Driving Your Career Path

You have probably heard of the "corporate ladder", but the problem with this analogy is that if you make a mistake, there is only one way you are going and that is down. Instead I would like to invite you to a different way of thinking which is to think of it like "corporate stairs."

Get a solid footing, growing, where sometimes lateral moves allows you to see the bigger picture making you even more qualified and successful at the next level.

STEPPING UP OR MAKING A LATERIAL CHANGE

As you grow in your career, at times you need to take a step up and at other times you need to make a lateral move.

It is not always about moving up, you equally need to ensure you have a solid footing on your current role as you stretch to the next one. Recognize that the demands are different at each level. Ensure you want to make the move and understand the (1) requirements, (2) activities and (3) measures in the next role.

It is about

1. Capability - Building the Skills, Experience, Certifications and real life work experience that shows you now the strategy how to execute, the tools and how to lead others to make the entire team and program success.
2. Buy-In - Getting endorsements from others that you have what it takes includes (a) your peers, (b) managers, (c) stakeholders, (d) manager (e) manager's manager

NOTE ABOUT PEERS - If it comes down to a promotion you don't want to be in a position where your peers would not be happy to have you lead them. It is not a good idea to promote somebody who is fully qualified if after that half the team leave, so don't step on others to move up. Instead empower your peers and support them in your current capacity, so if you move up they know that you will continue to support them in your new role.

NOTE ABOUT SENIOR LEADERS - If you want to move up, you have to not just get the next level to endorse you, but the next level next level. If you want to be an Assistant Vice President, then it would be the next level up (Vice President) who are making those decisions.

3. Consistency is Key - It is not about operating at the next level in 1 meeting. You need to operate at the next level in every single meeting. Shoot for perfection! Ask for feedback. Get a mentor. Take on more challenges but instead of doing 10 things well, do 5 things amazing. Find out what are the most important things to work on and get associated with those areas if it is in your current scope.

4. Timing - To be able to move up, you must be doing a great job, have excellent stakeholder buy in, but equally must establish succession plan. Ensuring the day to day activities are handled so you can focus on the strategic direction and customer engagement. Growing your your role so much that you are already doing the next level role. Act as if you already have the role so that others wonder "were they not already promoted?" That said, timing is key. The role has to be available. We have to have the funding to pay for the role. There has to be an opportunity to fill. Make yourself so valuable that if we had to goto market to find a person at your level as you have grown the role, that it would cost twice as much and you are in fact a bargain and therefore should get the role.

5. Potential - When there are 2 candidates equally qualified, the person who will get the role.. the tie breaker is the person that is not only qualified to get to the next level but as the potential to get to the next level next level. Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you will land among the stars.

FIND YOUR PASSION

Leveraging the Japanese IKIGAI model, know what you are good at, what you love, what the world needs and what they will pay for.

CHANGE YOUR STRATEGY AS YOU GROW

• Amazing Article from Jack Ma

“When you are 20 to 30 years old, you should follow a good boss [and] join a good company to learn how to do things properly,” Ma said.

“When you are 30 to 40 years old, if you want to do something yourself, just do it. You still can afford to lose, to fail. Instead of diving into a new field or subject toward the later years in your career, he said,

“when you’re 40 to 50 years old, my suggestion is you should do things you are good at.”

“When you are 50 to 60 years old, spend time training and developing young people, the next generation,” Ma added. “When you are over 60 years old, you better stay with your grandchildren.”