How Can I Be Down
(Part 1 of 6)
From time to time I am asked that most common of career progression questions.
Periodically, a colleague, mentee, direct report or recent college graduate will ask “How do I get ahead in my job?” “How can I become a leader in my company?” “How can I get a bigger opportunity in the organization?” or some similar variation on the question “How can I be down!?”
This is an earnest and sincere inquiry. Shrouded in concern for the business, and for one’s own professional development, these are the kinds of conversations that cause leaders to pause, to move appointments around and to make room on the calendar to have. Executives pride themselves on being coaches, on being communicators, on being concerned about the individual and on having the desire to maximize our human capital…
And so, we schedule meetings over breakfast or cocktails to have these chats. They are the most important meetings of the day!
With all of this significance then, we’ve got to make the content good. “Tell me what you want to do.” “Tell me what obstacles you are facing.” “Tell me what your long range goals are.” “Tell me what I can do to help!”
Lots of talking, a little bit of listening, a few words of advice that may or may not be useful and a word or two of organizational insight that may provide a different perspective; and before you know it your hour is up! The boss picks up the tab, give you a sharp pat on the rear, swells up his chest and sends you back into the game – whether you know the play or not.
By a show of hands, how many of us have been there?
Ok, so let me clear this up.
Over the next several posts I will make five points to do that:
1. The question is false
2. You gotta believe
3. Commit
4. Think with me
5. Execute
Look for posts in this series on Thursday’s and Monday’s over the next few weeks.
