One of the most effective ways to progress up the career ladder is to manage yourself and your career as though you are a chief executive officer – the head of ‘Me plc’
Why is it important?
One of the most effective ways to progress up the career ladder is to manage yourself and your career as though you are a chief executive officer – the head of ‘Me plc’.
Like any successful CEO of a corporation, you must have the vision to see where Me plc is headed and know how you will get there.
Determine your vision
Identify what is important to you in life and use this to set your sights on where you want to be in three, five, 10, and even 15 years’ time. Remember, your blueprint for success needn’t necessarily involve financial gain or advancement.
“Not everyone sees success in terms of readily measurable indicators, like a bigger pay packet or a higher level in the company hierarchy,” says David Cumberbatch, senior consultant at business psychologist Xancam, which helps organisations such as Royal Mail and Fujitsu Services identify and accelerate the performance of people with ‘high potential’.
“As part of defining your vision or purpose, think about both tangible and non-tangible success indicators,” he says. “Some of the most important indicators may be less obviously measurable, such as enjoyment of work, or intellectual challenge.”
Appoint a ‘board’
As CEO of Me plc, you will need a personal board of advisers to keep you focused and motivated and help you deliver on your game plan. So think of people in your network whose skills and experience will be of most value to you. Obvious contenders include fellow HR professionals, your line manager and senior-level people who could become mentors.
“Take every opportunity to extend your network outside your own organisation - this can include clients, suppliers and people you have made contact with in the past,” advises Cumberbatch.
Formulate a strategy
Once you have set your vision, a plan of action can be worked out. Contemplate how you can best accomplish your career development objectives in incremental steps.
Decide how you can best use the talents of your board and make sure they know what kind of direction and support you expect from them. Typically, it might include getting advice on evaluating the types of roles you could take on to fill skills gaps, the best organisations to work for, as well as the optimum time for moving between jobs.
Be prepared to review your strategy regularly to allow for market changes or the company’s business fortunes. If it helps, write down the steps required to achieve your goals, and check your progress.
“Some of the best strategies are the most flexible, so focus on developing a set of guiding principles,” explains Cumberbatch. “You can use these principles to screen everything to establish what is and isn’t supporting your vision.”
Keep communication channels open
Maintain regular contact with the board and present progress reports. This will keep you focused, and ensure that everything relates back to your Me plc game plan.
For more information
Book
Creating You and Co: Learn to Think Like the CEO of Your Own Career, William Bridges, Perseus Books, ISBN 0738200328
By Scott Beagrie. Courtesy of Personnel Today magazine.
www.personneltoday.com
