Moving up in 3 ways

A hunter walking through the jungle found a huge dead elephant with a pygmy standing beside the carcass.

Amazed, he asked: “Did you kill that?”

The pygmy said, “Yes.”?

The hunter asked, “How could a little bloke like you kill a huge beast like that?”

“I killed it with my club.”

The astonished hunter asked, “How big is your club?”?

The pygmy replied, “There’s about 60 of us.”1

A business organization is composed of many people who are members of the same club wanting, desiring, competing, and vying for the rare top positions up the food chain. No matter how many platitudes you talk about organizations being “mean and lean” and all that; the fact remains that there is always a pecking order in companies and one has to learn the ways and what it takes to move up the organizational chart and structure.

When I do my two-day Level Up Leadership program, I would ask my participants this sensitive question: “As leaders in your organization, how many among you desire to be promoted?” Most of the hands in the room would go up in an instant. And then I provide the necessary skill requirements needed to make that happen.

Today, I will cover a different subject matter targeted for the direct reports. These are our business associates who have just joined the organization. They may not yet have the seniority, experience, nor the network and connection as these are built through the years, but the following simple steps may be helpful for those who are seriously considering moving up the organization.

1. Get to know what it takes to be promoted in your company

What are the criterion? Requirements? Qualifications needed to move up? Never assume that your years of tenure will get you there. It is wise to find access to the key people in your organization who make decisions about promotions. It is even wiser to get as much information possible on the factors that decide who does – and doesn’t – advance to the next level. Some young people are so wise and they take the initiative of setting up a one-on-one meeting with the boss to understand their success metrics and how their performance would be measured.

2. Be open to feedback whether positive or otherwise

Do not just be open to feedback, look for it. It is good to understand how you are viewed in terms of the criteria. Your attitude and response to feedback would play a significant role in determining your future career potential. Make sure that you do not get defensive if the feedback given to you is critical or negative. Ask questions and probe how you can inspire confidence and wield influence. You will be surprised that many good leaders are just waiting to be asked, and they are very generous in providing ideas and opportunities for you to improve and shine.

3. Get a mentor

Your immediate boss can be your mentor, if he or she is willing. The younger leaders today are secure and are ready to do this compared to the older ones who refrain from doing this for fear of being perceived as playing “favorites.” You can schedule regular meetings (not too regular as monthly or quarterly would be good enough.) Discuss your career status, your vision, and your ambitions. Take the opportunity to ask your mentor(s) on what skills helped them move up the ranks and what skills would be good for you to learn and develop. You may have graduated top of your university, and you may have read a thousand books on career advancements, and all these are good. But nothing is more enriching than hearing and learning from your mentor’s experience.

The naive among the young people today think that business organizations are obligated to promote them now that they have been working there for one or two years. If this does not happen, they get disappointed. Do not be impatient. You need to know how to move up and go through the process before you can attain success.

The three steps here are so simple, and it is a good start for you to journey your way up to success. Always remember that success is visible; the process is not, but without it, the success would not be possible.

(Attend two exciting and inspiring days of leadership training with Francis Kong. His highly acclaimed Level Up Leadership seminar-workshop will have its last run for the year this Sept. 10 and 11 at Makati Diamond Residences (near Greenbelt 1). For registration or inquiries contact April at +63928-559-1798 or register online at www.levelupleadership.ph)

1 https://www.cybersalt.org/clean-jokes/pygmy-hunter