“I am starting my career in a large company and one day I aspire to a strategic position. How can I develop my expertise and network to prepare myself for this type of role in the coming years? » — Rachelle
I salute Rachelle’s optimism. Her attitude positions her well to benefit from advancement opportunities that could be offered to her, especially since succession needs are significant and organizations rely on internal talent to meet their needs.
The strategy to adopt to progress towards a management position is the subject of debate, in particular on the importance to be given to one’s performance in relation to one’s relationships. Rachelle plans to rely on two levers that she controls: her expertise and her network of contacts. Is it sufficient ? Are they the most appropriate?
Rachelle makes no mention of her performance. However, being concerned about maintaining superior and stable performance at each stage of its development remains essential. But this turns out to be insufficient, because climbing the ladder is not a reward for good performance. This reality is often a significant source of frustration in the workplace, since only 15% of high performers are also considered to have high advancement potential. The best players do not necessarily make the best coaches.
Rachelle must therefore be recognized as a person who achieves her results in the right way, while remaining realistic. Her performance serves as a sort of pass to be considered for promotion. It is therefore in her interest to be strategic by diversifying her contribution and significant achievements in a range of roles and responsibilities that prepares her for the next stage. Having success in projects or mandates that take them out of their comfort zone demonstrates curiosity, interest and flexibility, which highlights their development potential.
The judgment that one makes on one’s potential will be much more decisive as a factor of progression in one’s career. Rachelle has every interest in being part of the group of individuals targeted as replacements for key or strategic positions in a few years. How to access this pool still remains a bit of a mystery. She should seek to learn as much as possible about the process and criteria used in her organization. If the approach is formal, she should encourage her boss to submit her file to a talent review carried out by the management committee. Things get complicated for her if the approach is rather informal and random. She will then have to rely more on her relationships.
For the moment, Rachelle doesn’t have to worry too much about that. She is at the start of her career and, at this stage, it is normal to focus on developing expertise that will allow her to build her credibility. An ascending career is most often built on solid mastery of a key sector of the organization, the time to stand out and attract attention. But, quite quickly, she will have to mourn her expertise. What has made it successful so far will not be a guarantee of success for future promotions.
Following the same logic as the diversification of its performance, it is wise for Rachelle to undertake a long process of transversal development on three levels: grasp the complexity of the organization (its strategic context, its priorities, the different functions), master a set of basic management skills (managing time and priorities, resolving conflicts, delegating effectively, etc.) and developing knowledge and self-awareness to better exercise leadership.
Developing relationships is seen by many as an unhealthy, manipulative and unfair game, especially by those who are certain that their performance demonstrates their potential to progress. As a result, they neglect to invest in networking activities. It is to their detriment.
Relying on a large and dynamic network of contacts can play a significant role in Rachelle’s progression, an activity that she must also approach strategically. It is not a waste of time, quite the contrary, because knowing how to surround yourself well is closely linked to your performance and your development.
Indeed, a good network keeps us informed, teaches us new things, makes us more innovative, gives us feedback, helps us achieve our objectives, in addition to offering crucial support to face professional challenges. For example, having a mentor in your network is an asset for developing yourself and gaining confidence. It is also a resource that opens doors for us at the right time for new professional opportunities.
As Rachelle plans to build her career internally with her employer, I ignored, in her strategy, the possibility of moving up the ladder by moving from one employer to another. Did she make the right choice if she wants to progress quickly?
