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How to Get Promoted in the RAF

Promotion in the RAF is about more than technical skills or time served. It is about demonstrating leadership, living the values of Respect, Integrity, Service and Excellence, and showing you are ready to take on greater responsibility.

 

At ACSIS Life Coaching, we specialise in preparing service personnel for RAF promotion boards and leadership challenges. Led by Sam Kinsey-Briggs, a former Army Private who rose to Royal Navy Captain and who has sat on and chaired promotion boards,  our coaching helps you align with your goals, evidence your leadership, and step forward with clarity, courage and confidence.

Balancing Ambition and Wellbeing in the RAF

We understand that promotion is not just a career milestone. It affects your family, your wellbeing, and your long-term goals. Many soldiers face the challenge of pushing for advancement while still trying to stay grounded at home.

 

At ACSIS, we help you find balance. With your permission, we can also review your previous reports and board feedback to give you specific, personalised strategies for improvement. This allows you to step into your next board with preparation, confidence, and clarity.

Promotion in the Royal Air Force

 

The RAF’s values are: Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence

 

Promotion means living these values every day, not only on operations, but in training, in the workplace, and in how you support your team.

 

Through ACSIS coaching, we help aviators and officers preparing for promotion to:

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  • Gain clarity on their career goals and align them with RAF values

  • Build courage to take on leadership responsibilities

  • Develop confidence to perform under scrutiny during promotion boards

  • Use feedback to create a growth-focused mindset

  • Balance professional ambition with family and personal wellbeing

How ACSIS Life Coaching Supports RAF Promotion

 

We work with you to align your career goals with the RAF’s expectations, helping you build the clarity, courage, and confidence you need to succeed.

 

Through coaching with Sam, you will:

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  • Understand what promotion boards want – from leadership style to evidence of competence

  • Develop confidence under pressure – so you present yourself with authority and self-belief

  • Review your previous reports and feedback (if you’re happy to share them) – to identify growth areas

  • Balance career ambition with personal wellbeing – avoiding burnout and staying grounded

  • Build leadership resilience – the ability to adapt, motivate others, and take ownership of outcomes

  • Strengthen your awareness of DE&I and welfare responsibilities – two qualities increasingly recognised as essential to modern RAF leadership

Why Promotion in the RAF Matters

 

Promotion is not just about higher pay or rank slides.

 

It represents:

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  • Greater responsibility for people and missions

  • The chance to influence and shape leadership decisions

  • Recognition of your professional and personal growth

  • Long-term career progression and job security

 

But promotion boards are competitive.

 

Only those who prepare with clarity, confidence and proven leadership abilities stand out.

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We understand that promotion is not just a career milestone. It affects your family, your wellbeing, and your long-term goals. Many aviators and officers face the challenge of pushing for advancement while still trying to stay grounded at home.

What RAF Promotion Boards Look For

 

Every candidate is assessed against the RAF’s core values and professional competence.

 

Promotion boards want to see evidence that you:

 

  • Lead by example

  • Demonstrate courage and integrity in decision-making

  • Show discipline and respect in challenging circumstances

  • Can inspire loyalty and commitment in your team

  • Manage pressure effectively without losing focus

  • Take responsibility for diversity, equity, inclusion, and welfare, ensuring every member of your team feels supported and valued

 

Today’s RAF expects its leaders to not only deliver results but also foster inclusive teams and prioritise welfare. Coaching helps you integrate these responsibilities into your leadership style. 

present these strengths clearly and confidently.

Why Work with ACSIS for RAF Promotion Coaching

What makes ACSIS different is lived experience and board insight.

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Sam Kinsey-Briggs has travelled the path from private soldier to senior officer. She has sat on and chaired promotion boards and now supports people across Defence through the Defence People Team. She understands how selection is made, how evidence is weighed, and how potential is assessed.

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Sam’s career is proof that promotion is possible with the right mindset and preparation.

 

Having served across different branches of the UK Armed Forces, she brings:

  • Lived experience of the challenges aviators and officers face

  • Leadership insight from senior roles

  • Direct experience chairing promotion boards

  • Coaching expertise from working with the Defence People Team

 

Her blend of military and coaching expertise makes her uniquely placed to guide serving personnel through career progression. With ACSIS Life Coaching, Sam will help you:

Identify and Overcome Limiting Beliefs

 

We help you uncover the thoughts that quietly hold you back and replace them with a mindset built for growth.

Build Unshakable Self-Belief

 

Through personalised exercises and structured goals, we show you how to develop inner strength that does not crumble under pressure.

Communication Coaching

 

Confidence is not only about how you feel but how you express yourself. We guide you in becoming clear, assertive and engaging in any setting.

Develop Military Resilience 

 

Life throws challenges. Our coaching equips you with the same resilience strategies used in the military so you can recover fast and stay on track.

Accountability and Progress

 

We do not just inspire you once. We keep you accountable and focused so your confidence continues to grow session by session.

Let us help you:

 

  • Gain clarity on your promotion pathway and the evidence you must show

  • Develop courage to face boards and challenges with calm focus

  • Build confidence grounded in preparation, rehearsal and feedback

  • Protect balance in your personal life while progressing your career

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This is not surface-level motivation. This is growth that builds the foundation for everything you want to achieve.

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​Book Your Free Discovery Call

 

If you are preparing for promotion in the RAF, ACSIS Life Coaching can help you gain clarity, build confidence, and step into leadership with courage.

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👉 Book your free discovery session with ACSIS today

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👉 www.acsis.co.uk | ✉ contact@acsis.co.uk

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ACSIS Life Coaching:

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Coaching that meets you where you are. 

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Growth that carries you where you want to go.

Frequently Asked Questions: RAF Promotion Coaching

 

1. How do I get promoted in the RAF?

Promotion requires strong leadership, professional competence and alignment with RAF values. Coaching helps you prepare for boards, present your strengths, and demonstrate readiness for the next rank.

 

2. How can coaching improve my chances of success?

Through practice boards, feedback review and confidence-building, we help you present clearly, respond under pressure and evidence inclusive leadership.

 

3. Can you review my past reports or feedback?

Yes. With your permission, we analyse your previous reports and promotion feedback to identify strengths and address any development gaps.

 

4. Why are DE&I and welfare important for RAF promotion?

Modern RAF boards look for leaders who prioritise welfare, inclusion and team cohesion. Demonstrating this is essential for leadership credibility.

 

5. Do you coach both officers and airmen?

Yes. Our coaching is tailored to your career stage, trade and ambitions.

 

6. Do you offer coaching outside London?

Yes. We support RAF personnel UK-wide with online coaching, alongside in-person sessions in London when required.

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