Career progression and promotion is a common aspiration for many. It can be seen as a measure of how well we are doing in our job and a measure that is recognised by society.
Dealing with this can be difficult so I came up with this analogy to help get the timing right for promotion and/or career progression.
They call it “Climbing the ladder”, well let’s change that to a seesaw…
As we “climb the ladder” there is a balance point that is defined by our ability to perform the role we want. Having well defined job descriptions is a critical part here as an individual’s ability and preparedness is assessed against that job description. I have often asked individuals to take a close look at the job description for the role they aspire to have and measure themselves against it. If any gaps are found, then we invest in those areas to ensure ability and preparedness are satisfied. Of course the next challenge can be the availability of positions, but being part of someone’s development feeds your own and we should have pride in helping people be the best they can possibly be inside your organisation or beyond.
So, what can happen if we climb too fast?
….we cross the point of balance. Our ability to perform in that role is a constant challenge and our job satisfaction goes down. Who do we blame when we fail? Do we blame ourselves for taking on too much, too soon? Or do we blame others because it’s just too hard? We were unprepared.
So it’s all about finding the right balance. Picking the right time to advance your career and have those crucial conversations…
