Several professionals in my network aspiring to climb the corporate ladder & take up C-suite role find it challenging to land up with their desired job role. To accomplish this goal, they need to augment their skill set through personal & professional development.
While it takes some time and some job changes to attain senior level position, however one should start building the game plan when in middle management position. This begins with acquiring both soft & technical skills & expertise. You should consider acquiring the following as building block for getting into that C-suite role you have been aiming for:
1)Develop your team
Team building skills is not a natural talent. It can be built overtime by asking your team questions & listening to them. An executive with open ideas can brainstorm the ideas by discussing with the team & asking their views & suggestion in operational /business decisions. This will make everyone feel that they are an integral part of value system.
2) How to lead & when to follow
Professionals targeting C-suite roles should not only understand how to lead but also how to follow when deemed appropriate. Learning when to follow is very vital as you will be providing guidelines &/or directions to other departments which shall be headed by other C-level counterparts. Focus on the big picture.
3) Keep upgrading your skills
As an executive, you will be expected to handle different departments so enhancing your skills & knowledge beyond your professional know-how. With the passage of time, such skill enhancement would be appreciated by prospective employers & chances of landing with a senior role will increase.
4) Develop listening skills & creating future leaders
Leadership is about guiding, mentoring listening & cultivating team spirit. Leadership is not only doing or directions, it’s also about motivating team members to achieve results beneficially for organisation as a whole. Listen & deliver action plans. As an executive, focus more on creating future leaders.
5) It’s about time management & prioritizing your work
Difference between an influential leader & others is the way they manage their time. Start to prioritize your work & diarize your time for different activities, work deliverables & connecting with stakeholders when you are at a manager level. This will help you appreciate the essence of time from the beginning & you would come out as an efficient & a diligent C- level executive.
6) Build right professional relationships
If you aspire to be at C-suite level, start building & nurturing relationships with key & important stakeholders. Look for common connections & network with them. Socially, explain your strengths & what makes you different from others. You may ask for mentorship or guidance from senior folks.
7) Create a feedback loop
Knowing where you stand/your credibility is an important benchmark to evaluate what it will take to reach executive level. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to take feedback from your team, peer groups & those around you on your performance, contribution & future potential. You should also indulge in on-going discussions about your performance with few trusted colleagues.
8) Learn organisation dynamics
An important trait of a leader is to lay hands on how organisation carries on its operations & understand the rules of engagement. It is important to observe how leaders communicate to influence others. Showcasing that you have understood how to influence others & get the ball rolling in your favor is a vital signal that you are ready to take up leadership role.
9) Bring an element of assertiveness
As a leader should you should be able to lend different perspectives at one. Holding a top level position, you should be able to evaluate the impact a particular decision will have on different areas/functions. Besides, you should be assertive to hold a strong view about.
10) Focus on developing your personal brand
How people view/perceive you is an important consideration in evaluating your fit for a C-suite role. So you should showcase how your strengths, competencies & values will be beneficial for your team. Build your worth & present yourself as a skilled person to take up leadership role.
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