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Can you remember a point early in your profession when you were on the brink of realizing your work aspirations? Promotions, recognition, and praise were occurring for you at a fulfilling rate. But then your progress slowed down.
This deceleration led to a loss of confidence, which is reflected in research where 27 percent of new female employees are confident they can reach top management; this drops to a mere 13 percent in experienced female employees.[1]
To move higher in any organization requires a mental shake-up.
While your current tactical expertise and credentials provide you with the price of admission, assuredly, these skills aren’t enough to open the door to next level positions.
No longer are you an “extraordinary, doing-manager” clicking off one project after another. Now, you must rely on an entirely new, more complex, less defined array of competencies to leap into the world of “influential leader.”
Start challenging yourself by asking questions:
Are You Living A Career Of Ownership?
Not everyone does. Recently, a client bragged about an outstanding leadership podcast. Why? The company’s leaders needed to acquire these attitudes for themselves. What??? Are you pointing fingers outwardly where you can never change attitudes or decisions? And by the way, if you look carefully, three fingers are directly targetting you. Yes, problems originate externally, but your solutions emerge from inside. Begin changing your approach. If your company doesn’t recognize your strengths, without losing a beat, your next thought must be, what can I do to shift their perception? If you have a boss, who isn’t supporting your career growth, ask yourself, what can I do to develop? Don’t accept that the “locus of control” is in someone else’s hand. Such a viewpoint has you relinquishing all your power.
Are You Receiving A Little Help From Your Allies?
If you aren’t, you’re making your career progress far more arduous than need be. Allies are your internal public relations advisors who believe in you, are wise advisors, and open doors to key influencers in the company. As vital as mentors are, research by DDI found a staggering 63 percent of the women survey group never had a mentor, even though 67 percent of them ranked mentoring as important to career success. Moreover, junior women aren’t approaching senior men or women about being mentored.[2] While men are more likely to be mentored by senior executives, women are more likely to have junior relationships, according to Harvard Research. Which connection do you believe elicits more clout?
Are You Paying The Price Of Admission For Your Next Level Job?
Everyone working in business today is busy, but according to a Hive report, women accomplish 10 percent more than men do on the job, but much of that work falls into the non-promotable category (administrative projects, extra paperwork, and departmental party planning).[3] Answer truthfully, does this represent part or much of your workload? As you peel-back your activities, eliminate any time-wasters. Employees on track for career leadership understand focusing on the company’s profit or future leads to promotions—not busy work.
We’ve analyzed three career stretching questions. What others should you be asking and answering…that is if you’re interested in supercharging your career? It is you and only you that can open the door to your destiny.