How to get promoted
This week John Lewis appointed its first female MD. My immediate thought, other than thank goodness now a woman is in charge she can sort out their woeful customer service, was how thoroughly depressing.
It seems Paula Nickolds has spent 22 years working within John Lewis since starting as a graduate trainee, a sure testament of what a good scheme that is. Or is it?
I sat in a senior talent review recently and as each of the high performers was discussed the conversation invariably went to whom they had upset and the mistakes they had made. On reflection it occurred to me that the ones that hadn’t put a foot wrong, and were therefore to be promoted, were the least creative, dreary, corporate mannequins out there. The feisty challengers didn’t get a look in, they were considered too disruptive for the organisation to manage. A dreadful shame and I am pleased to say this is now being revisited after the arguer-in-chief, i.e. me, brought it to their attention.
Organisations need disruptive thinkers to maintain growth, come up with creative and innovative ways of doing things and challenge the norms and stereotypes or these companies will inevitably become stale. It’s a shame people think that by keeping quiet, trying not to make mistakes, keeping their noses clean and their heads below the parapet that they will get on. Without knowing it they could be stifling organisational growth – and being allowed to do so by their unwitting leaders.
A retail chain in America, Nordstrom, aims for employee turnover to be 100% because it is always seeking new talent with fresh ideas. This is the organisation that has one page in its employee handbook. It says: “Welcome to Nordstrom. At all times use your best judgement and if you don’t know anything just ask.” Can someone let me know how many pages the John Lewis Partnership has in theirs? More than one probably.
It’s said that Paula has the John Lewis Partnership in her DNA, well let’s hope she can throw that to the wind and be creative and a highly successful MD; I wish her all the best from a graduate trainee sacked by M&S for not following orders!
(image courtesy of reed.co.uk)