DRIVE YOUR CAREER: Who's Timeline Defines You?

I am working with an individual who shared he is considering making a career move. He is a valued contributor in a prospering organization, and has been given opportunities of increasing responsibility over his tenure. However, his primary concern is his age; at 50 years old, he has not made the move to the C-Suite. Is the window closing for him to be considered for CEO or COO? If so, does he roll the dice on a riskier organization in order to feed that executive level hunger?

There is no universal answer. Defining your career roadmap is only led by you, and your environment. At the C-Suite level, you are the tip of the spear, requiring responsibility to lead your team, as well as investors, board members, and a marketplace. What about this step drives you? Where are your strengths and value you offer to an organization? What evidence have you that you will be successful in this role? Where does your balance of emotional and intellectual intelligence fall? What is your default behavior in gravest struggles? Are you accepting a role with a team around you that will support your success, and pivot appropriately when outcomes are less than optimal?

In this case, the individual is an exceptional leader in a specific functional area. The challenge associated with the tasks, and the team he leads are energizing and drive him everyday. The pressure to move to the next level was from what others perceive to be true about career timeline. The interest in moving to C-level for him boiled down to what he thought he needed to do in order to move forward, and what he thought he had earned based on the time he has invested to date. The reality is neither time invested nor perceived timelines dictate whether a move to that level is appropriate for you.

As you drive your career, keep your focus on where you will derive the greatest personal reward. Excogitate what contributions can you make to the effort. A race to the next level can be a misstep if the foundation for success is not solid. Make sure the timeline you are watching is your own.