, around scope, expectations, and impact, reduces that friction and allows confidence to rest on execution rather than perception.
Leadership Growth Without Waiting for Permission
One of the most consistent insights from Sismai Roman’s work is that leadership is recognized faster when it is demonstrated consistently and intentionally.
Professionals who articulate their impact, align their work with organizational goals, and operate with ownership are perceived as leaders even before their titles change. Influence builds through repetition, not announcements.
Redefining Assertiveness in Leadership Advancement
Assertiveness in leadership is not about dominance. Sismai Roman defines it as clarity paired with accountability. The ability to state expectations, make decisions, and follow through without over-explaining is a hallmark of leadership maturity.
When applied consistently, this approach creates stability in environments where perception can otherwise fluctuate.
Turning Performance Into Progression
High performance alone does not guarantee career advancement. Translation matters. Sismai Roman helps women identify where they are already leading, where their impact may be invisible, and how to align their behavior with the next level they are seeking.
Career growth accelerates when leadership is practiced before it is granted, and when that leadership is visible, intentional, and aligned with long-term goals.
