Moving Upward and Onward!

The business world is full of people dreaming of moving up in their organization. Most have the desire and many have the ability, but lack of focus keeps many from succeeding. At the same time our organizations need to have people ready and willing to fill key positions. Being able to focus in four areas provides readiness for the position desired.

First, we must work hard to learn the fundamentals of our current position and the position we want. A successful manager once told me that being ready for a position and the position being available seldom happen at the same time. Therefore, we must be constantly working to develop and improve. Find out what people successful in jobs like we’re aiming for are doing and develop the skills even before we need them. Ask the employer/manager for advice in what additional abilities he or she sees essential for movement in their organization.

Second, once we have the skills we must continue to practice them. Often skills are developed and then not used, causing them to become dull. Feeling like we are treading water can cause complacency but it is important to stay sharp and look for new skills to incorporate into our practice. The difference between good and great is often the commitment to continued practice. Living on College Street I often see teams of runners out complying with their coaching instructions. At other times I see a mere handful (and sometimes just one) of the same people running on their own and making a commitment to being the best they can be.

Third, understand that even ultimate preparation doesn’t insure immediate ascension to the desired position. Paying the dues is difficult but it must be done. John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach, coached for over 20 years before winning a national championship and then won eleven championships in the next thirteen years. Paying the dues takes real personal mental toughness and persistence. Impatience can often cause people to quit, thus falling short of their desired promotion.

Finally, once a level of performance that gets recognition is attained it must be maintained. We have to keep it going. Others will probably want the same position we are seeking. We must give decision makers a value added that puts us at the top of the list. The more time we spend creating value the closer we move towards our goal. If we temporarily can’t move upward we can always move onward by continuous improvement. The Japanese system of kaizen (small continuous improvements) works well while waiting.