Many corporate professionals feel the frustration of wanting to move up the ladder, but never getting a crack at their boss’s role. In many companies, large and small alike, navigating into a managerial role feels like stumbling around a dark room looking for the exit. Some people find their way; most don’t.
One key to securing the promotion you desire is called the “150 percent” rule. The rule implies that, to earn a promotion into your manager’s position, you have to demonstrate the capability of performing 100 percent of your job AND 50 percent of their job.
That sounds strange to a lot of people because we’re used to an academic model where, for instance, everything you need to be successful in the seventh grade, you learn in the sixth grade. To get into the seventh grade, you don’t have to know half of what a seventh grader knows. You just have to know what a sixth grader knows.
But think about it from a top executive’s perspective: why would you promote someone into a managerial role who has no demonstrated capability of performing the job? That would be a disaster.
To become eligible for your boss’s job, you must understand and demonstrate at least the major strategies, concepts, and tactics needed to successfully perform that job. And in fact, one of the best strategies for career advancement is to actively prepare for the position you desire.
One caveat: Learning half your boss’s job may be necessary to move up the ladder, but it certainly isn’t sufficient. Other factors must align as well including the organization’s objectives, mobility within your industry, competition for the same position, and others. But this one factor – preparedness for your next career position – is one of the few factors you alone control. So even if your skill-sharpening proves insufficient to move into that next role at your organization, it will certainly aid you in moving to a better position at another.
Ray Harkins is a manufacturing professional and online educator. He teaches a variety of low-cost, high-quality manufacturing and business-related courses at Udemy.com. Click on the course links below to receive substantial discounts on these courses.
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