Are you aspiring to lead your team one day? How do you get ahead in your career and grow quicker than your peers? InsideOut Development’s study showed that 60% of Gen-Z employees aim to become managers, and 76% believe they should not wait more than a year to be promoted. While it is great to be ambitious, you need to be strategic if you intend to fast-track your career. Below are several qualities that can aid you in fast-track your career progression.
1) Be Problem Solvers, Not Problem Pointers
Any career advancement would involve you leading a group or a team at work. In a team, remember that an effective leader does not resolve problems by themselves, but they build an environment and structure which allow others to develop the solutions or skills instead.
Thinking critically alone is not sufficient as it only allows you to view the issue from multiple perspectives. Leaders must also think creatively as it helps them to come up with fresh ideas. A great way to hone their creative thinking skills is by mentoring others. After all, 71% of companies see managerial coaching as helpful to develop creative thinking skills. It helps refocus their attention and get them to stay curious about their experience.
2) The Power of Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
Leadership expert John Maxwell pointed out, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go with others.” To do this, you need to begin with EQ which consists of self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills, as Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist, believes. You must understand how your emotions and actions affect the people surrounding you.
When you lead your team, you must learn how to unlock their potential. Therefore you must understand what matters to them, their motivations and the relationship between them and the company’s mission and vision. As a leader, you must articulate the company’s big picture to help your team see their roles and responsibilities in the big picture. Therefore, leaders must learn how to build solid relationships internally and externally in order to achieve organisational goals.
3) Head To Where You Want To Be
Do you find your task mundane and unchallenged? Are your colleagues given opportunities that you are not? Is your voice no longer being valued? You probably are stuck in a dead-end job where you do not see any growth opportunities, and your tasks seem like a burden instead of an achievement. According to Mercer’s recent study, many companies mentioned that restricted career advancement (43%) is one of the key contributing factors to high turnover. If you are eager to lead your team one day, discuss your development plan with your boss, and understand the qualities and skills he/she is looking for. Show them that you are determined to grow yourself professionally and that you are the right person to be their successor. This is one of the ways to get ahead in your career and grow quicker than others.
Climbing the corporate ladder has nothing to do with your tenure duration, but how you put yourself in a position to be promoted. Successfully managing your career path could land you a promotion you’ve been aiming for. Learn more on how you can fast track your career with Necole.
References
James Taylor 2020, Creative Thinking vs Critical Thinking, viewed 10 February 2022, <https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/creative-thinking-vs-critical-james-taylor/>.
Maggie Wooll 2021, What is creative thinking and why does it matter?, viewed 10 February 2022, <https://www.betterup.com/blog/creative-thinking#:~:text=Thinking%20creatively%20makes%20you%20a,and%20even%20be%20more%20optimistic>,
Mind Tools view on Emotional Intelligence in Leadership, viewed 10 February 2022, <https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_45.htm>.
Stephanie Vozza 2019, 6 easy ways to fast-track your career, viewed 10 February 2022, <https://www.fastcompany.com/90362748/6-easy-ways-to-fast-track-your-career>.
The Management Center view on Emotional Intelligence in Leadership, viewed 10 February 2022, <https://www.managementcentre.co.uk/learning-development/emotional-intelligence-leadership/>.