For the most ambitious amongst us, stalling on the career ladder can be incredibly frustrating. Therefore, once you have made the first step into management you should straight away be considering what comes next. So, how exactly can the leap to a more senior role be achieved?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with showing clear ambition, regardless as to the type of organisation within which you are working. The best senior teams appreciate the committed individuals working for them and showing dedication to your continued professional development can only work in your favour in the long run. Most companies will have a formal review process so it is important that your future management aspirations are recorded in such meetings. With your plans duly noted down in this forum, there is a far better chance that you will be afforded the appropriate leverage to acquire the training or qualifications you may need to move into senior management.
You never know when the chance to move up may come, so showing your intentions and creating a clear and concise plan for development will keep you in the forefront of your employer’s mind when opportunities present themselves.
It may sound obvious, but you must remain focused on meeting your present responsibilities in an exemplary fashion at all times. You cannot allow your future ambitions to cloud your current reputation. In any effective organisation, a senior manager must command the respect of those working below them. Therefore, being a strong leader in your existing position will show that you are aware of the importance of such skills across the organisation.
You must treat co-workers with respect at all times. No-one will work productively for a senior manager who appears to have scant regard for the importance of people at every level of an organisation’s structure.
The working day can be physically tiring and emotionally draining. Sometimes the last thing you will want to do is to eat into your personal time. However, going the extra mile can very often make you stand out in senior management conversations relating to internal candidates for a role.
Volunteering to take on extra responsibilities, taking part in charitable events or even shadowing current executives are all ways in which to negotiate the often rocky path to senior management.
There is of course no guarantee that following this advice will automatically lead to a position at the top of your organisation’s tree. However, making yourself stand out as a dedicated, ambitious and knowledgeable member of the team will certainly do you no harm.
