A key difficulty for a rising manager is to excel at one’s current assignment while simultaneously demonstrating suitability for advancement. The dilemma which arises is that we are typically assigned to specialty positions on the way up. These can be functional, regional, or related to operational focus or span-of-control issues, and they extend right up to their own glass ceiling right below the VP and C-level positions.
As we demonstrate our skills at these levels, we subject ourselves to two dangers: 1) we may be consigning ourselves to continued assignments in positions where we have shown expertise, rather than being advanced; or 2) if advanced, we may have failed to prepare ourselves to succeed in the higher-level position. Higher level positions typically require more generalist and integrative skills than those we are currently in.
So, how do you demonstrate competence at your current level of specialty, while simultaneously developing and demonstrating capacity for higher-order generalist managerial assignments? Looked at from another angle, how do you prevent the fact of your excelling at the one effort from degrading your potential for performance at the other?
Does a more or less random palette of specialist assignments go far enough to expose rising managers to true generalist, executive-level thinking?
This is a key dilemma for a firm developing its managers and for individual managers planning their careers. It is rather remarkable how few (from either group) acknowledge, much less address, it. It is somewhat less surprising that the result is so many executives ill-prepared and ill-suited for their positions.
If you don’t carefully consider your ascent up the ladder, or that of your managers, don’t be surprised to see it become random, with random results, and people toppling off at one height or another.
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Hi, Jim,
Point well taken.
It’s difficult to get execs in some companies to start giving people some P&L responsibility early on. “They’re not ready yet” is the standard comment. That leads to people never being ready and then being confronted with a huge leap in responsibility when given a general management role.
Some earlier, deliberate grooming would help out in a lot of organizations.
Hi Steve,
Thanks for your observations. I agree.
The execs you refer to are all-too-common. I expect that “earlier grooming” would help solve a number of management development and, ultimately, succession problems.