Many successful people develop a reputation as someone who “gets things done”, which is crucial for delivering results and has probably served you well so far. That’s great, but not so great if it stops there.
Do you tend to get mired in the detail? Are you so much the “go to” person for implementation that you’re not even involved in setting the strategy? Are you still relying on the same career approach that got you where you are today?
Well, let me quote a book title I just love from executive coach Marshall Goldsmith: “What got you here won’t get you there”
If you aspire to top positions, it’s important to be seen as someone who can do more, as in the stuff that’s required at the next level (or two). Someone who is more than “just” the “get it done” person, and someone who has the strategic insight on what needs to get done.
Now that you’ve created some time and energy, take a look at ways to invest it that boost your visibility and reputation as someone who can do more.
A good friend Bill (not his real name) is the deputy head of a business unit at a major global corporation. He excels at getting things done. His clients (internal and external) applaud him for his work ethic, always being at his desk and able to process enormous amounts of work with just a small team. They see him as their “go to person” for handling big, complicated requests.
Often, his work product is delivered by email or in a memo, so he rarely gets direct airtime with his internal and external clients, but then his work speaks for itself, doesn’t it? In this era of doing more with less, he is knocking the cover off the ball. We all need a Bill.
However, Bill wants to advance to the senior-most level. To do that, he needs to be seen as not just tactical and grinding out the work, but also as strategic and visible.
Here are two strategies Bill is implementing to address this career limiting issues:
1. Don’t do it all himself
When work comes in, instead of giving in to the short-term fix of “I’ll just do it myself because I can do it faster than my limited and relatively junior staff”, look to delegate it even if it will take longer the first few times. That is, look for the longer-term solution of “invest in training my people and free myself up to think, manage and lead”. Longer term, he may need to change the configuration of his team and groom a successor.
2. Go face-to-face
Make it a point to attend (or even ask for) the client meeting to present the results in person. This could lead to higher quality opportunities and better solutions in the future while also raising his visibility. He will think of it as part of his job to walk over to internal clients to discuss strategic issues and develop those relationships (an extension of the “management by walking around” concept).
Write down the most important behavior or mindset that you need to address or change in order to be seen as someone who can do more – someone who is strategic.
Identify one thing you can do right now to shift that behavior or mindset. Now do it.
What’s that action you’ve committed to?
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May is an executive coach, speaker, advisor, and author of the #1 international bestseller VISIBLE: How to Advance Your Career Without Playing Politics, Selling Your Soul, or Working Yourself into the Ground. She’s a seasoned business executive with a passion for helping leaders be the best they can be.
As an executive coach and mentor, May brings 24 years of front-line corporate experience and expertise, most recently as COO of Morgan Stanley Europe, to help professionals overcome (often hidden) obstacles, advance to the next level in their careers and reach their full potential.
