Promotion Ladder – Today’s current broken pathway
It’s a very vague way to start on a topic, but want to place what made me to put my thoughts on seeing current organization promotion cycles. I’m currently having 8 plus years of experience and doing a program which is to get certified to Techno Functional Consultant, for others of us will be doing the Architect or Project lead etc. training to move to next level of responsibilities.
Most of the Lead meetings I have been attended in last few months, I have heard one common complaint from leads to Managers, and i.e. we don’t want senior leads, architects, project leads in team who limit themselves to attending the meetings, sending the status reports. Either give us some one who leads the team by example (prefer not to get into detail, most of us know what’s we mean by book at least) or resources with 0 – 3 years’ experience, we will ramp up and keep the things moving.
This one response I have heard most of the time and it rings a loud bell in my mind, where exactly we are losing in the game here of not having a great leaders in 7 to 10 years’ experience group. Couple of things based on what I have seen in my last 4 years of over all 8+ years in IT.
1. Never promote someone because they asked for it since long time / stand up to ask for Promotion
Its two sides of coin, one is for the managers who can promote one and other is for the one who wants to get promoted to next higher responsibilities. On later part the reason why I didn’t said next higher role is because one should not just aim for the next role, aim for next greater responsibilities. Spider-man saying, “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility”!!
For managers, never promote someone because they have been asking for it since longtime or nominate someone because they are in same band since long time & more over don’t nominate based on biased approach towards one. Look at someone with neutral approach and see if one goes above and beyond doing his/her tasks and have been taking additional responsibilities without being asked for. As that shows ones work ethics, enthusiasm towards work.
For everyone never be afraid to ask for additional responsibilities and show your aim to move up the ladder with those. There are many people who are perfectly happy doing the same job year after year. If you are not asking for it, there is lot of chances for your manager to assume you are one of them. Recent vote poll where few people voted for how many us get feedback from their managers more than once in a year? Almost 50% voted No; it clearly states the gap of communication between these 2 levels. So if you have been doing great job and not just having the qualities for greater responsibilities, already doing those additional responsibilities along with your current activities, stand up and ask for it, as it’s never good to wait till 1 yearly feedback from manager and awaiting the results for it if it meets your aim.
2. Irreplaceable resource
I have my own experience in this, never be that irreplaceable resource in team. I believe most of us are able to complete our duties assigned to us, but there are some who push themselves little ahead and are valuable asset to the team. For most of these resources, Manager will never trouble much to move you to next position with different responsibilities as one is worried more about the current project, current deliverable year after year. You will be a star performer in the project, but because of the manager worries of current project/current deliverable’s will leave you doing the job year after year and here is where one decides to leave the organization to follow their dream elsewhere or slog in same organization.
Always find a balance between doing best in your current roles and responsibilities and mentor others in team able to do your job, which enables you to move into next further responsibilities. Remember mentoring others is a greatest skill of a leader.
Organization doesn’t runs by certain band of people; it’s a collaborative effort from each one of us, playing different roles with different responsibilities. Every level we need that solid pillar to grow as an organization. If we have promoted people rightly at right time, right people to right roles, we would never be in a situation like this. This situation is currently faced by most of the bigger IT companies; the change in attitude is required for resources & managers to have right leaders for industry growth.
I know, I didn’t conclude it with multiple points which are hurting the process of building the right leaders at 7 to 10 years of experience level. Reason is, to keep it open and hear it from people from multiple organizations, what they are seeing currently and what it’s required to bring a change.
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